LYBIAN APPEAL 1 May 2007

His Excellency Mr Omar R Jelban
Head of mission

01 May 2007,

His Excellency Mr Omar R Jelban,

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN, the world association of writers representing members in 101 countries, is seriously concerned about the detention of political activists Idriss Boufayed, Jamal al-Haji and Fareed Azwy. We would be most grateful for Your Excellency’s assistance in clarifying the reasons for the arrest, and assurances that they are not in breach of Libya’s commitments under the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

According to PEN’s information, officers of the Internal Security Agency Idriss Boufayed on 16 February 2007. He is thought to be detained for organising a demonstration scheduled for 17 February to mark the first anniversary of a police attack on demonstrators in Benghazi during which at least 12 people were shot dead and many more injured. Several others are reported to have been arrested in connection with the planned demonstration. They include Jamal al-Haji and Fareed Azwy, who are reported to have been arrested on or around 15 February 2007. No charges have yet been brought against the men, but it is thought that among the reasons for their arrest are articles that they have written and posted onto the Internet.

International PEN Writers in Prison Committee is seriously concerned that Idriss Boufayed, Jamal al-Haji and Fareed Azwy, may be detained in violation of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which guarantees the right to freedom of expression. I It seeks immediate information about any charges held against them, Furthermore, it points out that they remain detained in untried detention three months after their arrest, another contravention of the ICCPR, Article 9 of which guarantees the right to be informed of the reasons for arrest and to be brought promptly before a court, or to be released pending trial.

Karin Clark
Chair

RAPID ACTION NETWORK RAN 44/06 22 November 2006

Vietnam: Serious concern about the safety of writer and journalist Tran Khai Thanh Thuy (f); harassment of dissidents escalates.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN is seriously concerned for the safety of writer and journalist Tran Khai Thanh (f), who has been subject to serious harassment and sustained interrogations about her Internet writings since 2 September 2006. Her case appears to be part of a pattern of organised and widespread police harassment of dissident writers and human rights activists in Vietnam since August 2006, apparently in the lead up to the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum (APEC) summit held in Hanoi from 12-19 November. International PEN is alarmed about the apparent crackdown on dissident writers and human rights activists in Vietnam in recent weeks, and reminds the Vietnamese government of its commitment to freedom of expression as guaranteed by the Vietnamese Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Vietnam is a signatory.
According to PEN's information, writer and journalist Tran Khai Thanh Thuy (pen names Nguyen Thai Hoang and Nguyen Thi Hien) was briefly detained on 2 September 2006 for her Internet writings, followed by three weeks of daily interrogation sessions. She was again briefly detained on 11 October and interrogated about the essays 'The Grotto', 'Self-Narration' and 'Dialogue' written after her detention in September. She was also reportedly brought to an open 'People's Court', in which members of the public are forced to participate in the abuse and humiliation of those accused. She is now believed to have been placed under effective house arrest and has been banned from published her writings on-line.
Other dissident writers to have been recently subjected to police harassment, brief detention and house arrest include the following:
- Hoang Tien, Nguyen Khac Toan, and Nguyen Van Dai, editor, deputy editor and journalist respectively of the independent magazine Tu do Dan Chu (Freedom and Democracy);
- Pham Hong Son, released from prison on 30 August 2006 and former main case of PEN;
- Novelist Nguyen Xuan Nghia;
- Pro-democracy activists and Internet writers Truong Quoc Huy, Vu Hoang Hai, Nguyen Ngoc Quang and Pham Ba Hai, arrested in August and September 2006 for their support of the Manifesto on Freedom and Democracy for Vietnam, a pro-democracy movement formed on 8 April 2006 known as '8406 Bloc'.
- Essayist Do Nam Hai, reportedly arrested on 15 October 2006 and charged with 'espionage' and 'anti-Socialist propaganda' for drafting the Manifesto of the Alliance for Democracy and Human Rights in Vietnam;
- Writer, lawyer and Mennonite pastor Nguyen Hong Quang, reportedly harassed and threatened;
- Lawyer and cyberdissident Le Thi Cong Nhan (f), repeatedly harassed and interrogated since September 2006;
- Lawyer and cyberdissident Bui Thi Kim Thanh (f), reportedly forcibly detained at a psychiatric hospital in Ho Chi Minh City since 4 November 2006.

