PEN America 2021 Freedom to Write Index: Myanmar Joins China and Saudi Arabia as World’s Top Jailers of Writers
During 2021, Myanmar accounted for the single-largest increase of writers and public intellectuals newly jailed for exercising free expression, due to the military junta’s crackdown on influential voices. More
Suspending Access to Library App Epic! Disregards Students First Amendment Rights, Says PEN America
Suspending access to 40,000 books without adherence to appropriate process, and with utter disregard for the First Amendment rights of the tens of thousands of students impacted, is a… More
PEN America and PEN International Condemn Six-Year Prison Sentence for Cuban Musician Abel Lescay for His Participation in Peaceful Mass Protests Last July
“Abel Lescay is a brave and talented musician who should never have been in jail in the first place. We are horrified by the news that he has received… More
In Response to Reported Disruption of Yale Law School Civil Liberties Forum, PEN America Says Dissent Should not Cross a Line to Censor Speakers
Cases like these implicate speech rights on the part of invited guests as well as the rights of protesting students. Both are entitled an opportunity to get their ideas… More
Conversation March 3 With Ukrainian Writers Reflecting on the Crisis from the Front Lines
PEN America and PEN Ukraine are both members of the global network of PEN centers that celebrate the power of the written word and defend freedom of expression. Following… More
Dohle Book Defense Fund Established to Combat Rising Threats to Free Speech and Open Discourse
The Dohle Book Defense Fund will boost PEN America’s initiatives to educate the public, partner with local community groups to advocate against censorship, track and expose the egregious assaults on… More
Free Expression and LGBTQ+ Advocates Hold Media Briefing 2/14 on Florida ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill
On Monday, February 14 at 10:00 a.m. ET, PEN America will convene a virtual media briefing of LGBTQ+ and free speech advocates to discuss the “Don’t Say Gay” bill… More
Exhibition by Afghan Artists Creating Through Perilous Times
PEN America’s Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) and Art at a Time Like This announce the launch of Before Silence: Afghan Artists in Exile, an online exhibition presenting the… More
RIGHTS GROUPS APPEAL TO UN FOR RELEASE OF JAILED IRANIAN WRITERS
The Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights (RWCHR) and PEN America filed a complaint with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to hold Iran accountable for a pattern… More