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WRITING CAN BE DEADLY
Deutsche Welle
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15532698,00.html
Nov 15 2011
Germany
The Day of the Imprisoned Writer aims to recognize writers who resist
the repression of the freedom of speech. The international P.E.N.
organization is particularly active in helping those persecuted for
their writings.
It is an incredibly long list, featuing hundreds of names of people
from all around the world - they are writers in jail.
The so-called Caselist is published by the international writers'
association P.E.N. It consists of the names of writers, authors and
journalists who have been jailed or murdered in just the past few
months and those of people who have simply disappeared.
It is updated every six months.
In the first half of 2011, it is alleged there were 647 different
attempts around the world to silence writers. Cases are rarely made
public, but some of the better known ones include those of Russian
journalist Anna Politkovskaya and Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant
Dink. It is thought that both were murdered - most likely because they
published work that opposed the dominant powers within their countries.
Similarly, in the 1980s, death threats against Indian-British novelist
Salman Rushdie made waves around the world.
The fear of free speech
But many cases - too many, some would say - are kept under wraps.
And this where P.E.N. comes in.
The London-based association has branches in nearly every country.
Founded 90 years ago, it originally campaigned for peace and
international understanding, but as a reaction to increasing attempts
to silence voices of writers it established the Writers in Prison
Committee in 1960. The committee deals exclusively with writers who
are threatened, persecuted or censored.
Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:
Politkovskaya's unsolved murder continues to attract international
attentionThe representative of Writers in Prison is Dirk Sager,
vice-president of P.E.N. Germany and a former TV reporter.
During the Cold War, Sager reported from Moscow and East Berlin for
West German channel ZDF. At the hands of the East German regime, he
himself experienced what it is like to be silenced by a disapproving
body of power, even though in his case it was "only" brief threats.
"In Iran, for example, authors and journalists regularly get into
conflict with the state and end up in jail in Teheran, which is the
most horrible thing you can imagine," says Sager.
The notorious Evin prison in Teheran is known for a number of cases
involving torturing against prisoners, especially political prisoners,
including dissident authors.
Iranian author Marina Nemat spent two years at Evin prison for
publishing a critical school newspaper at the age of 16. Years later,
in exile, she found the courage to write about her case, telling
stories of cruel torture, sexual abuse, solitary confinement and
executions. None of her fellow inmates survived.
Help is not easy
"Unfortunately, this horrifying persecution in Iran is completely
secure from western influence," says Sager.
Persecution in China also often inspires feelings of powerlessness.
Nobel Prize-winner Liu Xiaobo is president of the independent P.E.N.
center in China.
In December 2009 he was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for
"inciting subversion of state power" and his wife was placed under
house arrest. His "crime" was signing a manifesto called Charta 08
along with 350 other Chinese intellectuals. Charta 08 called for
reform and democracy.
No one can say how many other authors are currently imprisoned in
China. Some seem to have simply disappeared. The reasons for their
prison sentences can sound absurd - for example, the alleged holding
up of traffic.
"The Chinese government's main argument is that the authors aim to
overthrow the state with their writings and opinions," says Sager.
"The power structures and state control are questioned - and those
in power fear this, and retaliate in the cruelest ways."
A widespread problem
Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:
The arrests of Nedim Sener and Ahmet Sik caused an outcrySimilar
mistreatment of authors and journalists also takes place on the
fringes of Europe.
Belarus has been politically ostracized since its last elections in
December 2010 because the country's government is accused of crushing
all forms of opposition. On the night of the election itself, several
editorial offices were searched and journalists' computers were
confiscated. Many members of the Belarusian P.E.N. club, including
its former president, were beaten up and arrested.
In Turkey, journalists are imprisoned on a regular basis. The cases of
reporters Nedim Sener and Ahmet Sik caused much controversy because
both men were arrested for alleged involvement in a secret terrorist
organization and planning to take part in a coup against Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. They are both still in custody.
Sik had written a book about Islamic influence on Turkey's security
forces. The book has been banned in Turkey, where authorities describe
it as document written by a terrorist organization.
Holding on to hope
Despite great adversity, the P.E.N association is sometimes successful
in freeing imprisoned writers. Its tactics include letters to
ministers of justice, negotiations, and threatening to publicize
cases widely. Sager says the German branch of P.E.N. also tries to
involve the German government.
"We're against the German foreign ministry operating in such a way
that the people being persecuted in China continue to be ignored just
so that Germany can maintain a dialog with the Chinese government,"
explains Sager.
Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:
Sager believes in his causeIt is not an easy job, but every success
motivates.
In Cuba, 75 prisoners were released last year. They now live in exile
in Spain.
Progress has also been observed in Tunisia and Algeria after the
recent political uprisings.
But the list of persecuted writers gets longer every year. And Sager
knows the list is not even complete - despite P.E.N.'s close
cooperation with Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders,
which help provide the data.
It is sheer determination that keeps Sager and other P.E.N. members
motivated.
"Because they fought for a better tomorrow and are suffering because
of it," says Sager, "we cannot abandon them."