RAPID ACTION NETWORK Update RAN 35/06 14 November 2006

China: Dissident writer and Independent Chinese PEN Member (ICPC) detained.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN is seriously concerned about the detention of dissident writer and member of ICPC Yan Zhengxue, who was arrested on 18 October 2006 and was officially charged on 1 November 2006 with subversion, apparently in connection with his writings and dissident activities. International PEN continues to be alarmed about an apparent crackdown on dissident writers in China, which is thought to be an attempt to suppress dissidents in the run-up to the 2008 Olympic Games. There are serious concerns that those being held are at risk of ill-treatment in prison. International PEN calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all writers currently detained in China, including Yan Zhengxue, in accordance with Article 19 of the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a signatory, and seeks immediate assurances that whilst detained they are treated humanely.
According to PEN's information, writer and painter Yan Zhengxue was arrested on 18 October 2006 after police raided his home in Jiaojiang, Zhejiang Province. They also reportedly raided his wife's home in Beijing, and took away computer equipment from both residences. He is held incommunicado without access to family visits.
Yan Zhengxue, aged 50, is a well known artist and author of several books. His paintings have been exhibited both in China and abroad. He has been briefly detained on numerous occassions for his dissident activites, and was administratively sentenced to two years 're-education through labour' in April 1994. He is also known for bringing a lawsuit against the authorities after being tortured in custody on 2 July 1993by three policemen at the Haidian district police station in Beijing.
Those recently arrested for their critical writings and dissident activities include:
Gao Zhisheng, lawyer, arrested on 15 August 2006 and charged with inciting subversion for his internet writings; Zhang Jianhong (aka Li Hong), prominent writer, arrested on 6 September 2006 and charged on 12 October with 'inciting subversion'; Yang Maodong ((aka Guo Feixiong)), a well-known dissident writer, independent publisher and civil rights activist, arrested on 14 September 2006 and charged with 'illegal busines practises'; Chen Shuqing, a dissident writer and leading member of Zhejiang Branch of the banned Chinese Democratic Party (CDP), arrested on 14 September 2006.

RAPID ACTION NETWORK RAN 39/06 2 November 2006

Algeria: Two journalists sentenced for "libelling" Libyan president.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN is deeply depressed by the 31 October 2006 sentencing of journalists Ali Fadil and Naila Berrahal for allegedly libelling Libyan president Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-Qadhafi.
Fadil and Berrahal, editor and reporter respectively for the daily Ech-Chourouk, were each handed a six-month prison sentence and a fine of 20,000 dinars (c. US$270). They were found guilty of "libel" in the wake of two Ech-Chourouk articles earlier in the year that implied that President al-Qadhafi had been involved in discussions with Tuareg tribal leaders keen to set up an independent state. Representatives of the Libyan president initiated the legal action against the two journalists.
The sentence has been appealed by the defendants' lawyer, Khaled Bergheul, and thus has been suspended until a ruling on the appeal has been given.
Ech-Chorouk was also suspended for two months and the owners ordered to pay the Libyan president 500,000 dinars (c. US$6,750).
International PEN considers that the sentence handed to Ali Fadil and Naila Berrahal is absurd and disproportionate, and calls for the quashing of the criminal libel charge against the two journalists when their appeal is heard. PEN also urges the Algerian authorities to decriminalise offences such as libel so that similar cases might not arise in future.

RAPID ACTION NETWORK RAN 37/06 27 October 2006

Gambia: Journalist into fourth month of illegal custody.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN is deeply disturbed by the continuing detention of Ebrimah Manneh, a journalist with the pro-government Daily Observer. Manneh, known as "Chief" Ebrimah B. Manneh, was arrested on 11 July 2006 and has reportedly been held in incommunicado detention at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) headquarters ever since, seemingly without having been charged with any offence. Even more disturbingly, the NIA has repeatedly denied that they have the journalist in their custody.
It is believed that the reason behind Manneh's arrest is that he is alleged to have had contact with a foreign journalist before July's African Union Summit, held in the Gambian capital Banjul. Manneh apparently gave this journalist information deemed by the Gambian government to have been damaging to the country's image.

