Free Them All: Day of the Imprisoned Writer 2024
Images from left to right: Jimmy Lai (Image credit: CC BY 4.0), Alaa Abd El-Fattah (courtesy of Nariman El-Mofty), Kaciaryna Andrejeva (Image credit - Irina Arekhovskaya), Jose Rubén Zamora Marroquín (Courtesy of Ramón Zamora)
"Writers play a vital role in building functioning societies, as they expand the boundaries of thought, connect and bridge gaps, stimulate critical thought, and inspire change. Each day a writer endures confinement is a day stolen to a fairer world. We must rise to refuse their silencing and demand their immediate release. We owe it to their courage.” Burhan Sonmez, PEN International President
15 November 2024: From 15 – 29 November, PEN International spotlights four writers targeted for their peaceful free expression work: Kaciaryna Andrejeva (Belarus), Jimmy Lai (Hong Kong), Jose Rubén Zamora Marroquín (Guatemala), and Alaa Abd El-Fattah (Egypt).
Join us by reading this year's powerful letters of solidarity, written in support of these courageous voices:
Olga Tokarczuk to Kaciaryna Andrejeva in English, Belarusian, Polish, Spanish and French
Elif Shafak to Kaciaryna Andrejeva to in English, French and Spanish
Viv Groskop to Alaa Abd El-Fattah in English, French and Spanish
Margaret Atwood to Jimmy Lai in English, Spanish and French.
Gioconda Belli to Jose Rubén Zamora Marroquín in English, Spanish and French.
They are harassed, imprisoned, persecuted. Take action with us to demand justice and freedom for Kaciaryna Andrejeva, Jimmy Lai, Jose Rubén Zamora Marroquín and Alaa Abd El-Fattah.
Note to Editors:
For more information and media queries, please contact Sabrina Tucci, PEN International Communications and Campaigns Manager, Sabrina.Tucci@pen-international.org