Author: Silke Wunsch / ew
Editor: Zulfikar Abbany
From: Baghdasarian
Deutsche Welle
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15532698,00.html
Nov 15 2011
Germany
The Day of the Imprisoned Writer aims to recognize writers who resist
the repression of the freedom of speech. The international P.E.N.
organization is particularly active in helping those persecuted for
their writings.
It is an incredibly long list, featuing hundreds of names of people
from all around the world - they are writers in jail.
The so-called Caselist is published by the international writers'
association P.E.N. It consists of the names of writers, authors and
journalists who have been jailed or murdered in just the past few
months and those of people who have simply disappeared.
It is updated every six months.
In the first half of 2011, it is alleged there were 647 different
attempts around the world to silence writers. Cases are rarely made
public, but some of the better known ones include those of Russian
journalist Anna Politkovskaya and Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant
Dink. It is thought that both were murdered - most likely because they
published work that opposed the dominant powers within their countries.
Similarly, in the 1980s, death threats against Indian-British novelist
Salman Rushdie made waves around the world.
The fear of free speech
But many cases - too many, some would say - are kept under wraps.
And this where P.E.N. comes in.
The London-based association has branches in nearly every country.
Founded 90 years ago, it originally campaigned for peace and
international understanding, but as a reaction to increasing attempts
to silence voices of writers it established the Writers in Prison
Committee in 1960. The committee deals exclusively with writers who
are threatened, persecuted or censored.
Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:
Politkovskaya's unsolved murder continues to attract international
attentionThe representative of Writers in Prison is Dirk Sager,
vice-president of P.E.N. Germany and a former TV reporter.
During the Cold War, Sager reported from Moscow and East Berlin for
West German channel ZDF. At the hands of the East German regime, he
himself experienced what it is like to be silenced by a disapproving
body of power, even though in his case it was "only" brief threats.
"In Iran, for example, authors and journalists regularly get into
conflict with the state and end up in jail in Teheran, which is the
most horrible thing you can imagine," says Sager.
The notorious Evin prison in Teheran is known for a number of cases
involving torturing against prisoners, especially political prisoners,
including dissident authors.
Iranian author Marina Nemat spent two years at Evin prison for
publishing a critical school newspaper at the age of 16. Years later,
in exile, she found the courage to write about her case, telling
stories of cruel torture, sexual abuse, solitary confinement and
executions. None of her fellow inmates survived.
Help is not easy
"Unfortunately, this horrifying persecution in Iran is completely
secure from western influence," says Sager.
Persecution in China also often inspires feelings of powerlessness.
Nobel Prize-winner Liu Xiaobo is president of the independent P.E.N.
center in China.
In December 2009 he was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for
"inciting subversion of state power" and his wife was placed under
house arrest. His "crime" was signing a manifesto called Charta 08
along with 350 other Chinese intellectuals. Charta 08 called for
reform and democracy.
No one can say how many other authors are currently imprisoned in
China. Some seem to have simply disappeared. The reasons for their
prison sentences can sound absurd - for example, the alleged holding
up of traffic.
"The Chinese government's main argument is that the authors aim to
overthrow the state with their writings and opinions," says Sager.
"The power structures and state control are questioned - and those
in power fear this, and retaliate in the cruelest ways."
A widespread problem
Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:
The arrests of Nedim Sener and Ahmet Sik caused an outcrySimilar
mistreatment of authors and journalists also takes place on the
fringes of Europe.
Belarus has been politically ostracized since its last elections in
December 2010 because the country's government is accused of crushing
all forms of opposition. On the night of the election itself, several
editorial offices were searched and journalists' computers were
confiscated. Many members of the Belarusian P.E.N. club, including
its former president, were beaten up and arrested.
In Turkey, journalists are imprisoned on a regular basis. The cases of
reporters Nedim Sener and Ahmet Sik caused much controversy because
both men were arrested for alleged involvement in a secret terrorist
organization and planning to take part in a coup against Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. They are both still in custody.
Sik had written a book about Islamic influence on Turkey's security
forces. The book has been banned in Turkey, where authorities describe
it as document written by a terrorist organization.
Holding on to hope
Despite great adversity, the P.E.N association is sometimes successful
in freeing imprisoned writers. Its tactics include letters to
ministers of justice, negotiations, and threatening to publicize
cases widely. Sager says the German branch of P.E.N. also tries to
involve the German government.
"We're against the German foreign ministry operating in such a way
that the people being persecuted in China continue to be ignored just
so that Germany can maintain a dialog with the Chinese government,"
explains Sager.
Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:
Sager believes in his causeIt is not an easy job, but every success
motivates.
In Cuba, 75 prisoners were released last year. They now live in exile
in Spain.
Progress has also been observed in Tunisia and Algeria after the
recent political uprisings.
But the list of persecuted writers gets longer every year. And Sager
knows the list is not even complete - despite P.E.N.'s close
cooperation with Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders,
which help provide the data.
It is sheer determination that keeps Sager and other P.E.N. members
motivated.
"Because they fought for a better tomorrow and are suffering because
of it," says Sager, "we cannot abandon them."
Author: Silke Wunsch / ew
Editor: Zulfikar Abbany
From: Baghdasarian