War is Always a Danger for Journalists. This Time is No Different. But Press Freedom Itself is Under Siege, Too.
The war in Ukraine is putting a heavy burden on the journalists reporting on the ground, who are risking their lives to expose the truth. But this war--also a… More
The Crisis of Local News: Journalists and Members of Congress Look for Answers
By Suzanne Trimel (New York, N.Y.)-- Local news has been in crisis for close to two decades now but solutions have largely eluded an industry that just a generation ago… More
Rights Groups to Iran: Drop charges against human rights activist Hossein Ronaghi
PEN America joins human rights groups in calling on Iranian authorities to drop charges against writer-activist Hossein Ronaghi. More
Educational Gag Orders Target Speech about LGBTQ+ Identities With New Prohibitions and Punishments
The effort to censor anti-LGBTQ identities in the classroom is expanding rapidly. More
PEN Pals: Margarita Engle Interviews Debbie Reese
"We have unique histories, songs, stories, and languages but far too many people refer to us in biased and inaccurate ways." More
In Higher Education, New Educational Gag Orders Would Exert Unprecedented Control Over College Teaching
In 2022, educational gag orders are being aimed squarely at colleges and universities to exert ideological control over what is being taught and read in classrooms. More
PEN America Announces Finalists for 2022 Literary Awards, February 28 at New York’s Town Hall
PEN America today announced the 2022 PEN America Literary Awards finalists—a list of 54 authors and 11 translators recognized for exceptional works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, biography, essay, science… More
PEN America Welcomes British Court Ruling on Julian Assange Appeal
“Today’s decision in the ongoing Assange case is a reprieve, but the specter remains of prosecution in the U.S. based on an indictment that encompasses conduct regularly and rightfully… More
Steep Rise in Gag Orders, Many Sloppily Drafted
Over the last three weeks, 65 bills have been formally introduced in state legislatures across the country, a rate of roughly three bills per day. More
Literary Coalition Asks New York Leaders to Prevent Lyrics From Becoming Evidence In Criminal Trials
Today PEN America and the Literary Action Coalition sent a letter signed by 21 key New York City literary organizations to New York State legislators in support of “Rap… More