Background

Manneh's detention comes at a time when many journalists have found themselves persecuted by the government:
Malick Mboob, a former copy editor with the Daily Observer, was only freed on 9 October 2006 after nearly five months incommunicado in the cells of the NIA in Banjul. The release, which is unconditional, came as a result of an order by the High Court. He was suspected of sending information to the website Freedom Newspaper (freedomnewspaper.com) which has been highly critical of President Yahya Jammeh and his government. Musa Sheriff, of the magazine Gambia News and Report also spent time in detention for the same reason as Mboob. Neither Mboob nor Sheriff face charges. Meanwhile, Omar Bah, news editor of the Daily Observer, is reported to have fled the country to avoid arrest.
On 10 April, reporter for The Independent, Lamin Fatty was arrested and detained for over two months without charge. He is now facing trial for allegedly publishing false information.
In March this year, editor of The Independent, Musa Saidykhan and managing director, Madi Ceesay, were arrested. The two journalists were released without charge on 20 April. It was reported in July 2006 that Musa Saidykhan had fled abroad for fear of being re-arrested.
The arrests of Fatty, Saidykhan and Ceesay were linked with an investigation into an alleged attempted coup which is said to have taken place on 21 March 2006.
International PEN calls upon the Gambian authorities to cease their persecution of journalists and to allow voices critical of those in power to be heard. PEN also urges the authorities to release "Chief" Ebrimah B.
Manneh as a matter of the utmost urgency.

RAPID ACTION NETWORK Update RAN 24/06 18 October 2006

China: Internet journalist Guo Qizhen sentenced to four years in prison.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN protests the four-year prison sentence handed down on 16 October 2006 to Internet writer Guo Qizhen on subversion charges. Guo has reportedly been held since 12 May 2006 for his critical writings and pro-democracy activities. Guo is said to be in poor health and held without access to adequate care. International PEN considers journalist Guo Qizhen to be detained in violation of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China became a signatory in 1998, and calls for his immediate and unconditional release.
According to PEN's information, cyber-dissident Guo Qizhen was arrested at his home on 12 May 2006 and charged with 'inciting subversion of state power' on 8 June 2006. His arrest appears to be linked to his participation in a rotating hunger strike which has been taking place by pro-democracy activists since 4 February 2006 to protest against human rights violations in China. The charges are believed to be based on his anti-government articles published online on overseas websites.
Guo is currently held at Cangzhou detention centre No.2 in Hebei Province, central China. He was reported to be in a fragile psychological state and suffering from a broken leg, for reasons that remain unclear to PEN. The detention centre where he is held is said to lack the medical facilities required to give him adequate treatment.

RAPID ACTION NETWORK RAN 36/06 12 October 2006

Burundi: Journalist imprisoned for alleged slander.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN is deeply concerned by the sentencing of Aloys Kabura to five months' imprisonment on a charge of "speaking words deemed harmful to the state".
Kabura, a correspondent for the Agence Burundaise de Presse, was arrested on 31 May 2006 following a conversation in a bar in which he allegedly criticised the government and police for a 17 April attack on journalists. He was sentenced on 18 September 2006 by a court in Ngozi.
There are reasons to believe that the charges against Kabura were filed in retaliation for his reporting on apparent police and government corruption. Before his arrest he had made it known that he had been followed and threatened by police officers after he wrote an article in January alleging police involvement in sugar smuggling across the border with Rwanda.
Kabura is said to be in poor health, but requests for his release on bail on medical grounds have reportedly been refused.
International PEN protests against the sentencing of Aloys Kabura and calls for his immediate release. PEN calls on the Burundian authorities to uphold press freedoms and the peaceful expression of opinions.

