Freedom-to-Write Committee
The Freedom-to-Write Committee actively defends free expression and works to protect writers worldwide who are imprisoned, threatened, or attacked in the course of carrying out their profession. We recently began an ongoing campaign to write letters in support of suppressed writers around the world; and inaugurated the Vasyl Stus Freedom-to-Write Award, named for the Ukrainian poet who became a leading voice of his generation. This award recognizes a writer who has suffered for the peaceful expression of his or her views, and whose courage in the face of censorship and oppression has proven exemplary. The committee also organizes writing workshops and readings in prisons in Massachusetts.
A Letter to PEN NE from Russian PEN on the Release of Grigory Pasko
"I'm happy that our common efforts in defense of Grigory Pasko were successful! I participated in the court hearings in Ussurijsk and read out the references and all letters of protest. Those were of great importance as the reference from the labor camp was a bad one and the camp authorities were against Pasko's release. I hope that he never returns to prison. Pasko was released a year and a half earlier than his detention period and I'm happy that he did not turn into a real prisoner.
"At the moment we are waiting in Moscow for a consideration of the appeal in the Presidium of the Supreme Court of RF and then in Strassbourg Court. In the nearest future Grigory is going to move to Moscow with his family and he will find a job here. Thank you very much for your help to Grigory Pasko, the Russian PEN Centre and me personally in this very complicated case. Many thanks from Grigory.
Cordially yours, Alexander Tkachenko (Chair of Russian PEN)"
Grigory Pasko (pictured at right), a poet and journalist who was imprisoned for his work, was PEN NE's 2002 Vasyl Stus Award winner. For more information on our letters campaign, please contact us.