writers in prison committee report - PEN Canada

With the dedicated efforts and work of past president
Nelofer Pazira, who had adopted his case as part of
PEN’s Advocates Program, PEN Canada International
played a significant role, with the help of the PEN Canada
International office and Marian Botsford Fraser, in the
recent release of the young Afghan journalism student
Sayed Parwez Kambakhsh, who had been sentenced
to death without trial for allegedly downloading and
forwarding material that was thought to be blasphemous.
On December 22, 2009 the Supreme Court of Canada
created a new libel defence in landmark decisions handed
down in grant v. torstar corp. and v. cusson — cases
in which PEN Canada intervened, as part of a media
coalition. The rulings recognize a defence of “responsible
communication” in the public interest. This decision is
discussed more completely in the National Affairs
report on page 36.
Last year, we spoke out against the arrest and detention
of the Canadian-Iranian journalist and film-maker Maziar
Bahari. After being released on bail in October 2009,
Bahari bravely continued to work with free expression
organizations like International PEN and the Committee
to Protect Journalists in condemning the government
crackdown on the media in Iran. In May 2010, Bahari
was sentenced, in absentia, to thirteen and a half years
in prison, and an extended flogging, for crimes against
national security. PEN Canada continues to support
Bahari and all other journalists who have been arrested
and detained in Iran for nothing more than the peaceful
exercise of their right to freedom of expression.
Four of the nine Eritrean journalists who are Honorary
Members of PEN Canada are believed to have died
in prison since their summary arrest in September 2001.
Dawit Isaak, one of the survivors, is a Swedish citizen —
and currently the only prisoner of conscience from that
country anywhere in the world. Although Isaak has
developed serious medical problems while in prison, the
Isaias government has given no indication that it will
consider his release on compassionate grounds.
Working with Swedish PEN, PEN Canada hopes to raise
public awareness of Isaak’s plight throughout 2010 and
to encourage Canadian companies with business interests
in Eritrea to take up human rights concerns about the
journalists’ continued detention — without formal charges
— directly with the government.
Several years ago, PEN established the One Humanity
Award, given to someone “whose work has transcended
the boundaries of national divides and inspired connections
across cultures.” This $5,000 award is made possible
by the generosity of PEN Canada supporter Florence Minz,
who is actively engaged in the community and dedicated
throughout her work to enabling people to reach their
potential through the arts. This prize has been awarded
three times so far: to distinguished Chinese Journalist
Jiang Weiping, before PEN finally succeeded in reuniting
him with his family in Toronto, and to Burmese poet
and comedian, Zargana (who was and is still serving a
prison sentence). This year for the first time we were able
to award the prize in person, to Mexican writer Lydia
Cacho, an award-winning journalist and women’s and
children’s rights activist whose book exposing child abuse
and pornography rings in Mexico, led to her arrest and
ill-treatment. Although she was ultimately acquitted of
all charges, and the United Nations advised her to leave
Mexico and offered her political asylum, Cacho has chosen
to stay in Mexico, even though she remains under threat.
Her appearance in Toronto to receive the award was
extraordinarily moving, and her passion and commitment
to her cause was and is inspiring.
PEN CANADA 11