RAPID ACTION NETWORK RAN 35/06 10 October 2006

China: Crackdown on Dissident Writers.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN is alarmed about an apparent crackdown on dissident writers in China. Three writers, all members of Independent Chinese PEN centre (ICPC), have been detained in recent weeks: they are Zhang Jianhong (aka Li Hong), Yang Maodong (aka Guo Feixiong) and Chen Shuqing. All three appear to be held for their critical writings and dissident activities. There are serious concerns that they are at risk of ill-treatment in prison. International PEN calls for their immediate and unconditional release in accordance with Article 19 of the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a signatory, and seeks immediate assurances that whilst detained they are treated humanely.
According to PEN's information, prominent writer Zhang Jianhong (aka Li Hong) was arrested on 6 September 2006 when more than 20 police officers searched his home in Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, Eastern China. His computers were seized and his wife interrogated. He is reportedly charged with'incitement to subversion of state power' for critical articles published online on overseas websites. Zhang Jianhong, aged 48, is a leading writer in the region and is known for his dissident activities and prolific writings. He was imprisoned from 1989-1991 for his pro-democracy activities. In August 2005 he founded the literary website Aiqinhai.org (http://www.aiqinhai.org/), of which he was editor-in-chief, which was banned by the authorities in March 2006. He is also a regular contributor to the overseas Chinese sites Boxun (http://www.boxun.com) and The Epoch Times (http://www.dajiyuan.com).
Yang Maodong ((aka Guo Feixiong)), a well-known dissident writer, independent publisher and civil rights activist, has been detained since 14 September 2006. According to his wife, police officers searched their home in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, Southern China, and took away Yang's computers, cell phone, books, manuscripts and other documents. The following day Yang was reportedly charged with illegal business practices for allegedly publishing and selling 20,000 books using false ISBNs (international standard book number). His wife claims that the charges are totally unfounded. There are reports that he is being ill-treated in detention.
Yang Maodong, aged 40, has been known to the authorities for some time for his critical writings and civil rights activism. He was previously detained on 12 September 2005 and held without charge until December 2005 for his involvement in and reporting of an anti-corruption campaign by villagers in Taishi Village, Guangdong Province. PEN campaigned for his release.
(http://www.internationalpen.org.uk/index.php?pid=33&aid=393&return=33)
Yang has since been subject to repeated harassment by the authorities, most recently on 9 August 2006 when he was reportedly beaten by railway police and briefly detained for carrying an allegedly false ticket.
Yang Maodong is a writer and independent publisher, and his writings include two novels and one collection of short stories. He has also published many essays, poems and articles.
Chen Shuqing, a dissident writer and leading member of Zhejiang Branch of the banned Chinese Democratic Party (CDP), has been detained since 14 September 2006. He went voluntarily to the Daguan Police Station, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, after being summoned the previous day. He was arrested on subversion charges, after which police raided his home and took away his computer and some documents. The reason for the charge is not known, although he is known for his critical articles published on various overseas ChineseWebsites such as Boxun, Minzhu Luntan, Dajiyuan, Yi Bao, Guancha, and Xin
Shiji.
Chen, aged 42, was previously detained in 1999 for 4 months for his role inthe setting up the banned Chinese Democratic Party. After his release, he trained to become a lawyer, but in 2005, after passing his exams, he was refused a lawyer's licence by the JusticeBureau of Zhejiang Province, who alleged his articles published online had violated China's Constitution. Chen challenged this ruling in court, but lost the case in both the lower and the appeal courts. He has since been subject to police harassment.

RAPID ACTION NETWORK Update RAN 23/04 10 October 2006

Bangladesh: Serious concerns for the safety of journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Chaudhury.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN is seriously concerned for the safety of journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Chaudhury, who was reportedly attacked by a group of about 30 men at the offices of his newspaper on 5 October 2006. His attackers are thought to have included leading members of the ruling Bangladesh National Party (BNP). Chaudhury was reportedly badly beaten in the attack, and around  400,000 Taka ($US 4000) and several cell phones were taken from the Blitz office. Chaudhury faces sedition charges for his perceived association with Israel and his criticism of the spread of Islamist militancy in Bangladesh in his writings, and his trial is due to start on 12 October 2006. International PEN calls upon the Bangladeshi authorities to provide Chaudhury with effective police protection immediately. PEN protests the charges against journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Chaudhury, and urges that they are dropped in
accordance with Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
According to PEN's information, Salah Uddin Shoaib Chaudhury, editor of the tabloid weekly Blitz, was arrested by security personnel at Zia International Airport, Dhaka, on 29 November 2003 whilst en route for Israel to participate in a conference with the Hebrew Writers Association. Chaudhury was planning to address a writers' symposium in Tel Aviv entitled "Bridges Through Culture", and was scheduled to speak about "the role of media in establishing peace". Bangladesh has no diplomatic relations with Israel and travel to Israel is illegal for Bangladeshi citizens. Intelligence forces claim that documents found in Chaudhury's briefcase  in particular the text of his speech and reports on the human rights situation in Bangladesh  provide evidence to support the charges against him. He is accused of having links to an Israeli intelligence agency and is said to have been under surveillance for several months. Choudhury is known for his work to improve relations between Muslim countries and Israel, and has written articles against anti-Israeli attitudes in Muslim countries and about the rise of al-Qaeda in Bangladesh which had reportedly sparked debate in the Bangladeshi press and government prior to his arrest. The charge carries a maximuim penalty of death or thirty years imprisonment. Choudhury was repeatedly denied a bail hearing before being released on bail on 2 May 2005 following appeals by PEN USA, of whom he is an honorary member.
Chaudhury reportedly received a death threat on 26 February 2006 from a militant Islamist leader for his writings, and the offices of his newspaper were bombed in July 2006. International PEN continues to be alarmed at the ongoing pattern of violence against journalists in Bangladesh, who are frequently threatened and attacked with apparent impunity solely for the practice of their profession (see previous alerts).

