Women on the PEN Case List 2023-2025
MIDDLE EAST CASE LIST
Ahed TAMIMI
Israel/Palestine
Since her detention in November 2023, writer and prominent activist Ahed Tamimi remains under a travel ban and is unable to reach her university for study.
Held for 24 days after her arrest…
Servenaz AHMADI
Iran
Sarvenaz Ahmadi is an Iranian translator, journalist, and human rights defender who was was conditionally released on 29 December 2024 after serving about 19 months of a six-year prison sentence….
Mahvash SABET
Iran
Mahvash Sabet is a teacher and poet serving an unjust 10-year prison sentence imposed in 2022. She has previously spent a decade in prison due solely to her religious beliefs as a member of Iran’s persecuted Baha’i minority. Due to poor prison conditions, and to Iranian authorities repeatedly denying her access to adequate healthcare, her health deteriorated significantly in 2024.
Narges MOHAMMADI
Iran
Writer, journalist, human rights defender Narges Mohammadi was free on medical grounds as of 31 December 2024, a year in which she received three new prison sentences. Held since 16 November 2021, she is serving multiple unjust sentences, totalling 35 years’ imprisonment and 154 lashes, as well as two years of internal exile, a travel ban and various restrictions on her social and political activism.
Sedigheh VASMAGHI
Iran
Sedigheh Vasmaghi is a well-known Iranian poet, writer, scholar and women’s rights activist. She was arrested on 16 March 2024 and transferred to Evin Prison, where conditions are deplorable. Her health deteriorated significantly while she was detained, with complete sight loss from a genetic condition and the development of potentially life-threatening heart issues…
EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA CASE LIST
Kaciaryna ANDREJEVA (BACHVAŁAVA)
Belarus
Journalist, writer and poet, Kaciaryna Andrejeva (real name Bachvałava) is serving an eight-year prison sentence in Belarus on bogus charges of ‘treason against the state’. Andrejeva was held in a medium-security penal colony in Homel, southeastern Belarus at the end of the year.
Svetlana ALEXIEVICH
Belarus
In August 2020, Svetlana Alexievich became a member of the Coordination Council for the Transfer of Power. On 20 August 2020, the Belarus Prosecutor General laid charges under Article 361 of the Belarussian Criminal Code – appeal to overthrow or change the constitutional order of the Republic of Belarus or to carry out crimes against the government – against members of the Coordination Council, including Alexievich. This carries a maximum three-year prison sentence, increased to five years if the act is carried out through ‘mass media’. On 26 August 2020, she was questioned at the Investigative Committee building in Minsk, telling the press as she left that she had refused to cooperate. On 9 September 2020, Alexievich reported that unidentified men had attempted to enter her home. This led to several diplomats from European embassies in Minsk staging a 24-hour vigil at her home to protect her from attack. Alexievich left Belarus for Germany later that month, pledging to return once the political situation allows. The case against her was still pending as of 31 December 2024.
Lyra MCKEE
United Kingdom
Journalist, writer and LGBTQI campaigner Lyra McKee was shot dead on 18 April 2019 by a masked gunman as she was observing a riot on the Creggan estate in Derry, Northern Ireland. She was standing beside a police vehicle when a gunman fired on police officers and onlookers. She died in hospital soon afterwards. On 14 September 2022, Niall Sheerin, from Derry, was sentenced to seven years in prison for possessing the gun used to murder McKee. Three men from Derry have been charged with her murder. Their trial opened in May 2024 and was ongoing as of 31 December 2024.
Pınar SELEK
TÜRKIYE
Sociologist, feminist, writer, and PEN Türkiye member Pınar Selek continued to face a decades-long trial over a 1998 explosion that killed seven and injured 100 in the Istanbul Spice Bazaar. Arrested in July 1998, Selek spent over two years in prison, where she said she suffered torture and other ill-treatment. Selek has been acquitted of all charges four times – in 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2014 – due to expert witnesses testifying that the cause of the explosion was a gas leak not a bomb, yet courts ordered retrials after each of these acquittals. Her fourth trial resulted in a conviction in January 2013 when Selek was handed an aggravated life sentence, although this conviction was overturned by Türkiye’s Supreme Court of Appeals on 11 June 2014 on procedural grounds. The 15th High Criminal Court in Istanbul subsequently acquitted her of all charges on 19 December 2014.
