Articles by PEN International
PEN protests enforced separation of professor from his wife
On 19 June 1995, International PEN wrote to the Egyptian President to express its shock and profound concern at the case of Dr Nasr Hamad Abu Zaid and its implications for the right to freedom of opinion and ideas in Egypt. On 14 June l995, an Egyptian court ruled that Dr Nasr Abu Zaid, a […]
PEN protests harassment of writers and journalists in Kosovo
The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN wrote to President Milosevic of Serbia on 19 June 1995 expressing concern at the continued pattern of harassment and arrest of writers and journalists in Kosovo. Indicative of this pattern of abuse of the rights to freedom of expression are the reports of the arrest and in […]
Religious scholar and poet under arrest
The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN on 19 June 1995 requested PEN members to write to the Bahraini authorities about the welfare of detained religious scholar, Shaikh ‘Abd al-Amir Mansur al-Jamri. It is feared that continued imprisonment will worsen his already poor health. Amnesty International reports that on 1 April 1995, security forces […]
Two writers detained; fears for their health
Amnesty International reports on the arrests of Ahamed Shafeeq, a civil servant and writer, and Ali Moosa Didi, a writer and politician in the Maldives. There are serious concerns about their health. On 21 April 1995, about a dozen police officers raided Ahamad Shafeeq’s home and arrested both him and Ali Moosa Didi. Also seized […]
Serious fears for health of detained writer Ken Saro-Wiwa
**Updates IFEX CH alerts dated 22 March, 24, 17, 8, 6 February 1995 and others** There are deep concerns for the health of Nigerian writer Ken Saro-Wiwa after recent reports that he has not been able to attend his tribunal on at least two occasions in the last month due to ill-health and that the […]
Jailed Mexican army officer suffers campaign of harassment due to criticism of human rights abuses
Sources: Press, Comision Mexicana de Defensa y Promocion de Derechos Humanos Brigadier General Jose Gallardo Rodriguez, whose imprisonment in Mexico in November 1993 is widely thought to be connected to his criticism of the military, was denied visits by a leading Mexican human right group — the Comision Mexicana de Defensa y Promocion de los […]
Concerns for missing poet Amir Talic
Amir Talic, a Bosnian poet, was arrested on 22 February 1995 by Bosnian Serb forces. He is now said to be held in an unknown place of detention and there are fears for his well-being. He is among eight people still thought to be detained following a wave of arrests of members of a Muslim […]
Journalist Chan Rotana sentenced to one year in prison
Source: Amnesty International On 27 February 1995, Chan Rotana, editor of “Voice of Khmer Youth”, was sentenced to one year in prison at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court. He was also fined five million Cambodian riels (approx US$ 2,000). He remains free pending an appeal hearing of his case. Chan Rotana was convicted under Article […]