RAPID ACTION NETWORK Update RAN 01/04 10 October 2006

Vietnam: Serious concerns for the health of writer Nguyen Vu Binh.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN is seriously concerned for the health of writer Nguyen Vu Binh, who is said to require urgent medical treatment for undiagnosed chronic gastrointestinal disease and high pressure. Nguyen Vu Binh has served four of a seven-year prison sentence on espionage charges, and is held in a labour camp with common-law prisoners in very poor conditions and without access to adequate medical care or nutrition. International PEN urges that he be allowed to see a specialist doctor so that his condition can be diagnosed and effectively treated in hospital, where his family can care for him. PEN calls for the immediate and unconditional release of writer Nguyen Vu Binh in accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which Vietnam is a signatory, and on humanitarian grounds.
According to PEN's information, Nguyen Vu Binh, writer and leading member of the Democracy Club for Vietnam, has been held incommunicado since 25 September 2002. He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment followed by three years' house arrest on 31 December 2003 by Hanoi People's Court on charges of espionage in a three-hour trial. Following the proceedings, the official Vietnam News Agency reported that Nguyen Vu Binh had been convicted for having "written and exchanged, with various opportunist elements in the country, information and materials that distorted the party and state policies". He is also said to have been accused of communicating with "reactionary" organisations abroad. His sentence was upheld on appeal on 5 May 2004. Nguyen Vu Binh is currently held at  Ba Sao forced labour camp, Nam Hà province, where he is said to be held amongst common-law prisoners in cramped conditions and without access to the specialist medical treatment he requires.
Nguyen Vu Binh, aged 39, is thought to have been targeted for the online publication of one of his critical essays, 'Some Thoughts on the China-Vietnam Border Agreement.' Binh is a former journalist who worked for 10 years for Tap Chi Cong (Journal of Communism), the official publication of the Communist Party of Vietnam. In January 2001 he left his post to form the independent Liberal Democratic Party. He has since written several articles calling for political reform and criticising government policy, and has been under close surveillance since April 2002. He was briefly detained in July 2002.

INTERNATIONAL PEN STATEMENT ON THE MURDER OF RUSSIAN
WRITER AND JOURNALIST, ANNA POLITKOVSKAYA

7 October 2006

International PEN is appalled by the news of the murder today, 7 October 2006, of the renowned Russian journalist and author, Anna Politkovskaya, who was found shot dead in an elevator in her apartment building in Moscow.
A journalist who covered the war in Chechnya, Politkovskaya had been receiving threats since 1999 after she wrote articles claiming that the Russian armed forces had committed human rights abuses in Chechnya. Despite these threats she continued to write and in 2003 published A Dirty War: A Russian Reporter in Chechnya. She is also a co-contributor to A Small Corner of Hell: Dispatches from Chechnya , published in 2003. Her most recent book, Putin's War: Life in A Failing Democracy is to be published in paperback in December this year. In 2002 Politkovskaya was one of the few outsiders allowed into the Moscow theatre in an attempt to negotiate with Chechen rebels the release of hundreds of hostages. In 2004, she fell seriously ill as she attempted to fly to Beslan to cover the hostage crisis there, leading to speculation that she had been deliberately poisoned to stop her from reporting on the crisis.
"Anna Politkovskaya is a courageous writer known for her criticism not only of the Chechen war but also of the totalitarian backlash characterizing the latest developments in Russia. Her death raises serious concerns and confirms all the fears," said Jiri Grusa, President of International PEN. "We protest in the strongest terms the situation in Russia that has allowed this to occur."
A murder investigation is now under way. Vitaly Yaroshevsky, deputy editor of the newspaper Novaya Gazeta for which Politkovskaya worked is certain that her murder is linked to her work, a view shared by Russian human rights observers. The Moscow deputy prosecutor has also told the press of that the possible link between her death and her journalism will be investigated.
Politkovskaya was the winner of numerous international awards for her courage, including the 2004 Olaf Palme Award that was set up by the family of the murdered Swedish prime minister. The prize was given to Politkovskaya to honour her work for the "long battle for human rights in Russia".
"Anna Politkovskaya's integrity and courage inspired writers around the world as she reported on the most difficult situations in Russia," said Joanne Leedom-Ackerman, International Secretary of International PEN. "She was an outspoken advocate for human rights in PEN's and other forums around the globe. International PEN mourns her loss and calls for a relentless investigation to bring to justice those who are responsible for her murder."

