I find it absolutely appalling that anyone can be jailed for writing a satire or making a non-violent political protest. This week Pussy Riot are appealing against their prison sentence for performing a satirical piece about the Russian President. Hands up anyone who thought that Russia had become a democracy? The English PEN organisation have put together an anthology of poetry in defence of the three young women who perform as Pussy Riot. There are major contributions from poets all over the world and an introduction by George Szirtes. Poems for Pussy Riot goes live today and you can find it here: -
http://www.englishpen.org/poems-for-pussy-riot-ebook/
Please take a look and support the campaign for intellectual and artistic freedom. We in the west really don't know how privileged we are to be able to write with only minimal censorship. In Russia I could end up like the girls below just for writing this blog.
A great cause.
ReplyDeleteNo I knew Russia was no longer a democracy. Unfortunately that ended way back at the end of Yeltsin's first term.
I've been following the PEN campaign - in my view all writers should be downloading the e-book and making a donation however small. Freedom of speech is our most precious gift.
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