PEN International stands in solidarity with Indian writers

October 18, 2015 12:17

Standing in solidarity with Indian authors who are protesting against "rising intolerance" in the country, a global association of writers, has urged India to provide better protection for such individuals and safeguard free speech as guaranteed by the Constitution.

In a statement, delegates from 73 countries participating in the 81st Congress of Pen International in Quebec City in Canada, also expressed solidarity with the writers and artistes, who have returned their prestigious awards in protest.

Simultaneously, PEN International President, John RalstonSaul, has written a letter to the country's president, prime minister and the Sahitya Akedemi, urging the Indian government to take "immediate steps" to protect the rights of everyone, including writers and artists. "We stand in solidarity with the more than fifty novelists, scholars, poets, and public intellectuals who have returned their awards to the Akademi and admire their courage," the letter said.

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