PEN International

While WiPC welcomes the journalist’s release, it continues to call for any charges against her to be dropped, in accordance with Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a signatory.

IFEX-TMG says time is of the essence to effectively support freedom of expression by adopting a series of positive measures and setting high standards for the future.

IFEX-TMG attends trial of Samir Feriani, acquitted of charges of leaking information about the destruction of evidence linking Tunisian secret police to torture and other crimes.

Tran Duc Thach and Nguyen Van Tinh were included in an amnesty celebrating Vietnamese National Day.

WiPC supported a trial observation mission to the country for the verdict, in partnership with IFEX, and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all those currently detained for the peaceful exercise of their opinions.

Lu Van Bay, a prominent pro-democracy activist, wrote and published articles online calling for the end of one-party rule and the introduction of a multiparty political system.

Those released include writer, journalist and activist ‘Ali al-Abdullah, lawyer and writer Muhannad al-Hassani, novelist Raghdah Sa’id Hassan, poet and lawyer Mustafa Ismail, and writers Husam ‘Ali Mulhim and Tarek Al-Gorani.

Nguyen Van Hai’s wife was told by a prison security guard that her husband had lost an arm or a hand in prison; no further details were given about his condition or how and when the accident happened, and the report has not been officially confirmed.