Writers at Risk Database
PEN America champions the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. The bedrock work of the global PEN network is advocacy and assistance on behalf of individuals persecuted for their use of the written word or other forms of expression. PEN America’s Writers at Risk Database is a searchable catalog of the writers, journalists, academics, public intellectuals and others under threat around the world. The database includes historical cases PEN America has worked on from 1987 onwards; non-active cases are color-coded black. PEN America is grateful to the John Templeton Foundation for support that enabled the establishment of the Writers at Risk Database and to PEN International for their collaboration in assembling this database.
Filters
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Status
ReleasedLu Maw Naing
JournalistMyanmarAsia-PacificLu Maw Naing was arrested with four other employees of the Unity newspaper after it published an exposé about an alleged secret chemical weapons factory. The “Unity Five” were sentenced to seven years in prison in 2014, but were released in 2016 by a presidential amnesty. Their arrest and conviction…
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ImprisonedLuis Manuel Otero Alcántara
Activist, Creative artistCubaAmericasCultural figure Alcántara has been detained countless times for his activism. In November 2020, he was arrested and began a hunger and thirst strike until his December release, when he was placed on house arrest. Amid nationwide protests in July 2021, Alcántara was detained and moved to a high-security prison.…
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ImprisonedLuo Changping
Literary writer, Online CommentatorChinaAsia-PacificAuthor and blogger, Luo Changping was arrested in October 2021 for “defaming martyrs” after posting on Weibo a critical review of a film depicting a battle in the Korean War between the Chinese and U.S. militaries. His account with 2.2 million followers was taken down. On May 9, 2022, Luo…
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ImprisonedLuo Yuwei
Online Commentator, ScholarChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificLuo, a student of Ilham Tohti, was arrested for his involvement with Tohti’s website Uyghurbiz, which aimed to promote understanding between Uyghurs and Han Chinese. In 2014, he made a most likely forced televised confession from prison to state-run media where he stated that he worked for the website. He…
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ReleasedLwin Aung
Creative artist, PoetMyanmarAsia-PacificPoet, artist, and legal practitioner Lwin Aung, also known as Nayi, was arrested by the military junta on March 12, 2021 in Myeik city shortly before he was supposed to represent fellow poet Maung Yu Pyi in court. His arrest was reported by PEN International, though details remained unconfirmed at…
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Displaced/In ExileLydia Cacho
Journalist, Literary writerMexicoAmericasCacho faces harassment and attacks for her investigative journalism. In July 2019, two individuals broke into her home, stole equipment and research materials, and killed her dogs. Despite IACHR recommendations, the Mexican government has withdrawn protection on her home. In 2021, the government of Spain granted Cacho Spanish nationality due…
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Displaced/In ExileMa Jian
Literary writer, PoetChina/Hong KongAsia-PacificChinese-born British author Ma Jian and his books have faced government censorship since his first publication Stick Out Your Tongue in 1988. After publishing The Dark Road in 2013, a novel about the one-child policy, Ma was banned from China. In November 2018, two Hong Kong-based speaking events were canceled…
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Displaced/In ExileMa Thida
Activist, Literary writerMyanmarAsia-PacificHuman rights activist, surgeon, and writer Ma Thida was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges of endangering public peace, distributing unlawful literature, and having contact with illegal organizations. She was released in 1999 after facing 6 years of harsh conditions. She continues to speak out about the current…
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Conditional ReleaseMaati Monjib
Journalist, ScholarMoroccoMiddle East and North AfricaAn advocate for an independent press, historian Monjib was detained on December 29, 2020 following a retaliatory investigation against him into alleged money laundering. A month later, he was sentenced to one year in prison for endangering national security and fraud. He was released on bail in March 2021 but…
Writers at Risk Database Key:
STATUS box that is red: Active case
STATUS box that is black: Inactive case
Funder
PEN America is deeply grateful to the John Templeton Foundation for its generous support of the Freedom to Write Index and Writers at Risk Database.
Partner
PEN America thanks the PEN International Secretariat and the Writers in Prison Committee for their extensive contributions to and collaboration on compiling the cases included in this database.