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Turning Sentences Around
In this Works of Justice exclusive, Robert Lee Williams reflects on how PEN America's "The Sentences That Create Us: Crafting a Writer's Life in Prison" (Haymarket Books, 2022) helped… More
Prison Sentence Against Iranian Filmmaker Saeed Roustayi Effort to “Asphyxiate” Vibrant Ideas and Silence Creative Voices
“The Iranian regime strategically wields the term 'propaganda' as a potent tool, skillfully harnessing it to asphyxiate the vibrant exchange of ideas within society. This calculated manipulation transforms the… More
Following Russian Journalist Elena Kostyuchenko’s Account of Being Poisoned in Germany, PEN America Raises Concern About Transnational Attacks
“The apparent poisoning of journalist Elena Kostyuchenko is a threat against anyone writing and speaking truthfully—from anywhere—about the Russian government,” said Polina Sadovskaya, PEN America’s Eurasia and advocacy director.… More
Police Withdraw Search Warrant for Kansas Newspaper After “Unconscionable” Breach of Press Freedom
“The withdrawal of a search warrant against The Marion County Record and the return of seized devices after a raid by law enforcement is a first step toward accountability… More
PEN America: Withdrawal by Arkansas of AP African-American Studies Course is “Reckless and Ideologically-Motivated”
PEN America’s Freedom to Learn program director Jeremy C. Young said: “In its zeal to copy Florida’s destructive policies, Arkansas has demonstrated that attacks on intellectual freedom in schools… More
PEN America: Using Artificial Intelligence to Ban Books Only Makes the Problem Worse
“There’s no good method for banning books, but the Mason City School District's decision to use AI technology to review and remove books is deeply misguided, undercuts free expression,… More
PEN America: Postponement of Mesa Az. Art Exhibit Due to City’s Objection Over Shepherd Fairey Work Sets Up a “Chilling Precedent”
The postponement of an exhibition in Mesa, AZ at the direction of city officials who objected to a piece by Shepherd Fairey sets up a “chilling precedent." More
China: Release human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng and end the practice of enforced disappearances
We call on the Chinese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release prominent human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng (高智晟) on the sixth anniversary of his disappearance. More
PEN America: Police Raid on Kansas Newspaper “Almost Certainly” Violates Federal Law
"Journalists rely on confidential sources to report on matters of vital public concern. Law enforcement's sweeping raid on The Marion County Record and confiscation of its equipment almost certainly… More
Hunt to Identify Books with “Sexual Content” Empties Some Library Shelves in FL County as Schools Open
"Empty library shelves serve as a stark symbol of the dangers of government overreach: until now, library purges have been the province of communist dictatorships and authoritarian dystopias. Now… More
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