Articles by PEN International
Six years after his arrest, China urged to release Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo and wife Liu Xia
8 December 2014 marks the sixth anniversary of the arrest of poet and human rights defender Liu Xiaobo. His wife, poet and artist Liu Xia, was placed under house arrest following the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Xiaobo in October 2010.
On Human Rights Day, call for greater protection of linguistic rights
On Human Rights Day, PEN International calls for greater protection of linguistic rights, cultural diversity and minority languages. PEN International has long recognised the vital role that language plays in identity, communications, social integration, education and development and has continued to defend linguistic rights of writers, journalist and others across the globe.
Writers and publishers arrested in China in new wave of repression
There is alarm over a new wave of arrests of writers, journalists, publishers and civil society activists in China in recent weeks, apparently for their public support of the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
Honduras ignores Inter-American court’s decision in favour of journalist
On 5 November 2014, the IACHR ordered the Honduran government to suspend a 16-month ban on practising journalism and other penalties imposed on Julio Alvarado. One month after the ruling, the Honduran state has failed to suspend the work ban.
Inter-American Commission visits Honduras at crucial moment for human rights
PEN Honduras welcomes the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to Honduras, at a crucial juncture for human rights, of which the right to freedom of expression is particularly vulnerable.
British journalist found guilty of contempt in Bangladesh for questioning 1971 war death toll
British investigative journalist David Bergman was convicted by a Bangladesh court and fined 5,000 taka. The case relates to three blog posts published by Bergman on his popular blog “Bangladesh War Crimes Tribunal”.
Day of the Imprisoned Writer: Governments urged to free unjustly imprisoned writers
15 November is the 33rd anniversary of the Day of the Imprisoned Writer. This year PEN is highlighting the cases of five writers from Cameroon, China, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, and Paraguay and calls for their immediate and unconditional release and for the charges against them to be dropped, along with all other writers similarly threatened.
Day of the Imprisoned Writer: Iranian teacher and poet Mahvat Sabesh
Teacher and poet Mahvash Sabet is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence in Evin prison, Tehran. PEN International is calling on the Iranian authorities to release her and all other writers imprisoned in Iran for their work.