Gulgeç AKDENIZ (pen name Gulgeş DERYASPÎ)
TÜRKIYE
Writer and Kurdish PEN member Gulgeç Akdeniz – pen name Gulgeş Deryaspî – remained on trial at the end of the year, appealing a six-year three-month prison term imposed after conviction on 3 December 2020 of ‘membership of a terrorist organisation’ under Article 314/2 of Türkiye’s Penal Code. She denies any wrongdoing.
Professor Şebnem Korur FINCANCI
TÜRKIYE
Prominent academic, forensic scientist, and leading human rights defender, Professor Şebnem Korur Fincancı remained on trial throughout 2024 in relation to restrained comments made in 2022 during a live interview regarding the possible use of chemical weapons by Türkiye’s armed forces against members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Arrested on 26 October 2022 on charges of ‘disseminating propaganda for a terrorist organisation’ under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law No. 3713, Fincancı was sentenced to two years, eight months, and 15 days in prison on 11 January 2023. She was freed pending appeal. The case was ongoing as of 31 December 2024.
Meral ŞIMŞEK
TÜRKIYE
Throughout 2024, writer, poet, and Kurdish PEN member Meral Şimşek continued to be on trial, appealing against a 15-month prison sentence imposed by the Malatya 2nd High Criminal Court in Malatya province, eastern Türkiye on 7 October 2021, after it convicted her of ‘making terrorist propaganda’.
Yevgenia BERKOVICH & Svetlana PETRIYCHUK
Russian Federation
Theatre director Yevgenia Berkovich and playwright Svetlana Petriychuk are each serving lengthy prison sentences handed down by a military court in Moscow in July 2024, on fabricated ‘terrorism’ grounds.
On 8 July 2024, the Second Western District Military Court in Moscow found Yevgenia Berkovich and Svetlana Petriychuk guilty of ‘justifying terrorism’ under Article 205.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and sentenced them to six years in prison. Their trial took place behind closed doors, with members of the public and journalists without cameras permitted to be present for only the sentencing. Berkovich and Petriychuk will also be banned from ‘administering websites’ for three years after their release.
AMERICAS CASE LIST
Camila ACOSTA RODRÍGUEZ
Cuba
On 21 April 2024, journalist and author Camila Acosta Rodríguez was briefly detained by police officials in Matanzas, Cuba, while on her way to visit relatives of political prisoners to interviewing them. Acosta was held at a police station in Cárdenas for an hour and then returned to her home in Havana.
María Cristina GARRIDO RODRÍGUEZ
Cuba
Cuban poet and activist María Cristina Garrido Rodríguez is continuing to serve a seven-year prison sentence imposed after she was convicted on 10 March 2022 of ‘public disorder,’ ‘contempt,’ and ‘resistance’. She was arrested with her sister Angélica Garrido on 12 July 2021 after participating in peaceful protests.
Alina Bárbara LÓPEZ HERNÁNDEZ
Cuba
The judicial harassment of essayist, editor and researcher Alina Bárbara López Hernández in connection with her writing and activism continued in 2024. In April 2024, López was detained for several hours. She lodged a complaint against the police in relation to injuries sustained during her arrest…
Jenny Victoria PANTOJA TORRES
Cuba
The essayist, historian and academic Jenny Pantoja Torres faced several instances of harassment for her ideas, writings and peaceful activism in relation to human rights in 2024.
On 18 June 2024, Pantoja Torres was arbitrarily detained while travelling to Havana….
Brandi MORIN
Canada
On 10 January 2024, police officers arrested Cree/Iroquois/French freelance journalist Brandi Morin while she was reporting on an Indigenous encampment, in Edmonton, Alberta. When police raided the encampment, Morin said she identified herself as a journalist and stated her right to be on public property and to report on matters of clear public interest. Despite Morin exercising her legal right to do her job, the police officers arrested her. After PEN Canada and other organisations raised concerns, the charges against Morin were dropped.
Dolores REYES
Argentina
Author Dolores Reyes faced stigmatisation by officials during the year. On 7 November 2024, Vice-President Victoria Villarruel labelled Reyes’ novel Cometierra (Sigilo, 2019), about a young woman who experiences visions when she eats soil, as immoral and degrading, showing excerpts on her social media and calling for its removal from schools and libraries.
