18 September 2026 will mark 25 years since 12 Eritrean writers and journalists were arrested for peacefully expressing their views and calling for reform. They have not been seen since. For a quarter of a century, the Eritrean authorities have held them incommunicado\u2014without charge, trial, or contact with their families.<\/p>\n
Join PEN International and PEN Centres in demanding proof of life\u2014now<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n In September 2001, President Isaias Afwerki\u2019s government shut down Eritrea\u2019s independent media and launched a sweeping crackdown on dissent. Twelve writers and journalists\u2014including poets, playwrights, translators, songwriters, editors, and critics\u2014were arrested for their peaceful expression and criticism.<\/p>\n Since then, the Eritrean authorities have refused to reveal where they are or whether they are even alive. Held in secret detention for nearly 25 years, without access to lawyers, medical care, or family contact, they are among the world\u2019s longest-detained writers and journalists.<\/p>\n Their disappearance is not only an attack on freedom of expression, but a deliberate attempt to silence independent voices and erase an entire generation of Eritrea\u2019s cultural and intellectual life. Silence enables impunity.<\/p>\n The 12 writers and journalists include poets, translators, playwrights, songwriters and critics are:<\/span><\/p>\n They are among the world\u2019s longest-detained writers and journalists.<\/span><\/p>\n Since their arrest in September 2001, during a sweeping crackdown on independent media following the closure of Eritrea\u2019s press, they have been held incommunicado without charge, trial, legal representation, or contact with their families. Eritrean authorities have never disclosed their whereabouts nor confirmed whether they are alive.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe are holding candles for you in the Eritrean darkness. We will not let your names or your struggles be forgotten. We here at PEN International will go on making a big noise and raising a global racket till you are freed and every last one of you is accounted for.\u201d<\/i><\/b> Extract of a letter of solidarity from Ben Okri to the 12 Eritrean writers and journalists<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe refuse to let this story end as a\u00a0tragedy. Instead it will be\u00a0one of courage and resilience in the face of immeasurable suffering, of hope and persistence that prevail over oppression.\u00a0We will get there. Dawit,\u00a0you\u00a0and your colleagues\u00a0are not forgotten\u201d. <\/i><\/b>Rui Umezawa<\/b><\/p>\n The <\/span>campaign<\/span><\/a>, led by PEN International with PEN Eritrea in Exile and other PEN Centres, will run from 26 June throughout 2026. It will invite writers, journalists, cultural figures, and the public worldwide to take part in coordinated actions, including:<\/span><\/p>\n Follow the <\/span>campaign page<\/span><\/a> to learn about the disappeared writers and how you can get involved.<\/span><\/p>\n Note to Editors:<\/b><\/p>\n The following will be available for interviews:<\/span><\/p>\n 18 September 2026 will mark 25 years since 12 Eritrean writers and journalists were arrested for peacefully expressing their views and calling for reform. They have not been seen since. For a quarter of a century, the Eritrean authorities have held them incommunicado\u2014without charge, trial, or contact with their families. Join PEN International and PEN<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":23010,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4201],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23009","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-solidarity"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23009","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23009"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23009\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23014,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23009\/revisions\/23014"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23010"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23009"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Why we must act:<\/strong><\/h5>\n
PEN International and PEN Centres launch global \u201cProof of Life\u201d campaign backed by acclaimed writers Ben Okri and Rui Umezawa<\/b><\/h5>\n
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Global mobilisation campaign<\/b><\/h5>\n
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