Latest News from PEN Melbourne
The Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International was set up in 1960 as a result of mounting concern about attempts to silence critical voices around the world. An office was set up at the PEN head office in London to gather information and to alert the PEN membership to take action. The WiPC is now staffed by a team of experts who monitor around 1,000 attacks on writers, journalists, editors, poets, publishers and others in any given year. These include long prison terms, harassment, threats, and murder.
Dear colleagues, Thank you so much for signing on to the joint letter asking for the Iranian government to free Narges Mohammadi prior to the Nobel Prize ceremony on December 10. The initial sign-on letter listed 260+ individuals and 45+ organizations. We have launched the wider petition today, on International Women Rights Defenders Day, in partnership with Narges’ family and all of you. Our press release is here and the link to the open letter is here. It’s now set …
PEN International launches its annual Day of the Imprisoned Writer campaign, calling for the release of writers Iryna Danylovych, María Cristina Garrido Rodríguez, Soulaiman Raissouni and Go Sherab Gyatso Every year on 15 November, PEN International launches its Day of the Imprisoned Writer campaign, highlighting cases of writers who are imprisoned or facing persecution, and calling for urgent international action to release and protect them. These cases are emblematic of the type of threats and attacks writers and journalists around …
The army attorney blew the whistle on Australian military murders in Afghanistan and now faces 10 years in prison. His trial begins Monday in Canberra. https://consortiumnews.com/2023/11/12/mcbride-trial-tests-australian-justice/ David McBride speaking at a rally in Canberra’s Glebe Park on Sunday, a day before his trial begins. (Joe Lauria) By Joe Lauria Special to Consortium News The trial of Australian whistleblower David McBride begins Monday in the Australian capital in a case that tests the limits of how far the Australian political …
PEN International launches its annual Day of the Imprisoned Writer campaign, calling for the release of writers Iryna Danylovych, María Cristina Garrido Rodríguez, Soulaiman Raissouni and Go Sherab Gyatso Every year on 15 November, PEN International launches its Day of the Imprisoned Writer campaign, highlighting cases of writers who are imprisoned or facing persecution, and calling for urgent international action to release and protect them. These cases are emblematic of the type of threats and attacks writers and journalists …
My inspiration to write the work came after hearing lawyer Jennifer Robinson at La Mama Courthouse, with Barrie Cassidy interviewing her and fielding questions from the audience at this PEN event, speak about Julian’s plight and the actual physical conditions of the prison. How tortuous it was to get through various security blocks to see him. After the talk, I spoke to her and she told me how on her way to see Assange, she stops at a tea bar run by a few volunteers, where she can pick up a …
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