Cultural coalition implores Home Secretary to protect Afghan writers

A cultural coalition headed by English PEN has demanded the protection of Afghan writers in a letter to the Home Secretary.

The letter addressed to Priti Patel requests the immediate implementation of the Afghan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme (ACRS). This is to help protect Afghan artists, journalists, writers and actors who are in urgent need of relocation due to the highly perilous nature of Taliban rule.

The ACRS was announced by the UK government on 18th August to help protect vulnerable and endangered people after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. The scheme aims to relocate 20,000 Afghan refugees in the UK, including 5,000 people in the first year. Four months later, the scheme is yet to open.

In response, English PEN has joined forces with cultural and human rights organisations including Amnesty International UK, The Edinburgh International Book Festival,  The National Centre for Writing and The Society of Authors, to write a letter to the Home Secretary.

The letter demands a clear and transparent application process for the ACRS, as well as further long-term support for those relocated, expanding eligibility for family reunification and a reconsideration of the number of refugees as a starting point, rather than a target.

"Among those most at risk are actors, artists, journalists, musicians, writers, and other cultural actors," states the letter. "Without swift action, these voices – along with the rich and diverse cultural heritage they contribute to – will be irrevocably lost."

“Our focus of the letter is to protect artists and to open up the scheme which has been committed to by the government,” said Daniel Gorman, director of English PEN. “We’re a coalition of cultural and human rights organisations which are very aware that artists are at risk in Afghanistan, as well as so many other people and minority groups. We’re calling on the government to ensure there is a transparent application process and clear criteria, because we are receiving letters from writers and journalists in Afghanistan on a regular basis calling for help and support.”

“We support the government’s scheme, and the letter is very much in support of it,” said Gorman. “We’re just looking for it to happen now, because it’s been four months and we’re wanting it to be enacted.”