VOICES that repressive states have tried to silence will be heard loud and clear at this year's Ledbury Poetry Festival.

The persecuted poets will not be on stage, because many are still imprisoned; but some of the biggest names in UK poetry will read their words in public.

The Festival has joined forces with a campaigning charity called "English PEN", which supports the freedom to read and write throughout the world, and helps to draw attention to persecuted writers.

The initiative at this year's Festival will be called "Poetry as Protest", and some of the best-known names in the line-up will be taking part.

Poets including Simon Armitage, Oxford's new Professor of Poetry; John Burnside and Shazea Quraishi will be taking part in the Poetry as Protest initiative.

The Festival's artistic director, Chloe Garner said: "By pairing these writers with poets speaking at Ledbury we seek to build solidarity for poets at risk and to give a voice to those whom others have sought to silence."

Among the poets whose work will be read are Cameroonian writer and activist Enoh Meyomesse who was finally released from prison in April 2015 after more than three years in prison on politically motivated charges; poet and artist Liu Xia, the wife of imprisoned Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo, currently under house arrest in China; and Mahvash Sabet, a teacher, poet and Baha’i leader who is serving a 20-year prison sentence in Iran.

Ms Garner added: "Ledbury Poetry Festival is proud to support the excellent work English PEN is doing. That poets are imprisoned and worse because of what they write reminds us of the power of words. It is right that the Festival offers a space where the voices of these poets can be heard."

On Sunday 5 July, PEN and Ledbury Poetry Festival are also hosting a special discussion on poets, poetry, protest and politics, with poets George Szirtes and Sabrina Mahfouz and English PEN’s Director Jo Glanville, chaired by Ursula Owen.

Jo Glanville, Director of English PEN, said: "For over 50 years, English PEN has sought to defend and support writers and their families, to pressurise governments where the right to freedom of expression is under attack, and to help bring about the necessary changes to make the freedom to write a reality around the world. We are delighted to be joining forces with the UK’s biggest poetry festival to bring these writers and their work to new audiences."

The Ledbury Poetry Festival will place over ten days from July 3 to July 12.

The Box Office number is 0845 458 1743.