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PEN America Speaks: How We Defended and Celebrated Free Expression This Week
PEN America works tirelessly to defend free expression, support persecuted writers, and promote literary culture. Here are some of the latest ways PEN America is speaking out. Week of July… More
Imprisoned Cuban Artist and Activist Maykel “Osorbo” Castillo Pérez Sews His Mouth Shut to Protest Threats and Harassment
Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) Director Julie Trébault said: “Maykel Castillo has endured unrelenting and unfair treatment and we are deeply concerned about his well-being in light of these… More
Prison Sentence Imposed on Lebanese Journalist Underscores an Escalating Effort to Intimidate Journalists and Critics
Justin Shilad, Middle East and North Africa research and advocacy lead at PEN America, said: “The verdict against Dima Sadek is deeply concerning, as it shows the escalating attacks… More
Manuscripts Don’t Burn: a Timeline of Literary Censorship, Destruction, and Liberation
As we reach a new turning point in the history of book banning, PEN America has compiled a timeline of the most notorious acts of censorship and how we've… More
The Culture Wars Are Coming for College Accreditation
An aspect of higher education governance has increasingly been targeted in legislative censorship efforts: college and university accreditation. More
PEN America Expresses Horror Over Untimely Death in Prison of Belarusian Artist and Activist Ales Pushkin
PEN America’s Eurasia and Advocacy Director Polina Sadovskaya said: “We are horrified by the untimely death of dissident artist Ales Pushkin. As a well-known painter, performance artist, and activist,… More
PEN America Condemns Six-Year Prison Sentence for Iranian Rapper Toomaj Salehi and Calls on Iran to Release Him Immediately
Julie Trebault, director of PEN America’s Artists at Risk Connection, said: “The severe sentence imposed on Salehi is a stark example of the Iranian authorities' brutal actions. Persecuting musicians… More
On Second Anniversary of Historic July 11 Cuban Demonstrations, Plight of Exiled Artists Underscores Deterioration of Artistic Freedom
The report covers 17 exiled artists and cultural professionals who demonstrate their resilience and document the repressive and sometimes violent tactics by the Cuban state that forced them to… More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Maud Ventura (FR + EN)
Indeed, it is a feminist novel. It speaks of codependence, casting dreams and desires aside for another person, erasing yourself in the name of love. More
PEN America Stands with Chinese Human Rights Lawyers
Angeli Datt, PEN America’s China research and advocacy lead, said: “Independent lawyers are an essential component of due process rights. The Chinese government’s assault on human rights lawyers puts… More
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