Jailed Vietnamese dissident Pham Doan Trang to be honored by PEN America
NEW YORK (AP) — Imprisoned Vietnamese author-blogger-journalist Pham Doan Trang will be this year’s recipient of PEN America’s Barbey Freedom to Write Award, given by the literary and free expression organization to a “jailed writer of conscience.”
Trang, 45, has written several books, among them “Politics of a Police State” and “Politics for the Common People.” She has been a prominent critic of the Vietnamese government and a leading advocate for democratic reform who was beaten by police in 2015 and now walks with a limp. In 2020, she was arrested on charges of “propaganda against the state” and sentenced to nine years in prison.
PEN, Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders are among those who have condemned her treatment.
“Pham Doan Trang has galvanized the Vietnamese people through her writings on democracy, human rights, environmental degradation, and women’s empowerment,” PEN CEO Suzanne Nossel said in a statement Thursday. “The Vietnamese government has persecuted and jailed Trang in an effort to still her voice. She has sacrificed her health and freedom in the pursuit of justice. Despite the government’s crackdown on dissent and activism, her powerful words continue to inspire people across Vietnam and throughout the world.”
Related articles
Judge dismisses felony convictions of 5 retired military officers in US Navy bribery case
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed the felony convictions of five retired militar2024-05-22London police apologize after threatening to arrest 'openly Jewish' man near pro
LONDON (AP) — London’s police force has been forced to issue two apologies after officers threatened2024-05-22Morgan Wallen says he's 'not proud' of behavior after arrest
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country music star Morgan Wallen, who faces charges stemming in part from ac2024-05-22- There was a time when Christopher Moran visited his Scottish estate most weekends. This scenic tranc2024-05-22
UK court rules that extension of UK police powers to intervene in protests is unlawful
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s High Court ruled Tuesday that new regulations that gave U.K. police more pow2024-05-22Venezuela's opposition backs unknown former diplomat in latest gambit to unseat Maduro
MIAMI (AP) — Venezuela’s opposition is rallying behind an unknown former diplomat to challenge Nicol2024-05-22
atest comment