PEN International

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 […]

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 […]

**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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

**Updates IFEX CH alerts dated 17, 8 and 6 February 1995** Ken Saro-Wiwa’s lawyers report that they were attacked in court after the case against him resumed on 21 February 1995. They say the court was surrounded by military personnel who were screening people who entered the court. They reportedly refused to permit journalists from […]

Sources: lawyers, press agencies, Amnesty, various **Further to IFEX CH alerts dated 8 and 6 February 1995** The trial against jailed Nigerian writer Ken Saro-Wiwa is due to begin on 21 February 1995, after its postponement on 6 February. Saro-Wiwa is charged with four counts under the Civil Disturbances Tribunal Decree of 1987. The charges […]