The PEN America “Freedom to Write Index 2023” report details a significant rise in the number of writers imprisoned worldwide, hitting a five-year peak with at least 339 individuals detained over the past year. This marks a nine percent increase from the previous year, underscoring a worrying trend in the suppression of free speech.
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China continues to lead as the world’s most prolific jailer of writers, with over 100 individuals behind bars, a grim milestone that reflects the state’s aggressive crackdown on any form of dissent, particularly online expressions critical of government policies or supportive of democratic reforms.
The report highlights Iran’s ongoing repression, with 13 new arrests in 2023 alone. Iran remains the world’s top incarcerator of female writers, primarily targeting those who oppose mandatory hijab laws. The broader Middle East and North Africa region, along with the Asia-Pacific, account for a staggering 76 percent of the total number of writers jailed.
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Conflict zones have also seen a surge in the suppression of writers, with both Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as well as Russia, experiencing substantial increases in detentions, making their first appearance in the top 10 list of countries with the highest number of writers imprisoned.
PEN America’s analysis, which marks the fifth edition of the index, indicates a steady increase in the number of jailed writers from 238 in 2019 to 339 in 2023. The report also shows a sharp rise in the number of online commentators imprisoned, from 80 to 180 over the same period, reflecting a broader crackdown on digital expression.
“Authoritarian regimes instinctively understand the significant role that writers—and, by extension, free expression—play in promoting critical inquiry.”
PEN AMERICA’s ‘Freedom To Write Index 2023’ report
The PEN America report showcases the critical role writers play in society: “Authoritarian regimes instinctively understand the significant role that writers—and, by extension, free expression—play in promoting critical inquiry, fostering connections between people, and cultivating visions of a better world anchored in fundamental human rights,” the report states. It is noted that attacks on writers often precede broader human rights abuses.
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The report also honours Pham Doan Trang, a Vietnamese author and activist, as the 2024 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award honoree, highlighting her courageous work advocating for democracy in Vietnam despite severe repercussions.
With an ongoing global rise in book bans and suppression of independent voices, the Freedom to Write Index 2023 recommends that governments supporting free expression develop and implement an international framework to safeguard writers, monitor trials and judicial proceedings against them, and provide direct assistance to writers at risk. PEN America calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all writers detained for their speech and urges democratic governments to take a more active role in promoting free expression and human rights globally.
Quote in image from activist Mehmet Osman Kavala, imprisoned in Turkiye since 2017.