China Effectively Ends Career of Prominent Human Rights Lawyer in Continuing Crackdown on Free Speech
China’s sentencing of Pu Zhiqiang is the latest example in an ongoing crackdown by President Xi Jinping’s administration against activists, human rights lawyers, and writers. More
Iran: Upcoming appeal of prominent Kurdish filmmaker Keywan Karimi
PEN calls on Iranian authorities to accept filmmaker Keyvan Karimi's appeal and overturn his conviction and sentence of six years' imprisonment and 223 lashes. More
Free Expression Digest: Tues., December 22
Chinese rights lawyer given suspended prison term, Ukrainian nationalists call for release of journalist murder suspects, Russian activist flees. More
PEN Joins Coalition Calling on Secretary Kerry to Grant Visas to Threatened Bangladeshi Bloggers
A coalition of free expression and human rights advocacy groups led by PEN American Center today released an open letter to the U.S. Department of State urging the swift… More
Free Expression Digest: Mon., December 21
Blogger jailed for disrespecting ruler, editor in Sierra Leone detained, Egyptian activist freed on medical grounds More
Secretary Kerry: Grant Humanitarian Parole for Group of Targeted Bangladeshi Bloggers
PEN and several leading organizations write an open letter to Secretary of State John Kerry to ask for humanitarian parole visas... More
Human Rights Groups Ask U.S. to Grant Asylum to Bangladesh Bloggers
A coalition of human rights groups called on the United States on Monday to grant temporary visas to secular writers from Bangladesh after a series of bloody attacks by… More
Free Expression Digest: Fri., December 18
Polish Journalist Expelled from Russia; WhatsApp Back on in Brazil, Blogger Blasted in Defamation Lawsuit More
Bill Introduced in U.S. Would Hold Azerbaijan Accountable for Free Expression Crackdown
The introduction of a bill in the U.S. Congress that would impose visa sanctions on Azerbaijan’s senior leadership is an important move to hold Azerbaijan accountable for its escalating… More
Chimamanda Adichie, Neil Gaiman, and More Join PEN in Urging President Obama to Press Saudi Arabia on Poet Sentenced to Beheading
NEW YORK—Seventy-one of the most prominent names in international literature and art have joined PEN America in an open letter to President Obama today, urging him to take up… More