RAPID ACTION NETWORK Update RAN 35/05 2 October 2006

Maldives: Writer and leading opposition politician Mohamed Nasheed freed from house arrest.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN welcomes the release of opposition politician and writer Mohamed Nasheed, who was freed from house arrest on 21 September 2006. It is expected that the charges of terrorism and sedition will be dropped soon.
Nasheed was among several members of the newly established opposition party the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to be arrested on 12 August 2005 during a peaceful protest in Malé. Nasheed was charged on 23 August 2005 with 'terrorism' and 'sedition' for 'inciting violence against the president' in a speech he made in July 2005. The following report is from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/5368786.stm
'The leader of the main opposition party in the Maldives has been freed from house arrest. Mohamed Nasheed, who heads the Maldivian Democratic Party, had spent more than a year in custody. He still faces charges of terrorism and sedition, but the government says these are likely to be dropped soon.
Mr Nasheed has been a vocal critic of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom who has ruled the Indian Ocean archipelago for more than 25 years. He was accused of using a speech in July 2005 to urge the forcible removal of President Gayoom.

Charges 'to be dropped'

Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed told Reuters news agency that Mr Nasheed was "free to go about his business". "The charges are still there, but I expect in a month or so that we will review the situation and they will be dropped."
The Maldives government has been under international pressure over its human rights record and says it is slowly implementing democratic reforms.
The authorities and opposition recently reached an agreement under which a number of opposition detainees have been freed.

RAPID ACTION NETWORK RAN 33/06 22 September 2006

Niger: A third journalist given prison sentence.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN protests the sentencing of Salif Dago, a reporter for the bi-monthly private newspaper L'Enquêteur, to six months' imprisonment on charges of "spreading false information". After his arrest on 28 August, Dago was detained for four days before being summarily charged and transferred to prison.
According to PEN's information, the charge relates to a story published by L'Enquêteur on 14 August entitled "Black mass in Niamey cemetery", which described the alleged killing of a baby by an unidentified man as part of a macabre ritual. Dago is reportedly appealing the sentence and his lawyer claimed that he has been fined 100,000 CFA francs and given a six-month suspended sentence in addition to the imprisonment.
Dago's detention and sentencing follows that of the journalists Mamane Abou and Oumarou Keita, both of whom were sentenced on 1 September to 18 months in prison and a fine of 5 million CFA francs for "publishing false information" and "defaming the state of Niger".
International PEN protests the sentencing of Salif Dago and calls for his immediate release. PEN calls on President Mamadou Tandja to act in accordance with the public commitment made during his 2004 presidential campaign by decriminalising press offences.

RAPID ACTION NETWORK Update RAN 28/05 12 September 2006

Vietnam: Internet writer and dissident Pham Hong Son released.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN welcomes the release of internet publisher and dissident Pham Hong Son, who was freed under a Presidential Amnesty to mark Vietnam's National Day on 2 September. Pham Hong Son's release is conditional, as he is still required to serve three years of administrative detention (house arrest).
Internet publisher Pham Hong Son was arrested on 27 March 2002 and sentenced to thirteen years in prison and three years' house arrest by the Ha Noi People's Court on 18 June 2003. He was convicted on espionage charges for his pro-democracy activities, including using email to "translate and send anti-Party documents and anti-government documents" to colleagues abroad. In an appeal hearing on 26 August 2003, the Hanoi Supreme Court upheld the conviction against internet publisher Pham Hong Son, but reduced his sentence from thirteen to five years imprisonment.
Pham Hong Son, aged thirty-seven, is a medical doctor by training, but since 2001 has dedicated himself to writing and translating pro-democracy articles and posting them on various overseas websites. He is married with two sons aged seven and five, and was forbidden from receiving family visits in detention. He is a recipient of the 2003 Hellman/Hammett awards for persecuted writers.
The health of Pham Hong Son was reported to have seriously deteriorated during his detention, although according to his wife he is now undergoing thorough medical checks and is said to be doing well. The conditions of his house arrest are said to involve heavy surveillance and severe restrictions
on his movements.

