International PEN Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC)
     
The International PEN WiPC half year caselist – January to June 2009 – records 644 cases in this period of imprisonment, attack and even killings of writers, journalists, and publishers in 98 countries. It includes details of 22 deaths directly attributable to the individual’s work, or whose deaths are suspicious. There are also over 200 writers and journalists serving long sentences in contravention of their rights to freedom of expression and association.