María Soledad IPARRAGUIRRE
Argentina
On 17 March 2024, shortly before the Day of Commemoration for Truth and Justice on 24 March, the non-fiction publishing house Marea, which specialises in journalism and human rights, faced a troll attack on its Facebook account, which resulted in more than 800 hate messages and comments being posted there. The aim of the attack was to discredit the book Delia, bastion of resistance, written by journalist María Soledad Iparraguirre, about Delia Giovanola (1926-2022), one of the founders of the group ‘Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo’
María Sol FANTIN
Argentina
Writer and teacher María Sol Fantin faced attempts in 2024 to censor her book Si no fueras tan niña. Memorias de la violencia (If you weren’t such a child: Memories of violence, Paidós, 2022), an autobiographical work that recounts the sexual abuse she suffered as a teenager at the hands of a teacher. On 17 November 2024, Vice-President Virginia Villarruel published a social media post, describing the book as glorifying ‘paedophilia’ and ‘the sexualisation of children’…
Gabriela CABEZÓN CÁMARA
Argentina
In 2024, authorities attempted to censor the book Las aventuras de la China Iron (The adventures of China Iron), written by writer and journalist Gabriela Cabezón Cámara, on the grounds that it contained sexually explicit content inappropriate for students.
In November 2024, it was revealed that the Natalio Morelli Foundation had filed a criminal complaint against the Director of Education of the Province of Buenos Aires for the distribution of the book, along with some works by other authors, in schools in the city of Buenos Aires. Vice President Victoria Villarruel, described these works as ‘degrading and immoral’ and demanded that they be withdrawn from the classroom.
María Soledad IPARRAGUIRRE
Argentina
On 17 March 2024, shortly before the Day of Commemoration for Truth and Justice on 24 March, the non-fiction publishing house Marea, which specialises in journalism and human rights, faced a troll attack on its Facebook account, which resulted in more than 800 hate messages and comments being posted there. The aim of the attack was to discredit the book Delia, bastion of resistance, written by journalist María Soledad Iparraguirre, about Delia Giovanola (1926-2022), one of the founders of the group ‘Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo’
Paola Margot UGAZ CRUZ
Peru
Investigative journalist, editor and writer Paola Ugaz continued to face judicial harassment in 2024, with an ongoing investigation for alleged ‘illicit enrichment’ begun in 2023. On 4 September 2024, Ugaz testified at trial hearing. Afterwards the interrogation, the judicial authorities ordered her telephone company to hand over the telephone records and geolocation data of the journalist for the period 2013 to 2020, thereby lifting the confidentiality of the journalist’s communications and violating her security and that of her sources of information. This set a dangerous precedent for journalists in Peru, with Ugaz being the first reporter in her country whose communications have been monitored and ‘seized’.
Maria Amparo CASAR
Mexico
The Mexican sociologist, columnist, activist and writer faced a smear campaign from then President Andrés Manuel López Obrador in 2024. The attacks began with the publication of her book, Los puntos sobre las íes: El legado de un gobierno que mintió, robó y traicionó (Dots on the I’s. The legacy of a government that lied, stole and betrayed’ (Debate, 2024), launched on 30 April 2024 in Mexico City, in which she documents and criticises the lack of transparency in López Obrador’s government.
Anabel HERNÁNDEZ GARCÍA
Mexico
On 17 May 2024, Mexican journalist and author Anabel Hernández García and Penguin Random House made public the attempts at censorship made against the book La historia secreta: AMLO y el Cartel de Sinaloa (Grijalbo, 2024) (The Secret History: AMLO and the Sinaloa Cartel). At a press conference, the author and the publisher denounced the censorship of a radio commercial about the book. The radio advert was broadcast once, after which the publisher was told that it could only be broadcast if changes were made, including removing the author’s name and the book’s subtitle.
Lydia CACHO RIBEIRO
Mexico
Impunity for the December 2005 arrest and torture of Lydia Cacho Ribeiro continued in 2024. Arrested for alleged defamation in connection with her 2005 book Los Demonios del Edén: el poder detrás de la pornografía (The Demons of Eden: the power behind pornography) in which she implicated a number of influential businessmen and politicians in child abuse networks operating across Quintana Roo and Puebla states, she was tortured in detention. She was cleared of all charges in 2007 but due to ongoing harassment, she went into exile in 2019.
Denise DRESSER GUERRA
Mexico
In 2024, political scientist, journalist and author Denise Dresser Guerra challenged ongoing harassment and threats posted on Dresser’s personal social media that had begun in April 2023 in connection with her reporting of alleged conflicts of interest and influence peddling by then President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s children.
Beatriz Maricela GUTIERREZ DE VELASCO VERDUZCO
Mexico
Mexican cartoonist, publisher and author Beatriz Maricela Gutiérrez de Velasco Verduzco (Mexico City, 1976), also known as Beatrix, received a series of intimidating messages on 29 January 2024 from public official Sandra Cuevas, after publishing a cartoon alluding to the Mexico City official. The cartoonist confirmed to PEN that, in addition to the messages, she regularly faces digital harassment through bots, threatening and harassing messages.
