PEN International

(WiPC/IFEX) – International PEN has recently learned that the Albanian poet, paediatrician and women’s rights activist, Flora Brovina, has been transferred from a prison near Pristina to another in Serbia. International PEN is alarmed by reports that she is in poor health and that she is being denied access to a lawyer. It is calling […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – The following is a WiPC press release: International PEN Writers in Prison Committee At The 66th International PEN Congress, Warsaw 15-20 June 1999 In his presentation to the 66th International PEN Congress, held in Warsaw from 15-20 June, the Chair of PEN’s Writers in Prison Committee, Moris Farhi, told the gathered delegates of […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – The WiPC is deeply disturbed by the imprisonment of Yilmaz Odabasi. Odabasi, a prize-winning poet, writer and journalist, was sent to Bursa Prison on 12 March 1999 to serve an eighteen-month term, (which, with remission, will come to eight months). He was convicted of “insulting Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – WiPC is seriously concerned about the detention of leading pro-democracy activist Jiang Qisheng. According to WiPCs information, Jiang Qisheng was arrested at his home at 11.35 p.m. (local time) on 18 May 1999. Following his arrest, a large group of police reportedly ransacked his home and took away his writing materials, overseas Chinese […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – WiPC remains seriously concerned about the safety of Najam Sethi, editor of the national newspaper “Friday Times”, who is now reported to be in the custody of the military intelligence (Inter Services Intelligence, ISI). He is said to be held in solitary confinement in a cell without light. **Updates IFEX alerts of 18 […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – On 23 April 1999, poet Mzwakhe Mbuli was sentenced to thirteen years for armed robbery and five years for possession of a hand grenade. **Updates IFEX alert of 9 December 1998** Mbuli continues to claim his innocence. According to him the whole affair is a set-up. He alleges that he was framed by […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – WiPC is deeply disturbed by the impending imprisonment of Muzaffer Ilhan Erdost, a prominent writer and publisher. Erdost has been sentenced to a year in prison and a fine of 100 million lira (US$260 approx.) on charges relating to his book “Three Sivas”. His sentence has been ratified and he may have to […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – WiPC is disturbed by reports that Flora Brovina, a well-known writer, paediatrician and women’s rights activist, was abducted in Pristina on 22 April 1999. In light of the difficulties in verifying information from Kosovo, PEN is not in a position to confirm the abduction. However, International PEN is concerned for her safety and […]