More than 180 writers from around the world have signed a letter addressed to Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, urging him to provide proof that 12 writers arrested in 2001 are still alive. The letter, dated September 18, marks the 25th anniversary of a government crackdown on independent media in Eritrea. Among the signatories are Nobel Prize winners Olga Tokarczuk and J.M. Coetzee, along with well-known authors such as Colm Tóibín, Elif Shafak, Isabel Allende, Ben Okri, Yann Martel, Kamila Shamsie, and Tsitsi Dangarembga. The letter begins by describing how, within days of the crackdown, Eritrea’s independent press and voices were systematically suppressed. It names 12 writers who have been held incommunicado since 2001, including poet Amanuel Asrat and playwright and journalist Dawit Isaak. The letter states that the families of these writers, the Eritrean people, and the global literary community have been met with a “painful and unlawful silence.” It argues that withholding any information about their health, location, or survival is a violation of international law and an act of cruelty. The letter calls for “immediate, verified proof of life” for all arbitrarily detained Eritrean writers and critics. The named writers include Dawit Habtemichael, Fessehaye “Joshua” Yohannes, Mattewos Habteab, Medhanie Haile, Sahle “Wedi-ltay” Tsegazeab, Said Abdelkadir, Said Idris “Abu Are,” Seyoum Tsehaye, Temesgen Ghebreyesus, and Yousif Mohammed Ali. Six of these writers were profiled in The Guardian in 2015. Other notable signatories include Andrei Kurkov, Anthony Doerr, Chloe Aridjis, Lauren Groff, Lemn Sissay, Maaza Mengiste, Madeleine Thien, Margaret Busby, Max Porter, Philippe Sands, Preti Taneja, Tice Cin, and Viv Groskop. Eritrea has been ruled by President Isaias Afwerki as a repressive dictatorship since gaining independence in 1993, with no national elections held in that time. The letter emphasizes that Eritrea’s future should be built on the contributions of its brightest minds, not their suppression. It concludes with a commitment to continue efforts until the missing writers are free. PEN International, a global organization supporting freedom of expression, plans to deliver the letter to the Eritrean embassy in London at 10 a.m. on Friday. Earlier this year, PEN launched a public petition calling for proof of life for the detained writers. Burhan Sönmez, president of PEN International, said that 25 years without knowing the fate of a loved one is “an unbearable length of time.” He added that these writers have not been forgotten and that their names will continue to be spoken, along with demands for the truth about their disappearance.