Articles by PEN International
One journalist freed; three remain detained
(WiPC/IFEX) – On 21 October 1998, Amnesty International issued an update on the cases of the “Tous” journalists in which it reported on the release of one of them. The text of the Amnesty Urgent Action is as follows: **Updates IFEX alerts of 9 October, 8 October, 23 September, 20 September, 16 September, and 4 […]
Journalist released
(WiPC/IFEX) – In a letter to the Austrian PEN Centre, the Press Office of the Romanian Ministry of Justice wrote with the news that editor Cornel Sabou had been released at the end of September. **Updates IFEX alert of 25 August 1998** Cornel Sabou was detained on 22 August 1998 to serve a 10-month prison […]
Foreign Minister calls for a “humanitarian” approach to Nasrin case
(WiPC/IFEX) – The Bangladesh “Janakantha” daily newspaper writes that during a press conference held in Dhaka on Monday 5 October 1998, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad told journalists that the case of Taslima Nasrin “should be considered from an humanitarian angle.” He went on to say “On the one hand, the religious sentiment of […]
Poet released in recent prisoner amnesty
(WiPC/IFEX) – International PEN WiPC has confirmed that poet and writer Nguyen Van Thuan was also released in the recent prisoner amnesty in Vietnam to commemorate the country’s National day. **Update to the IFEX alert update of 2 September 1998**
Large-scale prisoner amnesty in Vietnam
(WiPC/IFEX) – On 28 August 1998 a large-scale prisoner amnesty was announced in Vietnam to mark the 2 September Independence Day. PEN Writers in Prison Committee is able to confirm that the following writers and journalists were included in the amnesty: **For background on Professor Doan Viet Hoat, see IFEX alerts of 28 August, 2 […]
Mohsen Sa’idzadeh: prominent writer, cleric and scholar arrested
(WiPC/IFEX) – Hojatoleslam Sayyid Mohsen Sa’idzadeh – a prominent legal scholar, former judge, and writer – was arrested on 30 June 1998, and has remained in prison ever since. His detention is believed to be connected to his reformist views and writings, in particular those espousing women’s rights. At the present time, it is not […]
Poets reportedly detained and awaiting trial
(WiPC/IFEX) – International PEN WiPC is seriously concerned for two poets Xue Deyun (pen name Ma Zhe) and Xiong Jinren, who were reportedly arrested on 26 January 1998 and are believed to be still detained and awaiting trial. Xue Deyun and Xiong Jinren were reportedly arrested with two other poets, Ma Qiang and Wu Ruohai, […]
Re-trial reportedly ordered once more for journalist Morteza Firouzi; said to be no longer in danger of imminent execution
(WiPC/IFEX) – Morteza Firouzi, the founder and editor of the English-language daily “Iran News”, is reportedly no longer in imminent danger of execution. According to Amnesty International, in early June, the official Iranian News Agency IRNA reported that Firouzi’s case had been referred back to the courts. In a 16 June 1998 fax to a […]