News & Analysis
The latest news and analysis from PEN America’s research and advocacy.
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Press Releases • Commentary
Conservative Activist Encourages Students to Record College Professors
"This is shockingly wrongheaded. While professors are struggling to facilitate meaningful learning experiences for their students, Kirk is encouraging ‘gotcha’ videos to report on them." More
Novelist Ruchika Tomar Wins 2020 PEN/Hemingway Award for Her Debut Novel ‘A PRAYER FOR TRAVELERS’
Critically-acclaimed debut novelist Ruchika Tomar is the winner of the 2020 PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel, for A Prayer for Travelers (Riverhead), PEN America announced today. More
PEN America Announces September 15 as New Date for 2020 Literary Gala
As a global public health crisis underscores the importance of credible, vital information, PEN America has confirmed a new date for the 2020 PEN America Literary Gala, its annual… More
China Is Fighting the Coronavirus Propaganda War to Win
[caption id="attachment_183743" align="aligncenter" width="628"] Photo by AP / Ng Han Guan[/caption] This piece was originally published by Foreign Policy. Beijing isn’t interested in a tit-for-tat media feud with the United States—it’s… More
Trump’s Latest Attacks on Reporters “An International Embarrassment”
President Trump's shoot the messenger strategy of combating the coronavirus by attacking a reporters who did nothing more than point out the terror it is wreaking across America is… More
Egyptian Writer Detained for Protesting Prison Conditions That Could Worsen COVID-19 Spread
The arrest of Ahdaf Soueif and her family is an egregious attack on free expression. More egregiously, it shows the Egyptian government’s reflexive response to the coronavirus pandemic is… More
China’s Smear of Mario Vargas Llosa an Attempt to Silence Criticism
The Chinese government’s attacks on Mario Vargas Llosa should be seen for what they are: an attempt to dismiss valid criticism of their handling of the coronavirus by smearing… More
China Expels U.S. Journalists
(New York, NY) – The Chinese government announced today it would expel U.S. journalists working for The New York Times, Washington Post, and other outlets. Suzanne Nossel, CEO of… More
Dissident Cuban Artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara Freed After 13 Days in Jail
“We are overjoyed to learn that Luis Manuel has been freed from jail and will be able to reunite with his friends and family and return to his work." More
PEN America Cancels 2020 World Voices Festival: These Truths Due to COVID-19
We come to this conclusion with heavy hearts but the threat of COVID 19 is a truth we cannot deny and that makes this Festival, as planned, impossible. More