The Language of King David: On Translating Arseny Tarkovsky
"In his poetic and spiritual freedom, Tarkovsky outlasted the slag and dross of totalitarianism. His poetry is the internal cinema of the Soviet era, an unscrolling testimony of the… More
Autobiography of a Corpse
There wasn’t a minute to lose. All about them people were beginning to whisper. The whispers became murmurs, the murmurs a hubbub, the hubbub an outcry, and the outcry… More
Russian PEN Protests Continuing Threats to Free Expression
To tell the truth and to create meaning are both professional and civic duty for the writing community, writers, and journalists. The word is the only tool for creating… More
Steamrolling Onto the World Stage
In two weeks’ time, the Olympic games will be over, athletes and foreign guests will depart, and Olympic kitsch will proliferate in many homes in the form of tchotchkes… More
Putin, Ventriloquism, and Free Speech
The Russian government has gotten back into the story business. This is bad news for people who like to tell stories of their own, but good news for people… More
PEN American Center Welcomes Impending Release of Pussy Riot
The Russian government's decision to finally allow the remaining jailed members of Pussy Riot to walk free is overdue, but welcome nonetheless. More
Imprisoned Pussy Riot Member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova’s Location Unknown
PEN is extremely concerned for the well-being of imprisoned Pussy Riot member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, whose current whereabouts have not been disclosed by the Russian authorities. More
PEN Letter to President Obama in Advance of the G20 Summit in St. Petersburg
PEN sent the following letter to President Obama in advance of the G20 Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, to urge him to use the opporutnity to express concern over… More
Politkovskaya Conviction Welcome, but Masterminds Behind Her Murder Continue to Elude Justice
PEN International welcomes last week’s conviction of the former police chief who helped orchestrate Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya’s murder in 2006, but is concerned that the masterminds behind her… More
Stanislav Dmitrievsky Faces Ban on Book Detailing Human Rights Abuses
Russian writer, editor, and human rights activist Stanislav Dmitrievsky is once again in court, this time over a 1,200-page book on human rights abuses committed during the years of… More