Felony Charges Against Shepard Fairey Could Chill Artistic Expression
Felony charges announced late last week against the street artist Shepard Fairey, famed for creating the “Hope” poster during Obama’s first presidential campaign, are a disproportionate response More
Concern in South Africa over British GCHQ’s Unlawful Interception of Communications
Reports, confirmed by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, that the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), a British intelligence and surveillance agency, intercepted the communications of human rights groups in South Africa… More
On World Refugee Day, PEN International highlights the plight of African journalists and calls on Centers to join assistance programs to writers in exile
A Conversation with Two Ethiopian Writers in Exile: PEN International and its partners have seen a corresponding rise in requests for assistance from writers in exile or seeking to… More
PEN Condemns Terrorist Attack on Emanuel AME Church in Charleston
PEN American Center expresses its grief and outrage at the act of terrorism perpetrated at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church on June 17, 2015. More
Sport for Rights Letter Appeal to Lady Gaga
PEN American Center is proud to be a signatory of this Sport for Rights letter to Lady Gaga asking that she appeal on behalf of the jailed journalists, like… More
Syrian Refugee Writer Picks Up His Pen Again
He remembers the evening when he was able to pick up his pen. “Our men’s group had a good discussion that lasted four hours,” he recalled. “Afterwards, I felt… More
Unjustified Takedown of Facebook Accounts Critical of Russia Threatens Free Expression
Amid an ever-growing trend of Russian internet censorship, PEN American Center is gravely concerned by reports of Facebook’s unwarranted content removal and account deactivation or suspension of Ukrainian and… More
Free Expression Digest: Mon., June 15
Azerbaijan media "edits" Khadija op-ed, France moves to censor Google, China gains new tools for cracking down on dissent, and more. More
Khadija Ismayilova, Jailed Azerbaijani Journalist, Smuggles Out Letter on Eve of European Games
“Do not let the government of Azerbaijan distract your attention from its record of corruption and abuse,” the letter reads. More
Letter From Azerbaijan Jail: Khadija Ismayilova Speaks Out
The eyes of the world are on my country, my beloved Azerbaijan, as it hosts the inaugural European Games, beginning on Friday. The tourists and athletes are enjoying the… More