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PEN Deplores Upholding of Life Sentence for Ilham Tohti
Today, PEN received the devastating news that Ilham Tohti’s life sentence has been upheld by a closed court in China. More
Breakout: Voices from the Inside—A Celebration of the PEN Prison Writing Program 2014
The PEN Prison Writing Committee, in collaboration with Culture Project, hosted an annual reading to celebrate the 2014 Prison Writing Contest winners. More
The Conference of the Birds
Farid ud-Din Attar is one of the greatest Sufi mystic poets of Iran. Sholeh Wolpé's artful and exquisite modern translation brings one of the definitive masterpieces of Persian literature… More
Simorgh, Thirty Birds: On Translating Farid ud-Din Attar
"As a poet, I believe that the act of translation is that of recreation. A translator of poetry can become the unwitting destroyer of poems, or alternately, a creator… More
The PEN Ten with Saeed Jones
"I'm obsessed with manhood as a brutal and artful performance. My mind always finds its way back to the crossroad where sex, race, and power collide." More
Senate Fails to Protect Freedom of Expression, Privacy by Advancing USA Freedom Act to a Vote
Last night, the Senate failed to advance the USA Freedom Act, which would have implemented a number of reforms to U.S. mass surveillance programs. More
Five Poems by Rachel B. Glaser
my snake would scare away cops / if they came bothering Mama and me / when we are dancing to our records / high off something Ricky gave us More
Deer in the Woods
“You therefore ought to put some thought into what happiness means to you,” the German said turning towards me, ”Deer in the woods? Or deer on the plate?”… More
PEN DIY: Justin Vivian Bond on How to Take a Flying Leap
Cabaret messiah Justin Vivian Bond took the DIY stage by storm on November 3rd, giving a loudly appreciative audience a crash course in writing from the gut. More
Iranian journalist released on bail after three months of detention
PEN calls for any charges against her solely relating to her right to freedom of expression to be dropped More