Abbas Ali Zulfiqari
Zulfiqari, better known by his pen name Zoro, is a satirical poet who posts videos of himself reciting his poetry on social media. He was first imprisoned in 1993,… More
Amir Akhwan
Poet, songwriter, and literary critic Akhwan was arrested in June 2023 by Iranian Security Forces in Rasht for "reciting a campaign poem" on Clubhouse. He posts his poetry on… More
Joint Letter: Extend the mandates of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission and Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran
International human rights organizations call on Member states of the United Nations Human Rights Council to renew the mandates of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission and Special Rapporteur on… More
PEN America urges extension of Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Iran
PEN America joins a coalition of Iranian and international human rights organizations calling on the UN’s Human Rights Council to extend the mandate of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission… More
PEN America Condemns Harsh Sentencing of Grammy-Winning Iranian Singer
PEN America strongly condemns the sentencing of Grammy-winning Iranian singer Shervin Hajipour to three years and eight months in prison. More
PEN America Strongly Denounces Imprisonment of Sepideh Rashno
PEN America strongly denounces the sentencing of Sepideh Rashno, a young Iranian writer, poet, and vocal critic of the country’s mandatory hijab law. More
PEN America Condemns Detention of Iranian Dissident Rapper Vafa Ahmadpour
PEN America’s Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) strongly condemns the arbitrary detention of Iranian rapper Vafa Ahmadpour and calls for his immediate release. More
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Narges Mohammadi Handed an Additional Sentence for “Propaganda”
"Freedom of expression is both a human right and a human instinct which can not be extinguished. It is time that the Iranian authorities stopped persecuting artists, writers, and… More
Iranian Musician Mehdi Yarrahi Sentenced to Lashes and Two Years Imprisonment
Mehdi Yarrahi’s disproportionate conviction is further proof of the power of art as Iranian authorities continue to persecute artists, musicians, filmmakers, and writers. More
PEN America Condemns New Conviction of Iranian Dissident Rapper Toomaj Salehi
The re-arrest of Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi and his severe sentence is part of a calculated effort to suppress dissenting voices, illustrating a broader and alarming crackdown on the… More
Support for the freedom to read with exclusive designs by Todd Parr, Mike Curato, Art Spiegelman, and more!
