{"id":8797,"date":"2017-11-29T17:18:02","date_gmt":"2017-11-29T15:18:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/openasia.org\/en\/?p=8797"},"modified":"2017-11-29T17:18:38","modified_gmt":"2017-11-29T15:18:38","slug":"on-day-of-the-imprisoned-writer-pen-calls-on-governments-around-the-world-to-stop-silencing-writers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/openasia.org\/en\/2017\/11\/on-day-of-the-imprisoned-writer-pen-calls-on-governments-around-the-world-to-stop-silencing-writers\/","title":{"rendered":"On Day of the Imprisoned Writer, PEN calls on governments around the world to stop silencing writers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pen International<\/a>\u00a0– Kamila Shamsie, Madeleine Thien, Homero Arijdis,<\/strong>\u00a0Jennifer Clement, Neil Gaiman\u00a0and Ai Weiwei stand in solidarity with writers around the world, persecuted and imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of expression<\/strong><\/p>\n

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15 November 2017 \u2013 Writers are increasingly targeted and silenced by their governments as the climate for freedom of expression continues to deteriorate globally, PEN International said today, marking its annual Day of the Imprisoned Writer.<\/p>\n

\u201915 November is a day of solidarity and action. It\u2019s a day in which PEN\u2019s global community stands with those writers who are paying a heavy price for their commitment and belief that we all have a right to express ourselves freely and peacefully. It is a day on which we say, in one voice, that they are not alone. It is also a day on which we tell those governments who seek to silence writers that we will continue to stand with them and against any authority, system, or power that views the right to free expression as a threat.\u2019<\/em>\u00a0said Salil Tripathi, Chair of PEN International\u2019s Writers in Prison Committee.<\/p>\n

Each year, PEN highlights the cases of five persecuted writers\u2013 be they imprisoned, facing prosecution or otherwise at risk \u2013 that are emblematic of the type of threats and attacks faced by writers and journalists around the world. On this day, our Centres and members worldwide stand in solidarity with their colleagues and call on those responsible to end their persecution.<\/p>\n

This year, PEN is highlighting the cases of:<\/p>\n