Emergency Fund Available to Writers Who Face Persecution

by The International Journalists' Network, http://www.ijnet.org/Director.aspx?P=Article&ID=306336&LID=1

Writers who urgently need to leave their country due to safety reasons or who are in a dire financial situation can apply for assistance from a grant program that assists victims of political persecution.

The Hellman/Hammett Grants, administered by Human Rights Watch (HRW), began in 1989 after the renowned American playwright, Lillian Hellman, left her will to assist writers in financial need. All nominations must be sent to the New York office of HRW and should include biographical information about the nominee, a list of the nominee's published writing, a statement about the political persecution suffered and a statement of need.Since its establishment in 1989, the program has provided grants ranging from US$500 to US$10,000 to more than 500 writers from 88 countries.

Grant recipients are announced annually during the American spring.

For more information, visit http://www.hrw.org, contact Program Associate Marcia Allina at allinam@hrw.org, telephone (+1-212) 216 1246, or write to 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor, New York, NY 10018-3299.