PEN America Welcomes Senate Bill to Support Local News
“Establishing a federal commission on local news is a crucial step towards building a bipartisan commitment to a diverse, free, and sustainable press, which is foundational to ensuring all… More
Hong Kong Activist Arrested Hours After PEN America Event
Joshua has long stood as a symbol of the broad public movement for democracy and freedom in Hong Kong. Any time he is targeted, it is the authorities sending… More
‘Antibodies’ Original Song Channels Fight for Free Expression
“While these two artists come from separate musical traditions and backgrounds, both have found a measure of solidarity in standing for human rights and freedom amid a difficult global… More
Chinese Dissident Poet Wang Zang Arrested
“Wang Zang's arrest is a strike at the heart of free expression and artistic freedom in China." More
Texas A&M Considering Firing Professor Who Protested Racial Injustice
“That the cancelation of a single class and some office hours is gaining such outsized scrutiny raises serious questions about whether the furor here is about the cancellations or… More
DeSantis’ Anti-Protest Proposal Shows Flagrant Disregard for First Amendment
“Florida Governor DeSantis' anti-protest bill politicizes the right to protest and flagrantly disregards the protections provided by the First Amendment." More
PEN America Condemns Belarus’ Campaign of Intimidation Against Nobel-Winner Svetlana Alexievich
"All that stands between Svetlana Alexievich and arrest is international pressure and the physical bodies of European diplomats." More
Professor’s Use of Term “Chinese Virus” Contemptible, Not Alone Rationale for Formal Discipline
"We understand a university dean is reviewing the incident, and we caution against pursuing any formal reprimand based solely on the words in the professor's email." More
Mississippi Official Targets Professor Who Took Part in “Scholar Strike”
"We are concerned that this letter and investigation is part of a concerted campaign meant to intimidate and chill the speech of faculty who are critical of the state… More
PEN America Issues Urgent Call to Release Nasrin Sotoudeh Amid Pandemic
"Nasrin's condition is critical and her life hangs in the balance, but her spirit remains unbroken and her calls for justice are reverberating around the world." More
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PEN America On 
Political rhetoric from Trump & the US AG is trickling down, bolstering federal prosecutorial efforts to build a national police power and to impose extreme penalties on protesters. Penalties for First Amendment activity have risen since Trump took office. https://www.npr.org/2020/09/27/917424823/critics-say-federal-prosecutors-are-pushing-the-envelope-with-protest-charges
