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.
- The Supreme Court’s ruling allowing parents to opt their children out of lessons that feature LGBTQ+ picture books deals a “deeply disappointing blow to the right to read”, PEN America said. Read a statement from the authors and illustrators involved in the case, the amicus brief PEN America filed in Mahmoud v. Taylor here, and learn more about the dangerous and censorial nature of opt-outs in our blog post.
- PEN America celebrated the release of the Ukrainian journalist and 2022 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award honoree Vladyslav Yesypenko from Russian detention. “For more than four years, he endured wrongful imprisonment, torture, and the profound pain of being separated from his wife and daughter—all for speaking truth to power. His courage in the face of repression, and his unwavering commitment to free expression, inspire us deeply,” said Liesl Gerntholtz, managing director of the PEN/Barbey Freedom To Write Center.
- PEN America said it was heartened by the long-overdue release of Mahmoud Khalil but condemned the Trump administration’s use of Khalil as a pawn to undermine free expression. “We must remain vigilant to ensure Mr. Khalil’s continued freedom and to fight back against the administration’s inevitable future attempts to silence those with whom it disagrees,” said Kristen Shahverdian, Campus Free Speech director.
- PEN America urged the Trump’s administration to cease its attacks on CNN journalist Natasha Bertrand as well as other journalists and news organizations following the publication of stories assessing the U.S. strikes in Iran. “President Trump has resorted to vilifying journalists who accurately characterized that intelligence, sending a dangerous message that truth-telling is somehow unpatriotic,” said Tim Richardson, program manager for journalism and disinformation.
- Submissions are now open for the 2026 PEN America Literary Awards! For more than six decades, PEN America has honored voices in translation, fiction, poetry, science writing, essay, biography, and drama. Find more information about the awards here and check out the submission portal here.
- The Chronicle of Higher Education quoted senior manager for the Freedom to Learn program Amy Reid, who warned about accelerating censorship in the classroom.
- To honor the 35th birthday of poet, lyricist, and PEN America’s 2025 Freedom to Write Award honoree Galal El-Behairy, the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Center hosted a powerful discussion on creative expression with Galal’s father, Abdelfattah Galal, as well as 2016 Freedom to Write Award honoree Ahmed Naji, PEN International’s Head of Middle East and North Africa Mina Thabet, and exiled journalist and human rights defender Basma Mostafa. Read more about Galal’s indefinite detention in our blog post.
- Sy Syms Managing Director of U.S. Free Expression Programs at PEN America Jonathan Friedman was quoted in an interview on Democracy Now! conducted with Australian writer Alistair Kitchen, who was recently detained at the U.S. border and deported, reportedly because of his personal writings on student protests and the Trump administration. Read PEN America’s full statement on Kitchen’s deportation here.
- One of PEN America’s Champions of Higher Education, Darrel D. Colson, affirmed the value of international students in an op-ed for the Des Moines Register.
- For this week’s PEN Ten interview, Erica Galluscio spoke to Bram Stoker Award-winning author Cynthia Pelayo about her book, Vanishing Daughters, which fuses together elements of fairy tales, ghost stories, and crime dramas. Read the full interview here.
