Our Society Will Be a Free Society
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Today, Iran is far from free and dissenting views are being crushed using brute force. In the crackdown following the disputed June 12 elections, dozens of journalists and writers were rounded up and imprisoned. In fact, more writers and journalists are jailed in Iran than in any other country in the world.
Some are established independent writers. Some are journalists linked to the opposition. About half of them are bloggers. And all imprisoned unjustly, without due process.
For a list of imprisoned writers and journalists you can click here and here.
Conditions in Evin prison, where most are believed to be held, are abysmal. Generally prisoners are held incommunicado. It’s possible they are being subjected to abuse or even torture.
In response to the systematic violation of the fundamental right to freedom of expression, writers, journalists, and freedom of expression groups from around the world have come together to demand that our colleagues be released from jail.
PEN has joined with other leading free expression organizations to launch a month-long campaign to help free the dozens of writers and journalists imprisoned following the disputed presidential elections. We began our campaign on February 12, the anniversary of the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The campaign will culminate on March 21, the Iranian New Year.
During this period we will holding a series of public events, launching petitions, releasing public appeals, all with the same goal:
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