News & Analysis
The latest news and analysis from PEN America’s research and advocacy.
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Press Releases • Commentary
Journalists Arrested Across Russia Amid Broader Crackdown Against Protesters
“The arrest and detention of Smirnov and dozens of other journalists is an attempt to intimidate and silence Russia's independent journalists during a moment of national upheaval.” More
Setting New Norms for the Dorms: Campus Free Speech and Residence Life in 2021
For college and university housing officers, PEN America offers pointers on what to expect in 2021 based on our spring survey conducted in partnership with ACUHO-I. More
PEN America Celebrates Release of Tibetan Language Advocate Tashi Wangchuk
“We’re overjoyed to learn that Tashi has been released from a prison sentence he should never have served in the first place.” More
PEN America Condemns Arrest of Cuban Artists, Mass Detention of Protestors
“Such alarming disregard for the fundamental rights to freedom of expression and protest sends a clear message to independent artists and thinkers on the island: speak your mind and… More
PEN America Publishes First-Ever Guide for Artists at Risk
“This year, we’ve seen an explosion of protest movements worldwide, but also the desperate attempts by governments to unjustly and at times violently muzzle artistic freedom and dissent.“ More
Reports: China to Escalate Charges Against PEN America Honoree Xu Zhiyong
“Chinese officials are choosing this moment to double down on repression, using Xu to signify their imperviousness to global pressure to comply with international norms of free expression." More
PEN America, RWCHR File Complaint on Behalf of Detained Chinese Couple
“It’s clear that Wang Zang’s dissenting political opinions have made him a target of criminal persecution, and it is just as obvious that Wang Liqin has been targeted for… More
Thailand Sentences Civil Servant to 43 Years for Insulting Monarchy
“Today’s sentence serves as the newest and most outrageous example of how unjust and unwise Thailand’s lèse-majesté law is, and how repressively it is being wielded." More
Student Activist Arrested After Reading Poem Wins Key First Amendment Victory
"The victory for Mr. Bello is a victory for anyone who may hope to use their words to propel social change.” More
The COVID-19 Pandemic’s Devastating Toll on Journalism
The COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on journalism have been profound, not just in the tragic loss of life but also the loss of reporting at the local level. More