Russia Moves to Track Residents Under Cover of Coronavirus
For weeks, the Russian government has failed to undertake serious measures in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and tackling it efficiently. More
Turkish Musician Dies Following Hunger Strike
We are immensely saddened to learn of Helin Bölek’s passing. We strongly condemn the actions of the Turkish government that led to her death. More
Navy Relieves Captain Who Raised Alarm About Coronavirus
(New York, NY) – The U.S. Navy announced today that it has relieved of duty Capt. Brett Crozier, who raised the alarm about a coronavirus outbreak aboard the ship… More
Iran Bans Print Media in Response to COVID-19
(New York, NY) – In response to an Iranian coronavirus task force's wholesale ban on print media, Summer Lopez, PEN America's senior director of free expression programs, issued the following… More
Turkmenistan Bans Use of Word Coronavirus
(Washington, DC) – The Turkmen government has reportedly banned the use of the word coronavirus at the direction of long-time president of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. PEN America’s Washington director… More
Doctors and Journalists Who Critique Officials Shouldn’t Be Punished
"This pandemic is bad enough without being compounded by a resort to punitive tactics aimed to suppress vital information." More
Trump Threat to Pull TV Licenses Over Coronavirus Ad “Violation of First Amendment”
Silencing critics is clearly a knee-jerk reaction for the president. He has a long history of trying to exploit the legal system to scare his supposed adversaries. More
Prison Sentence for Uyghur Singer Part of China’s Efforts to Eradicate Uyghur Culture
Rashida has become one more victim in Chinese authorities’ efforts to systematically silence prominent Uyghur voices. More
China Moves to Charge Imprisoned Australian Novelist With Espionage
PEN America speaks out against the ongoing confinement, abuse, and now pending indictment against Australian writer Yang Hengjun. More
Turkey Charges Saudi Men Accused of Murdering Washington Post Journalist
This action by Turkish prosecutors is a welcome step forward in the effort to find justice for Jamal Khashoggi and his family. More
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PEN America On 
In this op-ed, the @Zimindependent denounces a raft of laws put in place by President Emmerson Mnangagwa (@edmnangagwa) to combat the spread of COVID-19 as “draconian, excessive and maybe unconstitutional.” https://bit.ly/2JHwgFg
The European Federation of Journalists (@EFJEUROPE) is calling on media in #Kosovo to refrain from “intensifying tensions” during the health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. https://bit.ly/3dXAFC0
The ruling Chinese Communist Party has targeted thousands of people for speaking out about the coronavirus epidemic in the country since it began in late December in the central city of Wuhan, an overseas-based rights group has said. https://bit.ly/2XgnExs