Around the world, writers take great risks by daring to write texts that oppressive rulers do not want to read. Writers face reprisals, imprisonment, harassment, exile and even death for speaking out.

For Writers in Prison Day on 15 November, we are introducing a new PEN/Opp theme focusing on the situation of imprisoned writers.

Few of those imprisoned can communicate with the outside world. However, despite bans and serious risks, texts continue to be smuggled out. In this theme of PEN/OPP, we will gather testimonies from prisons around the world. Some of the texts are sent directly to us by imprisoned writers, others are reflections from those who have been released and now can speak about their time in prison from a safer position. The theme also includes texts written in solidarity with those imprisoned, by their colleagues or loved ones. We will also highlight cases where regimes subject uncomfortable voices to ‘enforced disappearances’, where authorities do not even recognise that they are being held and families are left wondering if they are even alive.

PEN's Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC), founded in 1960 at the Rio de Janeiro Congress, is seen by many as the heart of the PEN movement. Its premise from the very beginning was that PEN members should support and work for their colleagues in prison. This included recognising both imprisoned writers and their writing. Over the years, the Committee and its members have fought for, and continues to work for, a long list of imprisoned colleagues, including Ken Saro Wiwa, Yasar Kemal and Dawit Isaak. This work includes writing letters to the prisoners and the authorities calling for their release, organising demonstrations, monitoring trials, keeping in touch with their families and arrange readings of their texts.

This theme thus continues a long tradition of international solidarity work. And the texts presented here add to the ever-growing PEN library of pressing texts and courageous voices.

Image: During the nine years (1980–1989) that the Ethiopian journalist Martha Kumsa was in prison awaiting trial, she carved pens for Thomas von Vegesack who was president of PEN Sweden at that time. Thomas von Vegesack was also president of the international Writers in Prison Committee between 1987–92.