ICORN Writers
Click on the alphabetical list to read the writers' biographies.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
some biographies are presented with pseudonyms or pen names to protect the safety of the writer.
Qualification Requirements
for ICORN Guest Writers
ICORN’s criteria for evaluating the applicant writers can be summarized as follows:
A. The applicant must be a writer. The term ‘writer’ is to include novelists, non-fiction writers, playwrights, poets, editors, translators, publishers, journalists and cartoonists.
B. The applicant must be either:
- At risk as a direct consequence of his/her writing—whether the writer is in danger of being killed, abducted, physically attacked or "disappearing". In a case where a writer is threatened with any of the above, an appraisal as to likelihood of such a threat being carried out will be made on an individual case/country basis by the Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN.
- Sentenced to (or at risk of being sentenced to) a prison term by the authorities in his/her country as a direct consequence of his/her writing. (This excludes cases in which writers have been charged or are at risk of being charged with inciting hatred or violence through their writing unless it can be ascertained that the charges against them have been fabricated.)
- Unable to express themselves freely through his/her writing for fear of persecution due to the probable actions of the government or other non-government entities of the country in which he/she habitually resides. In such cases the writer may be able to return to his/her own country after a period of working freely abroad.
ICORN's decisions regarding which writers will be taken into the network will be based on information from the Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN. The Writers in Prison Committee will make an evaluation regarding the authenticity of the declared danger to the individual writer and/or provide an informed assessment of the likelihood that any threatened persecution will be carried out.
For more information, please read the ICORN CHARTER and send any inquiries to icorn@icorn.org. The Application Form for writers can be found here.