RAPID ACTION NETWORK RAN 32/06 8 September 2006

Niger: Two journalists sentenced to 18 months in prison.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN is appalled at the sentencing of Mamane Abou and Oumarou Keita, managing editor and editor of the weekly Le Republicain newspaper respectively. The two journalists were arrested on 4 August and sentenced with "publishing false information" and "defaming the state of Niger" on 1 September. Although the legality of the trial was contested by the journalists' lawyers, Justice Chaibou Moussa allegedly disregarded an appeal against the apparent illegality of the trial in sentencing the two men. The appeal will be heard by a separate court on 11 September.
The arrest of Mamane Abou and Oumarou Keita followed an article published in July by Le Republicain which suggested that the government's strengthening of diplomatic relations with Iran and Venezuela was happening at the expense of its relations with western countries. Prime Minister Hama Amadou, who was accused in the article of "wooing the Iranians", allegedly lodged a complaint against the two journalists, which resulted in their arrest. In addition to their imprisonment, Abou and Keita have been ordered to pay a fine of 5 million CFA Francs (approximately US $9 736) each.
Mamane Abou has been arrested several times following the publication of articles in his newspaper. He was sentenced to six months in prison in November 2004 for libel, but was released on probation in January 2005.
The journalists are being detained in separate prisons, both some distance from Niamey, which reportedly gives their lawyers, family and friends, who are all based in the capital, very limited access to them. Their lawyers have claimed that this violates Niger law which states that detainees should be kept in a detention facility within the court's jurisdiction.

RAPID ACTION NETWORK Update RAN 43/04 25 August 2006

China: Journalist Zhao Yan acquitted of revealing state secrets but convicted of fraud.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN welcomes the announcement on 25 August 2006 that the charge of revealing state secrets has been dropped against journalist Zhao Yan, but is seriously concerned at his sentencing to three years in jail for fraud. International PEN demands his immediate and unconditional release pending his likely appeal.
Zhao Yan, news assistant at the Beijing bureau of the New York Times and former reporter for China Reform magazine, was arrested on 17 September 2004 and charged with "providing state secrets to foreigners". He was charged for an article published in the New York Times on 7 September 2004 revealing Jiang Zemin's retirement from the position of Chairman of the Central Military Commission and the transfer of leadership to President Hu Jintao. The article preceded the official announcement about Jiang's retirement, which was made on 19 September 2004. The New York Times said that Zhao had no involvement whatsoever in the article. Although the charges against Zhao were dropped in March 2006, weeks ahead of President Hu Jintao's visit to the United States, they were reinstated in May 2006.  No information has been given about his alleged fraud, but Zhao's lawyers believe he is likely to appeal the conviction.

RAPID ACTION NETWORK Update RAN 11/06 18 August 2006

Democratic Republic of Congo: Newspaper editor convicted and released.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN welcomes the long overdue release of journalist Patrice Booto but deplores the fact that this only came about after he was convicted on a criminal charge of "publishing false information". Booto was given a six-month sentence on 27 July 2006 and ordered to pay a fine equivalent to US$500. He was freed on 3 August.
He was acquitted on further charges of "offending the head of state" and "insulting the government".

Background

Patrice Booto, editor of the newspapers Le Journal and its supplement Pool Malebo, was arrested on 2 November 2005 and detained at Kinshasa's Penitentiary and Reeducation Centre. His detention was linked to an article published in September 2005 in both Le Journal and its supplement Supplément Pool which referred to a US$30 million donation from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to the Republic of Tanzania's education sector. The editorial staff of both Le Journal and Pool Malebo reportedly went into hiding following Booto's arrest. On 9 November 2005 PEN received reports that Booto had been forced to reveal his source for the story by police who held a gun to his head.

