English PEN events 28 October and 18 November 2016

Upcoming events at English PEN include Satire on the Front Line and a vigil for Saudi Arabia's imprisoned writers, details below:

Book your tickets now   Upcoming events from English PEN Satire on the Front Line with Aseem Trivedi and Martin Rowson Join our monthly vigil for imprisoned writers in Saudi Arabia   18 November: Satire on the Front Line Join cartoonists Aseem Trivedi and Martin Rowson for an illustrated talk on human rights and political cartooning. Indian human rights defender Aseem Trivedi has been arrested, imprisoned and shut out of mainstream Indian media for his powerful ‘Cartoons Against Corruption’ series. When Aseem was imprisoned in 2012, the Guardian’s celebrated political cartoonist Martin Rowson drew a cartoon condemning his arrest. Today, Aseem is a renowned advocate for detained human rights defenders around the world. He has drawn cartoons in solidarity with activists including imprisoned activist Nabeel Rajab in Bahrain and blogger Raif Badawi in Saudi Arabia. Aseem will join Martin in London to discuss, draw and debate freedom of expression and solidarity across borders.   Book tickets to 'Satire on the Front line' 28 October: Vigil for Saudi Arabia’s imprisoned writers English PEN is continuing to hold monthly vigils in support of imprisoned writers Raif Badawi, Waleed Abulkhair and Ashraf Fayadh. Please join us to show them they have not been forgotten. English PEN has been holding regular vigils outside the Saudi Embassy in London in support of imprisoned blogger Raif Badawi and his lawyer Waleed Abulkhair since January 2015 when Badawi was first flogged for his peaceful activism.  While Badawi has not been flogged since, he is continuing to serve a ten-year prison sentence, while Abulkhair is serving 15 years in prison for his human rights activism. Furthermore, recent reports suggest that a second round of 50 lashes could be inflicted on him at any time. PEN is also continuing to call for the immediate release of Palestinian poet and artist Ashraf Fayadh. Originally sentenced to death, Fayadh is now serving 8 years in prison and, like Badawi, continues to have the threat of hundreds of lashes looming over him.  This month we will also be joined by UK representatives of Reporters Without Borders, for whom Raif Badawi is a key case of concern. Please join us on Friday 28 October from 9 – 10am for a peaceful vigil at the Saudi Arabian Embassy in London. Activists are asked to meet at the Curzon Street entrance to the Embassy. (note: the postal address of the Embassy is 30-32 Charles Street, Mayfair, London).   Let us know if you plan to attend   Copyright © 2016 English PEN, All rights reserved.               Our mailing address is: English PEN Free Word Centre 60 Farringdon Road London, Eng EC1R 3GA United Kingdom