PEN Three Iranian Dissidents Respected for America | WGN Radio 720

New York (AP) —Three imprisoned Iranian dissidents will be honored at Pen America’s annual gala next month.

Literary and human rights groups are Thursday with author and filmmaker Bactash Abtin, novelist journalist Kevan Bajan, and writer critic Reza Kandan Mahabadi as winners of this year’s 2021 Pen / BBQ Free Writing Awards. Announced that there is. All three are members of the Anti-Censorship Iranian Writers Association and have served in groups for 15.5 years on charges of national security dangers and “spreading of publicity.”

“Baktash Abtin, Keyvan Bajan, and Reza Khandan Mahabadi are the embodiment of the spirit that energizes our work at PEN America. They not only provide prose and ideas on the page, but live without fear and freedom. “A writer who is required to make great sacrifices for the freedom to support his thoughts, arts, culture and creativity,” said Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America. statement.

“By demonstrating leadership in the Iranian literary world, they are cultivated by the knowledge that they are not independent, with the ability to imagine, push limits and challenge oppression in the most dangerous situations. It has served as a beacon for countless writers and thinkers. “

The PEN Gala, scheduled for October 5th at its long-time venue, the American Museum of Natural History, is hosted by Awkwafina and has won awards such as scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Walt Disney Chairman Robert Iger. doing. Last year’s ceremony was held online for a pandemic.

The free writing award given to artists and writers imprisoned for their work was awarded to Russian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov and Chinese author Xu Zhiyong. According to PEN, 44 of the previous 48 winners have since been released.

PEN has not yet decided who will accept the award on behalf of this year’s winners.

PEN Three Iranian Dissidents Respected for America | WGN Radio 720

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