RAPID ACTION NETWORK RAN 30/06 11 August 2006

Nigeria: Harsh bail conditions lead to prolonged detention of journalists.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN is concerned by the tough bail conditions that have led to two Ebonyi Voice journalists spending eight weeks in custody with no imminent prospect of release.
According to reports, editor Imo Eze and reporter Oluwole Elenyinmi made a court appearance on 14 June 2006 to answer charges of "conspiracy", "sedition" and "libel". The charges were brought by the governor of Ebonyi, Sam Ominyi Egwu, for whom Eze was a former press secretary, after the publication on 16 April 2006 of a piece entitled, "Is Ebonyi A Failed State?" in which accusations of mismanagement and corruption were made against the state's government.
The two journalists have been detained since then because the judge ordered that they pay 50,000 nairas (US$385) each, and that a senior official or permanent secretary living within the court's jurisdiction stand surety for them. This second requirement is virtual impossible for Eze and Elenyinmi to satisfy since no official is likely to want to incur the wrath of the governor by standing surety for them.
Police and State Security Service officers apparently questioned Eze and Elenyinmi about the piece on a number of occasions from 18 April onwards. Eze also claims that he received death threats from anonymous telephone callers who were unhappy with Ebonyi Voice's criticisms of Governor Egwu.
International PEN condemns the use of such wide-reaching charges as that of "conspiracy" and "sedition" to stifle freedom of expression. PEN calls for all criminal charges against Imo Eze and Oluwole Elenyinmi to be dropped and for their bail requirements to be within their means.

RAPID ACTION NETWORK Update RAN 38/05 11 August 2006

Cuba: Journalist released after serving sentence.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN notes the 5 August 2006 release of Albert Santiago Du Bouchet Hernández on the completion of his one-year sentence.

Background

Du Bouchet Hernández, director of the news agency Havana Press, was arrested in Artemisa on 6 August and handed a one-year sentence three days later on being found guilty of "disrespect" for the Artemisa chief of police.  His family apparently only discovered that he had been detained and sentenced when he managed to smuggle a note out of the Melena del Sur prison, in the province of Havana, where he is serving his term.
The journalist claims that he did not have access to a lawyer at any point in the judicial proceedings and that the charges against him were trumped up. It is conjectured that Du Bouchet's detention could be connected with his reporting of the May 2005 meeting of the Assembly to Promote Civil Society. He had apparently been warned by state security agents in May and July to cease his journalistic work or face the consequences.

RAPID ACTION NETWORK RAN 29/06 2 August 2006

China/Tibet Autonomous Region: Teacher and writer Dolma Kyab (pen-name Lobsang Kelsang Gyatso) serving a ten-year sentence for a manuscript; health concerns.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN protests the detention of teacher and writer Dolma Kyab (aka Lobsang Kelsang Gyatso), who has been detained since 9 March 2005 and is serving a ten-year prison sentence for his critical writings. International PEN calls for his immediate and unconditional release in accordance with Article 19 of the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a signatory. PEN seeks information about his health and assurances that he is receiving all necessary medical care following reports that he contracted tuberculosis whilst in pre-trial detention.
According to information received in July 2006, Dolma Kyab (pen-name Lobsang Kelsang Gyatso) is serving a ten-year prison sentence for writing a comprehensive study about Tibet. The manuscript, written in Chinese, is entitled Sao dong de Ximalayashan and is reportedly a compilation of 57 chapters covering various topics including democracy, the sovereignty of Tibet, Tibet under communism, colonialism, and religion. Dolma Kyab is also said to have started another manuscript on the geographical aspects of Tibet, which was comparatively short yet touched on sensitive topics about the location and number of Chinese military camps in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).
Dolma Kyab (a.k.a Lobsang Kelsang Gyatso) was reportedly arrested on 9 March 2005 in Lhasa, where he was teaching History at a Middle School. He was held pending trial at the TAR Public Security Bureau Detention Centre, popularly known as 'Seitru', on charges of 'endangering state security', and sentenced on 16 September 2005 by Lhasa Intermediate People's Court to ten years in prison. The sentence was upheld on appeal on 30 November 2005. In March 2006 he was transferred to Chushul Prison. Dolma Kyab reportedly contracted tuberculosis whilst in 'Seitru' prison, for which he received medical treatment before being transferred to Chushul Prison.
'Dolma Kyab was born in 1976 in Ari Village, Qilian County,Tsochang Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. He attended the local Primary School in 1984 and later joined the County Middle School. After completing his schooling in 1995, he joined a Teachers Training Centre and served as a teacher in a Middle School in Qilian County. He later went to a University in Beijing to continue his studies. In 2003, he came to India to learn English and Hindi languages and returned to Tibet in May 2004. Upon return, he served as a History teacher in a Middle School in Lhasa until arrest.'