Articles by PEN International
Journalists Nizar Nayyuf and Jadi Nawfal enter fourth year in prison
SOURCES: CDF, AI, ICJ, Human Rights Watch/Middle East, various Syrian journalist Nizar Nayyuf was arrested in January 1992 after his wife and three-year-old daughter were reportedly arrested in his place a few weeks earlier. He and fellow journalist Jadi Nawfal are among members of the banned Committee for the Defence of Democratic Freedoms and Human […]
Government responds to International PEN’s concerns on repatriation of Vietnamese writers and journalists
***Update to Action Alert dated 6 January 1995*** On 17 January 1995, B. J. Bresnihan, Secretary for Security at the Hong Kong Government Secretariat wrote to the WiPC headquarters in London, on behalf of Governor Christopher Patten to whom PEN had written about its concerns for over 30 Vietnamese writers and journalists who are in […]
Ken Saro-Wiwa’s trial postponed until February
**For background, see IFEX CH alerts and press releases dated 11 January 1995, 21, 2 December, 17 November, and various alerts through 1994** The trial against Nigerian writer and minority rights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa was postponed on 16 January 1995 after the prosecution failed to turn up at the court in Port Harcourt. Mr. Saro-Wiwa’s […]
Author Graa Boomsma (m) faces appeal against acquittal in face of threats; journalist Eddy Schaafsma’s acquittal confirmed
**Updates IFEX CH alerts dated 3 August, 13 June, 24, 23 May 1994** On 12 January 1995, the Leewarden Court heard an appeal against the acquittal on charges of defamation in June 1994 of author Graa Boomsma and journalist Eddy Schaafsma. Schaafsma was acquitted; the verdict against Boomsma will be given on 26 January. If […]
International PEN appeals for 37 Vietnamese writers seeking asylum
The WiPC wrote to Hong Kong Governor Christopher Patten on the plight of a number of Vietnamese writers and journalists who are among those seeking asylum in Hong Kong. It noted that there are reports that those who have been denied refugee status face imminent repatriation and that many have legitimate cause to fear persecution […]
Nasrin trial hearing further postponed
***Update to Action Alerts dated 9 and 15 December 1994*** A court hearing set for 3 January 1995 at which the lawyers of Taslima Nasrin will appeal against the continuation of the trial proceedings against her, has been further postponed until 15 January. Taslima Nasrin is standing trial under Article 295A of the Bangladesh Penal […]