Larry Siems

Larry Siems has balanced writing and activism, publishing scores of articles on human rights and cross-cultural themes, and serving for many years as Director of Freedom to Write Programs for both PEN USA in Los Angeles, and PEN American Center in New York. His work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Slate, The Nation, LA Weekly, and Ironwood, Epoch,


Articles by Larry Siems

Tuesday October 29

Back to Court on Surveillance

This past week, The New York Times revealed that the federal government has used evidence gathered by secret surveillance in criminal cases without disclosing the source of the information, denying defendants the opportunity to move to suppress FAA-derived evidence and preventing trial courts from adjudicating the FAA’s constitutionality.

Global Free ExpressionU.S. Free Expression
Friday August 30

A Blacklisted Screenwriter on American Surveillance

Screenwriter and producer Walter Bernstein views new revelations of NSA spying through the lens of national and personal history

Wednesday June 5

New Approach Needed in Leak Investigations

PEN American Center warns that overzealous investigations in the U.S. threaten press freedom and free expression abroad as well.