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15 November, Day of the Imprisoned Writer
15 November is the Day of the Imprisoned Writer, an annual, international day recognising, remembering and supporting writers who exert their right to freedom of expression despite repression. On the occasion of this day we introduce Mansur Rajih, who was imprisoned for 15 years in Yemen before he could finally go to Stavanger, Norway in 1998 thanks to international protests and the 'Cities of Refuge' programme.
Each year PEN Centres and members worldwide commemorate the Day of the Imprisoned Writer to raise awareness of the unjust imprisonment and other forms of attack against writers around the globe, to remember those who have been killed, and stand in solidarity with imprisoned and threatened colleagues. The day was initiated by PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee in 1981.
The Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International was established in 1960 in response to increasing attempts to silence voices of dissent by imprisoning writers and journalists. Today, 58 of the 140 PEN Centres around the world are active in this commitee.
In 1994, the International Parliament of Writers was created. One of their main aims was to organise concrete solidarity with persecuted writers, in the form of a Cities of Asylum Network. After the International Parliament of Writers dissolved, ICORN, the International Cities of Refuge Network was founded in 2006. This association of cities around the world provides their guest writers with a safe place to stay and economic security for a standard term of two years. Based in Stavanger, Norway, ICORN collaborates with PEN International's Writers in Prison Committee programme.
ICORN Website
Film about “ICORN” on youtube