Writers at Risk Database
PEN America champions the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. The bedrock work of the global PEN network is advocacy and assistance on behalf of individuals persecuted for their use of the written word or other forms of expression. PEN America’s Writers at Risk Database is a searchable catalog of the writers, journalists, academics, public intellectuals and others under threat around the world. The database includes historical cases PEN America has worked on from 1987 onwards; non-active cases are color-coded black. PEN America is grateful to the John Templeton Foundation for support that enabled the establishment of the Writers at Risk Database and to PEN International for their collaboration in assembling this database.
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ImprisonedAhmad Ibrohim
Journalist, Literary writerTajikistanEurope and Central AsiaIn November 2021, writer, journalist, and editor-in-chief of Paik newspaper Ahmad Ibrohim wrote a letter to the Prosecutor General about pressure on the the Paik staff by Tajikistani authorities. On August 12, 2024, he was arrested on accusations of bribing a public servant. With his arrest, Paik was also made…
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ConvictedBรผlent Mumay
Journalist, Online CommentatorTรผrkiyeEurope and Central AsiaOn May 5, 2023, journalist and online commentator Bรผlent Mumay was sentenced to 20 months in prison for his social media posts criticizing a pro-government construction companyโs seizure of the Istanbul Municipalityโs subway funds. His appeal was rejected on August 20, 2023. In May 2024, a court ordered the removal…
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Continued HarassmentMohammad Fathi
Singer/SongwriterIranMiddle East and North AfricaPop singer Mohammad Fathi was summoned to the Evin courthouse by the authorities on June 30, 2024 on charges of “propaganda against the regime.” The charges stemmed from a song he wrote called “Journey With You,” in memory of killed protestors. After being interrogated, Fathi was released on bail.
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Displaced/In ExileShafiur Rahman
Journalist, Online CommentatorBangladeshAsia-PacificDespite living in England, British-Bangladeshi journalist Shafiur Rahman has faced increasing threats from Bangladesh due to his reporting on the countryโs policies towards the Rohingya. In May 2024, authorities detained 32 Rohingyas in Coxโs Bazar, interrogating them about their links to Rahman in what he called โharassment by proxy.โ Additionally,…
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Continued HarassmentAnand Mangnale
Editor, Journalist, Literary writer, Online CommentatorIndiaAsia-PacificAnand Mangnale is a journalist, author, and co-founder of Our Democracy, an online crowdfunding platform promoting transparency and accountability in political funding in India. In August 2023, he was targeted by a state-sponsored cyberattack using Pegasus. In May 2024, he was summoned by the police along with colleague Pavan Kulkarni…
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ReleasedDjamila Bentouis
Activist, Poet, Singer/SongwriterAlgeriaMiddle East and North AfricaFranco-Algerian Hirak activist Djamila Bentouis was detained on March 3, 2024, for a song she wrote and performed which denounces the arrests and repression faced by Hirak activists. On July 4, 2024, Bentouis was sentenced to two years in prison and a 100,000 dinar fine on charges of terrorism, harming…
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ConvictedKazim Gรผlecyรผz
Journalist, Online CommentatorTรผrkiyeEurope and Central AsiaOn October 23, 2024, published author, journalist, and editor in chief of Yeni Asya newspaper Kazฤฑm Gรผleรงyรผz was arrested for โterrorist propagandaโ due to his Twitter post on the death of Fethullah Gรผlen. After one hearing and two months in Marmara prison, Gรผleรงyรผz was released on December 19, 2024. On…
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Displaced/In ExilePooyan Khoshhal Soustani
Activist, JournalistIranMiddle East and North AfricaJournalist, columnist, and activist Pooyan Khoshhal Soustani has long faced relentless harassment for his writing. He was arrested on October 24, 2018 for an opinion piece on health risks to Shiโa pilgrims and released after two months in detention. On August 29, 2019, Soustani fled to Tรผrkiye where he and…
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ImprisonedUcha Abashidze
Activist, Online CommentatorGeorgiaEurope and Central AsiaUcha Abashidze is a pro-Ukranian military blogger and activist against the Foreign Agents Law. On May 4, 2024, the Ministry of Internal Affairs began investigating him for โcyber attacks.โ On May 9, Aashidze was arrested for illegal weapons possessions. His lawyer argued that the charges were fabricated to suppress his…
Writers at Risk Database Key:
STATUS box that is red: Active case
STATUS box that is black: Inactive case
Funder
PEN America is deeply grateful to the John Templeton Foundation for its generous support of the Freedom to Write Index and Writers at Risk Database.
Partner
PEN America thanks the PEN International Secretariat and the Writers in Prison Committee for their extensive contributions to and collaboration on compiling the cases included in this database.