Past event: Spotlight on Palestine
Our Spotlight On Palestine event was a success: we had a full room and talented young writers sharing their moving pieces and thoughts on the Palestinian situation. Thank you to Rashida Murphy for organising this event.
PEN International case list
In 2023, global censorship persisted amidst escalating conflicts. In Europe and Central Asia, the report addresses the continued war of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, emphasizing the impact of armed conflicts on the writing and artistic communities. Renewed tension endangered peace and stability in the Western Balkans, where writers faced a range of challenges aimed at silencing their opinion and critical reporting.
In the Middle East, armed conflict intensified with events such as the 7 October attack by Hamas on Israel, which had catastrophic consequences. Israel launched a brutal bombing campaign that to date has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza, leading to the risk of genocide, and a spill over into other parts of the region. The war in Gaza proved to be the deadliest conflict for writers in recent history, with 68% of all journalists killed worldwide in 2023. In Yemen and Syria, ongoing conflicts continue to take a toll on free expression: Houthi authorities escalated repression, while Syria maintained repressive laws and thousands remained forcibly disappeared.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, Sudan experienced major escalations due to a power struggle between the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, raising fears of another genocide in the Darfur region. Meanwhile, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, armed conflict over mineral resources persisted, with several non-state militias and rebel groups involved. A new conflict emerged in Ethiopia between federal government forces and Amhara militia allies following tensions stemming from a peace agreement that ended the previous Tigray war.
PEN International condemns attacks on writers and civilians caught in conflicts, mourning the loss of prominent cultural figures, including PEN Ukraine member Victoria Amelina.
In Asia, the report highlights the crackdown on writers and journalists in countries such as Myanmar, India and China, where 11 members of the Independent Chinese PEN Centre endure long-term imprisonment, along with the persecution of minority writers from the Uyghur and Dalit communities, among others. Women writers experienced severe challenges, notably in Afghanistan, where under Taliban rule, writers and advocates for girls’ education face prolonged arbitrary detention.
In the Americas, targeted killings of journalists by criminal gangs raised concerns in Haiti, Colombia, Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala. In Cuba, numerous artists faced persecution for their creative expression, lacking due process and independent legal defence. Meanwhile, in Nicaragua, the report documents a new type of persecution in the form of ‘civil death’ where citizens deemed to be ‘traitors’ were stripped of their citizenship.
Globally, book bans are on the rise, threatening education and fostering discrimination, justified by national security concerns in Belarus, Hong Kong, El Salvador, Hungary, Russia, and Türkiye. In Brazil and the USA, bans often stem from discriminatory views, leading to the removal of classic titles from public libraries and schools.
See more here: https://www.pen-international.org/news/pen-international-case-list-2023-2024
Ukrainian libraries to receive a further 15,000 books from Book Aid International through PEN Ukraine’s Unbreakable Libraries project
Almost 700 Ukrainian libraries have been damaged or destroyed during Russia’s invasion, losing part or all of their book collections. Some have been forced to move to safer regions of Ukraine. As Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine continues, many of these libraries are serving as social hubs or places of respite from the war, sometimes even offering a safer place or shelter from the bombing. See more here: https://www.pen-international.org/news/ukrainian-libraries-to-receive-a-further-15000-books-from-book-aid-international
China-Hong Kong: Jimmy Lai’s International Legal Team addresses Human Rights Council on behalf of PEN International
13 March 2024: During the 55th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Jennifer Robinson, a member of Jimmy Lai’s international legal team, raised concerns regarding the use of national security legislation to target individuals for exercising their right to freedom of expression, including Jimmy Lai.
Speaking on behalf of PEN International during the Interactive Dialogue session on 12 March with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights, Ben Saul, Jennifer Robinson highlighted the use of the deeply problematic National Security Law (NSL) and sedition laws to target authors, journalists, activists and students for their peaceful expression.
A full transcript of the oral statement can be found here: https://www.pen-international.org/news/statement-by-jimmy-lais-international-legal-team-on-the-use-of-torture-in-china
penperth.com 