Day of the Imprisoned Writer 2008: Recommended Actions

15 November 2008 marks the Day of the Imprisoned Writer (DoIW) and the Writers in Prison Committee hereby appeals to all PEN centres to take part as actively as possible to show solidarity and express a unified voice on behalf of persecuted writers.

Focus Cases 2008

Your Centre may prefer to use this day to focus on other cases, such as your Honorary Members. If you need any assistance with these cases, or require further information on those mentioned above, please contact us.

Resources

The International Freedom of Expression eXchange's (IFEX) Campaign Handbook is highly recommended as a resource of ideas for action. Note particularly section 3.10 on Letter Writing that uses PEN's work on the case of General Gallardo in Mexico as a case sample. This can be downloaded from:
www.ifex.org/download/en/IFEXCampaignHandbook.pdf

Issued in 1996, the WiPC's own handbook is still a useful guide for action although some of the case samples are outdated. We plan to have an updated version in time for 15 November 2008..

For backgrounds on the countries and issues featured in this campaign's human rights records we recommend:

International PEN - www.internationalpen.org.uk
International Freedom of Expression eXchange - www.ifex.org
Article 19 - www.article19.org
Reporters sans Frontieres - www.rsf.org
Committee to Protect Journalists - www.cpj.org
Amnesty International - www.amnesty.org
Human Rights Watch - www.hrw.org
British Broadcasting Corporation - www.bbc.co.uk/world (navigating to the BBC's own excellent country backgrounders and ensuing links)
Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Recommended Actions

Appeals

Minimum action 1- Government Appeals: Each Centre is requested to send at least one appeal on at least one of the highlighted cases on or around 15 November using the advice and addresses given with each background paper.

Minimum action 2 - Embassy appeals: Copies of your appeals may also be sent to the embassy of the country concerned in your own country. If there is not one in your country, send your appeal to the embassy of in the country nearest to you. Please send such an appeal on at least one case featured in the this action.

Further suggested actions:

Distribute the appeals to as many of your members as possible requesting them to also send appeals as individual writers.

Organise a petition that can then be sent to the embassy of the country on 15 November with an accompanying letter asking for an audience with the ambassador. (If you get a positive response do let the WiPC Head Office know as a point of information and for advice.)

Organise a signature campaign for the appeals and get prominent writers, media personalities, all members of your Centre and as many others as possible to sign the appeal.

Publicity

Minimum action: Try to get an article on the campaign in a national newspaper. (This has been achieved successfully in the past with many Centres getting sizeable coverage. The photos and the quotes have proved effective.)

Letters to newspapers, news agencies and the press union signed by eminent members of your Centres.

Organise an event of readings of works by imprisoned writers or inspired by them or a panel discussion including writers who have experienced attack, and those who have campaigned on their behalf. (Contact the WiPC for samples of writings for readings). Make sure to invite the press to ensure coverage.

Get the President of your Centre or another eminent member, to be interviewed about the DoIW, in or around 15 November, on television, radio or the print media.

On 15 November, organise a peaceful march or staged events with placards calling for action on behalf of selected cases by inviting the members of your Centre, other literary figures, and interested friends and well-wishers to join you. Make sure to invite the press.

Prepare fliers that can be pasted in prominent places of literary organizations, libraries, relevant embassies, and press institutions.

Internet

Centres with web sites are requested to place items on this event and their activities on their sites. Any press coverage achieved should also be added to the site. This will facilitate amalgamation of all news into the WiPC website.

Unresolved cases from previous years' Day of the Imprisoned Writer

Long-term detention is still being used widely to quell dissenting voices in many countries and, hence this year, to give impetus to its continued efforts and to reinforce its concern, the WiPC has identified eight writers and journalists who are still detained or on trial despite having been subjects to past DoIW actions. (Cases of disappearance and killings featured in previous years are not included.) We are starting with 1991, which boasts having featured the longest serving case of a writer subject to a DoIW action - Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi, up to last year's action. The cases are:

1991 Myanmar/Burma: Aung San Suu Kyi
Writer and opposition leader, detained since 1989 - still under house arrest

2002 Iran: Siamak Pourzand
Elderly writer and film critic, serving 11 years' imprisonment; now free on medical leave

2003 Cuba: Five of Seven Internet Journalists
Facing prison sentences ranging from 16 to 26 years (two since conditionally released)

2005 China: Shi Tao
Poet and activist sentenced ten years for internet writing, still detained

2007 Myanmar (Burma): Zargana
Poet and activist arrested in 2007, freed then re-arrested

2007 Cuba: Normando Hernández González
Journalist imprisoned under crackdown on dissidents in 2003 and since held in dire prison conditions.

2007 Uzbekistan: Jamshid Karimov
Journalist who has covered human rights abuses and written critical articles on human rights abuses carried out by the Uzbek authorities. Remains in psychiatric detention.

Material available on request:

Background information on these unresolved cases
Photographs (if available)
Writings (if available)
Links to web sites related to the individual prisoner (where available)

Recommended Actions on unresolved cases: Refer to recommendations provided for 2008 cases

Reporting Back

Centres have expressed their appreciation each time that the WiPC Head Office has provided a report on activities for campaigns. It is especially important for the DoIW as PEN's unique contribution to the international campaign for an end to attacks on free expression, that we share our experiences and ideas. Shortly after the 15 November, a request will be sent out to all WiPCs for information on their activities. Meanwhile do bear us in mind and send us copies of any publicity you achieve, as well as fliers or other material that you would like to share with Centres. Also any responses from governments, positive, negative or just plain evasive would be interesting. If any government or other official, or leading person in your country from another field gave a positive input, this would also be good to share.

Follow Up

The cases raised on this Day of the Imprisoned Writer will remain a high focus through to November 2009. Centres will be informed of any significant developments as the information is received and may be asked to take further action if required.

For further details contact Sara Whyatt at the Writers in Prison Committee Head Office: Brownlow House, 50/51 High Holborn, London WC1V 6ER UK

Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7405 0338
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7405 0339
Email: sara.whyatt@internationalpen.org.uk