Writers in Prison Exhibition at Lewisham Library (14 June – 8 July)

Lewisham Library is hosting a free exhibition between 14 June and 8 July that will highlight the work of 10 international writers imprisoned or persecuted for their views.
 
The exhibition ‘Beyond Bars‘ has been organised in association with English PEN, the founding centre of the international association of writers, which is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC).  The WiPC is one of the longest running campaigns for freedom of expression in the world.  Since it was founded in July 1960, the Committee has stood in solidarity with imprisoned and persecuted writers worldwide.
 
To mark the 50th anniversary of the WiPC, English PEN has produced a mobile exhibition highlighting 10 of the most significant cases they have worked on since 1960.  Featured writers include 2010 Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo who is currently serving an 11-year sentence for his writings, Russian investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who was shot dead in her Moscow apartment in 2006, and Burmese poet and comedian Zarganar who is serving 35 years in prison for his involvement in the Cyclone Nargis relief effort in 2008.
 
Councillor Chris Best, Cabinet Member for Community Services, said:

“In Britain we accept freedom of expression as a fundamental right but this exhibition reminds us these freedoms cannot and should not be taken for granted.  At a time when many parts of the world are fighting for their own democratic voice, we in Britain are continuing our own dialogue about what information should be made available in the public interest or should be protected by law.
 
The focus on these 10 writers, allows us to reflect on the freedoms we have and it raises important questions about how we protect those rights including the degree to which constraints are necessary in order to preserve those freedoms.
 
Anyone who has an interest in the freedom of expression should see this exhibition.”
 
Jonathan Heawood, Director of English PEN, said:

“We are constantly trying to raise and maintain awareness of the hundreds of writers around the world who are persecuted and imprisoned in violation of their right to free expression. We hope that bringing 10 such writers, in the form of English PEN’s Writers in Prison exhibition, to Lewisham Library will help us to build a wider support base for these writers, and for PEN’s work as a whole, in our local community.  For 90 years our work has been extremely international in focus but none of it would have been possible without the support of writers and readers closer to home.”
 
‘Beyond Bars’ will be on display at Lewisham Library, 199-201 Lewisham High Street, London SE13 6LG, between 14 June and 8 July 2011.

Notes for Editor
 
The exhibition will be appearing at other venues, including libraries, universities and literary festivals, across the UK throughout 2011. For more information email cat@englishpen.org
 
English PEN is a registered charity (no. 1125610) promoting the freedom to write and the freedom to read through a range of educational projects, events, campaigns and publications. It is the founding centre of an international network of PEN centres in more than one hundred countries. To find out more, visit www.englishpen.org or call 020 7324 2535.
 
Lewisham is the central library for the borough, offering a wide range of services and housing the reference library, local history and archives centre, tourist information centre and Limelight Gallery.  For more information, please click here.
 
 For more information contact:
 
Gavin Jones, Media Office, Lewisham Council
Tel:  020 8314 6082
Email:  gavin.jones@lewisham.gov.uk
 
Cat Lucas, Campaigns Officer, English PEN
Tel:  020 7324 2539
Email:  cat@englishpen.org