Every November 15-The Day of the Imprisoned Writer

In the past year, at least thirty-eight writers and journalists have been killed around the world- many clearly in the pursuit of their professions, others in unclear circumstances. In Mexico there have been eight such deaths, five in Iraq and in Pakistan and multiple deaths also in countries such as Somalia, Guatemala, the Philippines, Thailand and Russia.
PEN Canada joins 145 PEN centres around the world every November 15-The Day of the Imprisoned Writer-to acknowledge the plight of individual writers imprisoned for speaking out and to condemn the unconscionable suppression by many governments worldwide of the human right to freedom of expression.
In addition to the writers killed, the Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) of International PEN has monitored over 1,000 attacks on writers and journalists in 90 countries, 200 of whom are serving long prison sentences; others have been threatened, harassed and attacked.
Each year PEN focuses on five cases - one from each world region-illustrating the type of repression faced daily by those who question and challenge and reveal truths through their writings. This year the focus cases are:
Azerbaijan: Eynullah Fatullayev - a journalist serving eight years for his political commentary and investigations into the murder of another journalist in 2005;
China: Tsering Woeser - a Tibetan writer and poet who writes in Chinese and who has been banned and suffers harassment for her writings on Tibet;
Iran: Mohammad Sadiq Kabudvand - a journalist and Kurdish rights activist serving an 11-year prison sentence;
Peru: Melissa Rocío Patiño Hinostroza - a student and poet currently on trial for alleged links to a terrorist organization, although there is no evidence of her having carried out or advocated violence;
Zimbabwe: Writers, Cast and Crew - The Crocodile of Zambezi - a play that has been banned and led to actors and crew being beaten, and the playwrights threatened.
Writers and Journalists Killed Since Day of Imprisoned Writer - International PEN has recorded the killings of 38 writers and print journalists during the 12 months since the last Day of the Imprisoned Writer 15 November 2007.