Day of the Imprisoned Writer
Published: November 15, 2007
Today, 15 November, is the international Day of the Imprisoned Writer. Last Sunday, English PEN held a service of commemoration at St Bride's Fleet Street to remember all the writers detained around the world, and in particular those journalists in long-term detention, such as Burmese journalist U Win Tin and Cuban journalist Normando Hernandez Gonzalez. We were honoured to have as our guest Alan Johnston, BBC journalist and former hostage, who gave an address, based on his own experience of detention, which you can read here.
To read about a few of the cases PEN is highlighting this Day of the Imprisoned Writer, who represent hundreds of other writers imprisoned and persecuted around the world, please click here.
If you would like to become a member of English PEN's Rapid Action Network, which responds to news of writers arrested, prosecuted, persecuted or harassed, by writing letters of protests to their government authorities, please contact Ophelia Field on ophelia@englishpen.org