Mikeas SÁNCHEZ GÓMEZ
Mexico
Writer, poet and land defender Mikeas Sánchez Gómez was threatened with death on 7 November 2024. Sánchez told PEN International that she filed a complaint, but the Public Prosecutor’s Office asked her to close the case; local human rights organisations suggested that she should not close the case for her own protection. She continued to pursue her complaint but, due to new threats, she left her community.
Yohali RESÉNDIZ
Mexico
On 28 November 2024, the journalist and writer Yohali Reséndiz received a death threat, including a video showing a dead body. Hours later, in a phone call from an unknown number, an individual threatened to rape and kill her unless she stopped her investigations. According to ARTICLE 19, Reséndiz has received similar threats in the past.
According to Reséndiz’ social media posts, these attacks occurred after she published reports exposing corruption in the government of Morelos state, as well as other government departments such as the State Coordination of Mobility and Transport.
Dina MEZA
Honduras
Journalist, human rights defender, and founding member of PEN Honduras Dina Meza faced continuing harassment during the year. Meza’s security situation remained a serious concern.
Dina Meza reported surveillance and threats during 2024. On June 2024, the journalist was threatened by academic authorities with legal action if she did not withdraw articles about a student dispute with their university faculty from the Pasos de Animal Grande digital newspaper.
ASIA CASE LIST
Rahile DAWUT
China
Rahile Dawut, a renowned anthropologist and leading expert on the study of Uyghur folklore, is reportedly serving a life sentence after conviction of endangering state security. In late 2017, Rahile Dawut disappeared shortly after she had made plans to travel from Xinjiang to Beijing for an academic conference. Rahile Dawut was then held in secret by Chinese authorities without any confirmation of her detention for over five years, despite international media attention and a campaign led by her daughter calling for her release. In September 2023, reports emerged suggesting that Rahile Dawut had been sentenced to life imprisonment after conviction of ‘endangering state security’. The report also confirmed that her appeal against the conviction had been rejected by the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region High People’s Court
Pham Doan TRANG
Vietnam
An author, journalist, and pro-democracy activist, Pham Doan Trang remains in prison after her appeal against her nine-year prison sentence for ‘conducting propaganda against the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam’ was rejected by the Hanoi People’s High Court on 25 August 2022.
On 6 October 2020, Trang was detained during a raid on her apartment in Ho Chi Minh city as part of a joint operation by Hanoi Police and officials from the Ministry of Public Security.
Amanda ECHANIS
Philippines
A poet, writer and activist, Amanda Echanis has been held in pre-trial detention since she was arrested at her home alongside her then one-month-old baby on 2 December 2020, where she was charged with illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives, a charge that is routinely used against those who have been ‘red-tagged’ – or accused by government authorities or its proxies of having links to communist insurgency groups. Echanis has flatly rejected the allegation and has accused the Philippines authorities of planting evidence.
Maria RESSA
Philippines
A journalist and writer, Maria Ressa has been the target of a campaign of judicial harassment and intimidation since her initial arrest on 13 February 2019. At the end of 2024, she remained free on post-conviction bail with two active cases against her remaining. These included Ressa and a colleague’s ongoing appeal to the Supreme Court against their 2020 conviction of cyber libel, that had been upheld on appeal in July 2022 and could carry a potential six-year sentence. The second case relates to a separate 2019 charge of violating the Philippines’ Anti-Dummy Law, which places restrictions on foreign ownership or control of certain enterprises in the Philippines, in relation to foreign investment in 2015 in Rappler, a news outlet which she co-founded.
Teesta SETALVAD
India
A writer and activist, Teesta Setalvad remained on trial at the end of the year while remaining subject to onerous bail conditions impacting her freedom of movement. She was detained on 25 June 2022 by Gujarat anti-terror police at her home in Mumbai, the capital of the neighbouring state of Maharashtra, in connection with allegations of ‘criminal conspiracy’ and ‘forging evidence’ as part of her efforts to seek government accountability for the 2002 Gujarat Riots, a period of inter-communal violence that led to the deaths of hundreds of Indian citizens. Setalvad has alleged that she was assaulted by two members of the anti-terror police when she requested permission to speak with her lawyer. Just one day prior to Setalvad’s detention, on 24 June 2022, the Supreme Court rejected a plea submitted by Setalvad and co-petitioner Zakia Jafri, whose husband, the former parliamentarian Ehsan Jafri, was killed during the riots.