Visitors: 166 The Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International condemns the one- and- a- half year sentence handed down on 13 March 2011 to writer, journalist and activist Ali al-‘Abdullah for “harming Syria’s relations with a foreign country”. The sentence stemmed from an article published by Abdullah while in prison in 2009 in which […]
Visitors: 181 14 March 2011 On 10 March 2011, Ragip Zarakolu, publisher and free expression activist, was sentenced to a fine, and author Mehmet Güler to a 15-month suspended prison term. The two were convicted of spreading propaganda seen to support the banned Kurdish Worker’s Party (PKK), following the publication of Mehmet Güler’s book The […]
Visitors: 182 14 March 2011 On 10 March 2011, Ragip Zarakolu, publisher and free expression activist, was sentenced to a fine, and author Mehmet Güler to a 15-month suspended prison term. The two were convicted of spreading propaganda seen to support the banned Kurdish Worker’s Party (PKK), following the publication of Mehmet Güler’s book The […]
Visitors: 226 14 March 2011 On 10 March 2011, Ragip Zarakolu, publisher and free expression activist, was sentenced to a fine, and author Mehmet Güler to a 15-month suspended prison term. The two were convicted of spreading propaganda seen to support the banned Kurdish Worker’s Party (PKK), following the publication of Mehmet Güler’s book The […]
Visitors: 332 Who are Dalits? The Outcaste (Avarnas) within the varnashram 3000 years social oppression, political exploitation, economically deprived & culturally dominated. Menial job , service provider, facilitator, etc. Untouchables, asparshiya, depressed classes, harijans, etc. Officially known as Scheduled Castes (GoI Act, 1935) Another understanding on Dalits brings all the deprived groups SC, ST, OBC […]
Visitors: 206 The Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) of PEN International welcomes the release of the independent journalist and librarian Iván Hernández Carrillo on 19 February 2011, after almost eight years in prison. Hernández, like Héctor Fernando Maseda Gutiérrez who was freed on 12 February, has been allowed to remain in Cuba under a special […]
Visitors: 145 India-Pakistan relationship, already strained, due to the decades-long short-sighted governmental policies and their one-upmanship strategies, has been in a downward spiral, since the November 2008 Mumbai carnage. Instead of statesmanship, the same old defensive stance, worn-out rhetoric and mud-slinging have continued. Under these circumstances, it is highly unlikely that the situation will improve […]
Visitors: 185 The 19 February 2011 sees the second-month anniversary of the mass arrests which followed demonstrations against the results of the flawed presidential election of 19 December 2010. The Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) of PEN International calls again for the release from detention of the journalists Dimitri Bondarenko, Aleksandr Fiaduta and Pavel Severinets, […]
Visitors: 183 The Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International condemns the five- year sentence handed down on 14 February 2011 to blogger, poet and high school student Tal Al-Mallouhi on the charge of “divulging information to a foreign state”. No evidence has been provided for the charge against her, and PEN International believes that […]
Visitors: 289 The Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) of PEN International is pleased to note that the writer and journalist Héctor Fernando Maseda Gutiérrez was freed on 12 February 2011, after almost eight years in prison. Unlike the 18 others freed last year, who were all exiled to Spain as a precondition of their release, […]
Visitors: 225 The Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International is seriously concerned about the continuous detention of journalist ‘Ali al-‘Abdullah, whose two-and-a-half year sentence for his dissident writings and peaceful opposition activities expired in June 2010. Abdullah now faces new charges of ‘disseminating false information’ for an article he wrote in prison. He appeared […]
Visitors: 154 When Mahatma Gandhi was requested to provide a message for a conference on human rights, Gandhiji said that the message should first be taken for human duties before taking for human rights. Obviously, rights and duties have to go together. Certainly, one cannot lay claims for right, if he would not match it […]
Visitors: 176 Maria Amelie, Russian-born writer and asylum seeker, was arrested and faces deportation from Norway after drawing attention to her situation in her book, Illegally Norwegian. The Norwegian PEN Centre has taken up her case and has issued the following Action Alert. Oslo, 13. January 2011 Writer detained, faces deportation On the evening of […]
Visitors: 201 Pinar Selek, writer, sociologist and founder of the Amargi Women’s Solidarity Cooperative, will be tried in Istanbul on 9 February 2011, on charges of which she has already been acquitted twice. If she is found guilty, she faces 36 years in prison. The Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) of PEN International is seriously […]
Visitors: 245 Shri K.G. Kannabiran, former President PUCL, eminent lawyer, writer and the most active civil liberties activist, passed away on December 30, 2010. One of the pillars of the civil liberties movement in the subcontinent has left us in the twilight of 2010. An irreparable loss that the civil liberties movement in the subcontinent […]
Visitors: 126 The undersigned from different oragniasatiosn and individuals made a protest before the only official unit for Chattsigarh state; that was a tourist information center and having an information officer for the same on 31st December 2010. We assembled in front of their office (AE-324, Salt Lake City, Sector- 1, Kolkata- 700064) and made […]
Visitors: 177 The undersigned from different oragniasatiosn and individuals made a protest before the only official unit for Chattsigarh state; that was a tourist information center and having an information officer for the same on 31st December 2010. We assembled in front of their office (AE-324, Salt Lake City, Sector- 1, Kolkata- 700064) and made […]
Visitors: 143 1 January 2011 People’s Union for Civil Liberties, strongly condemns Gujarat Government’s campaign of calumny against and attempt to frame under false charges human rights defender Teesta Setlavad, of Citizens of Justice and Peace, lawyer M.M. Tirmizi, victims survivors of Lunwada massacre and media person Rahul Singh for exposing Gujarat Police’s callousness and […]
Visitors: 131 1 January 2011 People’s Union for Civil Liberties, strongly condemns Gujarat Government’s campaign of calumny against and attempt to frame under false charges human rights defender Teesta Setlavad, of Citizens of Justice and Peace, lawyer M.M. Tirmizi, victims survivors of Lunwada massacre and media person Rahul Singh for exposing Gujarat Police’s callousness and […]
Visitors: 235 We have been listening and reading about Dr Sen’s court decision since the day it has been pronounced. But since the original decision is in Hindi and is 92 pages long, hence many would be possibly have got the opportunity to read and understand it. I hope, u appreciate the fact that the […]
Visitors: 191 Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) strongly condemn the judicial verdict of rigorous life imprisonment against Dr. Binayak Sen. By this act Indian state and its machineries again prove their scant respect for humanitarian laws and its international obligations for the same. Binayak’s conviction challenged the judiciary and its related components, such as, investigation, […]
Visitors: 144 Within a few years of the independence of Bangladesh, the dreams and aspirations of the leaders of the freedom movement were shattered with murder of the founder of the nascent nation. Autocratic military rule replaced democracy, and religious, cultural and political intolerance began to flourish. Recently, however, some bold changes have been initiated […]
Visitors: 192 The Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International (WiPC) protests the continuing detention of Jean-Claude Kavumbagu, editor of the online press agency Net Press, who was arrested on 17 July 2010. He is charged with treason on the basis of an article in which he suggested that the Burundian security forces would not […]
Visitors: 196 LONDON, 15 November 2010 – The Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International is delighted at news that Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the Burmese National League for Democracy, has been released from house arrest. “The global community of writers within PEN International joyfully welcomes Aung San Suu Kyi as she appears […]
Visitors: 199 The Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) of PEN International is seriously concerned about reports that leading journalist and human rights activist Emadeddin Baghi has been returned to prison despite severe health problems. Baghi was sentenced to six years in prison in September 2010 on charges relating to an interview he gave to the […]