PEN International

(WiPC/IFEX) – In a move that led to an outcry in Serbia, the re-trial of Flora Brovina, poet and Kosovo Albanian rights activist, was once again postponed, this time to 16 November 2000. Her continued imprisonment casts doubt on the new Serbian leadership’s commitment to the principle of human rights for all. In June 2000, […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – The following is a joint appeal to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit by eleven IFEX members on behalf of imprisoned Turkish playwright and human rights lawyer Esber Yagmurdereli: His Excellency Bulent Ecevit Prime Minister Basbakanlik 06573 Ankara, Turkey Fax: +90 312 417 0476 We, the undersigned members of IFEX, are writing this appeal on […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – According to Albanian language press reports, on 15 September 2000, the presiding judge at the Nis District Court, Marina Milanovic, ordered the Pozorevac Prison authorities to allow Flora Brovina access to pencils and paper to enable her to prepare her defence. Brovina was also granted access to the Supreme Court order advising the […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – Independent Serbian press agencies report that on 14 September 2000, the Nis District Court held a retrial hearing of the case of Flora Brovina, poet, paediatrician, and women’s rights activist. The hearing was adjourned to 14 October. In June, the Serbian Supreme Court returned the case of Brovina, who had been sentenced in […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – The WiPC of International PEN protests the arrest of journalist and researcher Hojjatoleslam Hasan Yousefi Eshkevari. Eshkevari is an insulin-dependent diabetic, and there are serious concerns for his health. International PEN considers Eshkevari to be detained in violation of his right to freedom of expression as guaranteed by Article 19 of the International […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – According to FreeB92, the independent Serbian news-agency, the Nis District Court will start new proceedings against poet, paediatrician, and women’s rights activist, Flora Brovina on 14 September 2000. In June, the Serbian Supreme Court over-turned Brovina’s conviction, who had been sentenced in December 1999 to twelve years in prison on charges of “terrorism”, […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports that on 4 July 2000, the Uzbek Ministry of Interior in Tashkent responded to a Human Rights Watch report which claimed that imprisoned writer Mamadali Makhmudov is in poor health. The ministry is said to have rejected the report, adding that Makhumdov’s health is “satisfactory” and that he […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – On 6 July 2000, the Russian Interior Ministry announced that journalist Andrei Babitsky has been formally charged with knowingly using false identity papers and that his case has been filed with the public prosecutor. International PEN is concerned that the charges against Babitsky may have been levied as a penalty against his reports […]