The Writers at Risk Committee is PEN’s watchdog. We campaign for imprisoned and persecuted writers all over the world, people who are punished for saying what they think.
Join our Rapid Action Network, which shares alerts and calls for action in support of writers under threat. Your contact information will not be shared with anyone outside Scottish PEN. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the ‘Unsubscribe’ link at the bottom of all Rapid Action Network emails.
If you have news to share with the Network, please email B.Fraser@napier.ac.uk
The Writers at Risk Committee also fights to maintain freedom of expression in our own country. People take it for granted in the affluent West, but our rights are constantly being eroded – by government, through repressive laws and covert surveillance, and by self-censorship in the media, usually for economic reasons. As well as writing letters to governments and embassies and campaigning for freedom of expression, we take part in events to publicise these issues.
The Day of the Imprisoned Writer (15th November) is a chance for writers and PEN centres to stand in solidarity with at-risk or imprisoned writers everywhere. The Writers at Risk Committee lead this work for Scottish PEN. You can find out more about our activity here.
If you would like to help us in our work, please contact Scottish PEN on info@scottishpen.org
Behrouz Boochani is a Kurdish Iranian journalist and filmmaker, currently stranded on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea (PNG).
Daphne Anne Caruana Galizia (1964 – 2017) was a Maltese investigative journalist, writer, and anti-corruption activist.
Dr Stella Nyanzi is a fierce public critic of Uganda’s president and an outspoken academic, and poet.
Palestinian poet arrested for accusations of apostasy in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabian blogger imprisoned and sentenced to 1000 lashings for insulting Islam.
