Bahrain Mirror: Academic Dr Abuljalil Al-Singace, Bahraini blogger sentenced to life in prison and senior Haq movement figure, was among the writers at risk that PEN International listed this year.

PEN also listed a number of others, including Saudi detainees Raif Badawi and his lawyer and brother-in-law Waleed Abulkhair; Mohammed Al-Ajami, serving 15 years in prison in Qatar for a poem; Vice News journalist Mohammed Rasool, currently in pre-trial detention in Turkey; and many others from Australia to Iran, from Eritrea to Vietnam, as part of PEN's annual Season's Greetings initiative encouraging members and supporters to send messages to writers at risk around the world and their families.

"Every year, our colleagues at PEN International compile a list of writers at risk and their families to whom members are encouraged to send seasonal greetings," PEN explained.

"We also hope that many of you will continue to send cards and messages of support to your chosen writer throughout 2016 and beyond," it added.

PEN informed those interested to email cat@englishpen.org to request this year's Season's Greetings list.

The list contains details of writers at risk, alongside addresses and instructions regarding what to send. "we very much encourage you to share photos of any cards you send (before adding the address) on social media with the hashtag #PENgreetings and tagging @englishpen," it stressed.

English PEN is the founding centre of a worldwide writers' association with 145 centres in more than 100 countries, founded by Catherine Amy Dawson Scott in the British capital London in 1921 to strengthen relations and cooperation between writers around the world. It is considered one of the oldest organizations that defend human rights and oldest global organization concerned in literature.

Arabic Issue