35 KILLINGS SINCE NOVEMER 2008

The Ghanaian Centre of International PEN today observes the Day of the Imprisoned Writer. It is a day set aside to celebrate our colleagues worldwide who, just for the practice of their profession, are harassed, arrested, detained, jailed or even killed.

In the 12 months between 15 November 2008 (last year’s International PEN Day of the Imprisoned Writer), and today 15 November 2009, International PEN has recorded 35 murders of journalists and editors working in print and online. Almost 40% of the killings happened in just two countries: Russia, where seven journalists were killed, and Mexico, where six were murdered. Pakistan and India both saw four murders in 2008 and 2009.

Other countries where killings occurred are Honduras, where two people were murdered, and in Kenya, Sri Lanka, Congo (Brazzaville), Indonesia, Iran, Philippines, Kyrgystan, Nigeria and Afghanistan. Nearly all those killed had been reporting on corruption in government, or on the activities of criminals, notably drugs related. In Russia, three had commented on the situation in Chechnya.

It is rare for those who kill journalists and writers to be brought to prosecution, leading to the conclusion that “troublesome” critics can be killed with impunity. In the West Africa sub-region, PEN Ghana has noted the disturbing reports from the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) regarding the harassment, jailing and violent abuses meted out to journalists by governments and their agents and indeed by ordinary members of society.

PEN is calling on civil society to put pressure on the authorities in the offending countries to institute full, proper and impartial investigations into the deaths of all those who have been killed in the course of their professions as writers, journalists and human rights defenders. PEN Ghana also calls on Poets, Editors, Novelists, writers and all those involved in giving meaning to the Freedom of Expression to close ranks and continue with the fight to advance all the freedoms enshrined in the UN charter and national constitutions. We also wish to put on record our continued solidarity with the Imprisoned Writer, wherever he or she may be in the world.

Alhaji Abdul-Rahman Harruna Attah

President November 15, 2009

The Ghanaian Centre of International PEN P.O. Box TU 135, Accra. Ghana. Telephones: (233) 021 220084, (233) 0208200953, (233) 0243532186. Emails: accmail@africaonline.com.gh mackay2248@yahoo.com