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.
- PEN America held its 2024 Annual General Meeting: The State of the Nation, the State of Free Expression. In case you missed it, you can catch the recording of the conversation here.
- PEN America expressed alarm over President-elect Donald Trump’s lawsuit filed Monday against the Des Moines Register and the settlement of a defamation case by ABC News. “This is not just about one or two cases – it’s a warning to the entire media industry and civil society,” said Tim Richardson, program director of Journalism and Disinformation at PEN America.
- PEN America condemned the Thai Criminal Court’s sentencing of Arnon Nampa to two years and eight months in prison. The lèse-majesté (insulting the monarchy) and sedition charges against the poet, human rights lawyer, and activist stem from a peaceful speech delivered at a Harry Potter-themed protest in 2020.
- PEN America condemned the arrest of Reza Khandan—activist and husband of prominent writer, human rights lawyer, and 2011 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Awardee Nasrin Sotoudeh. “We are appalled at the arrest of Reza Khandan and urge Iranian authorities to release him immediately,” said Karin Deutsch Karlekar, Director of Writers at Risk at PEN America.
- PEN America criticized an Indiana law that might deny college students open dialogue. In a blog post, Clare Carter, program assistant, Freedom to Learn, writes about the potential threats this law might pose in classrooms.
- PEN Ukraine board member, writer, and historian, Olena Stiazhkina, visited the PEN America office recently. In an interview, she discussed war, the role of language as a symbol of solidarity, and her two books now available in English from Harvard University Press.
- In the latest Facts Forward Interview, PEN America’s Mina Haq spoke to Yotam Ophir, associate professor and head of Media Effects, Misinformation, and Extremism lab at the University of Buffalo. They discussed the role of misinformation in the election cycle and covering conspiracy theories and extremist beliefs.
- In a new PEN Ten interview, Malcolm Tariq, senior manager of editorial projects for PEN America’s Prison and Justice Writing Program, spoke to Lyle C. May, about his new book, Witness: An Insider’s Narrative of the Carceral State (Haymarket Books, 2024). They discuss his writing process, early experiences, and advice to young writers and journalists.
- PEN America remembers poet, writer, and literary translator Norman MacAfee who passed away earlier this year. MacAfee, known for his translation of Victor Hugo’s LesMisérables, was a longtime member of PEN America and served on the Translation Committee.
