Reported Decision by Morocco to Withdraw Lesbian Diaries Title from International Book Fair Violates Free Speech and Artistic Expression
“Withdrawing Lesbian Diaries violates Fatima Zahra Amzkar’s rights to free speech and artistic expression while also undermining the rights of LGBTQ+ communities to equality and dignity. The International Book… More
Protest Over Books by Amazon Workers Was “Counterproductive” By Silencing Celebrants at a Pride Month Event
“Workers at Amazon have a right to protest the sale of books they find objectionable. But doing so at a company event celebrating the start of Pride Month through… More
Writer Andrey Kurkov: Ukrainians Will Never Abandon Faith in Human Rights or Hope for Freedom
“The level of journalism traditionally shows the level of democracy in society. We can see how independent journalism is being destroyed by the example of annexed Crimea,” he said.… More
PEN America Statement on the Death of Reza Baraheni: A Legacy of “Courage and Defiance”
PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel said: "The international writing community has lost a giant of free expression and human rights with the death of former PEN Canada president, author,… 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
Statement on Tweet by Columbia Medical Professor that Sparked an Uproar
A single, ill-conceived tweet should not be the basis for judging the ability of a professional to continue carrying out their duties with the support and confidence of their… 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
PEN America: Characterizing Jan. 6 as “Legitimate Political Discourse” Is Perverse and Invites More Violence
The characterization of the January 6, 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol as "legitimate political discourse" is perverse, and constitutes an open invitation to an escalation of violence in… More
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"2,475 libraries, out of about 15,000 across the country, are currently closed due to damage, funding, or staff being forced to leave their jobs and homes due to the war...21 libraries have lost their entire collections." https://twitter.com/PENamerica/status/1598669619253895169
We heard many horrifying stories as we researched our new report on cultural erasure in #Ukraine. But the one that sticks with me is the Lozova Palace of Culture.
At my meeting with @SuzanneNossel & team I invited @PENamerica to tell the world more about russian culture crimes in 🇺🇦, to make its contribution to the popularization of 🇺🇦 book publishing, culture, artists and boycott russian culture and propaganda abroad.