Statistics

It is clear that the pattern of arrests, persecution and even killings of writers who speak out has not abated, as over the past year International PEN has monitored over 1,000 attacks.
 
Among them are 55 writers and journalists killed in 2007, a shockingly high figure, almost double the figure for previous years. While it is not always possible to be certain that the killings were directly linked to the victims' writings, it is clear that at least 18 were deliberately targeted.

Governments increasingly choose not to resort to prison cells to silence their dissident writers, but instead subject them to long, often convoluted trials, most notably in Turkey, where around 60 writers, journalists and publishers are on trial as of February 2008, with some hearings dragging on for many years. Most do not end with prison sentences, but the financial and emotional toll of endless court hearings can wear down dissenters and dissuade others from speaking out.
 

JULY TO DECEMBER 2007

Killed     5 
Killed Investigation*     8 
Disappeared     18 
Main Case (Imprisoned)     118 
Under Investigation (Imprisoned)     65 
Judicial Concern     5 
Under Judicial Process     155 
Non Custodial Sentence     45 
In Hiding     10 
Brief Detention     43 
Death Threat     30 
Other Threat/Harassment     44 
Attacked/Ill-treated     34 
Kidnapped     2 
Deported/Expelled/Fled     1 
Total     582 
Released     52 

Data collected from International PEN's Writers in Prison Committee Case List - July to December 2007. See the full report here.

JANUARY TO JUNE 2007

Killed     29 
Killed Investigation*     10 
Disappeared     31 
Main Case (Imprisoned)     152 
Under Investigation (Imprisoned)     58 
Judicial Concern     6 
Under Judicial Process     142 
Non Custodial Sentence     53 
In Hiding      4 
Brief Detention     66 
Death Threat     57 
Other Threat/Harassment     100 
Attacked/Ill-treated     70 
Kidnapped     4 
Deported/Expelled/Fled     1 
Total      781 
Released     42

 
Data collected from International PEN's Writers in Prison Committee Case List - January to June 2007. 

JANUARY TO DECEMBER 2006
 
Killed     18
Killed Investigation*     29
Disappeared     18
Main Case (Imprisoned)     144
Under Investigation (Imprisoned)     52
Judicial Concern     24
Under Judicial Process     227
Non Custodial Sentence      43
In Hiding     6
Brief Detention     204**
Death Threat     73
Other Threat/Harassment     93
Attacked/Ill-treated     81
Kidnapped    4
Deported/Expelled/Fled      4
Total     1020
Released     71

Data collected from International PEN's Writers in Prison Committee Case Lists for 2006.

* Killed investigation = not sure if targeted because of their writing - ie in the course of a robbery, cross fire, etc.
** This figure does not include a reported c.200 writers and journalists briefly detained in early 2006.