But from conflict zone to courtroom, they are at risk.

Linguists working for the military are kidnapped, tortured and beheaded as traitors; prison camp translators are prosecuted as spies; court interpreters receive death threats; fixers accompanying journalists are persecuted for doing their job; and literary translators are incarcerated for what some consider controversial content. The simple practice of their profession makes thousands of them vulnerable to loss of life, limb and liberty.