Day of the Imprisoned Writer: Azimjon Askarov

Life of Pi author Yann Martels open letter to a journalist who has spent his career exposing corruption in Kyrgyzstan, where he is sentenced to life imprisonment

News: Leading authors mount international protest to defend persecuted colleagues

Dear Azimjon,

Youre in jail; I am not. That fact remains, and it rankles. The question as to why has a simple answer: I am lucky, and you are brave. My luck is that I live in a country that, broadly speaking, respects the rights of its citizens. How you got to be so brave escapes me. Would I so unflinchingly report on police corruption, as you did? I would like to believe that I would, and that others would stand in solidarity with me should I get into trouble.

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