Egyptian Government Suing Author Alaa al-Aswany Part of Mission to Harass and Silence Writers
“Al-Aswany is being accused merely because of his criticism of President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi. The government is blatantly pursuing a mission to harass writers and to censor voices reflecting the diversity and… More
Executive Order on “Free Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability” at Colleges Risks Chilling More Speech Than it Protects
"We are concerned that this Order is intended as a shot across the bow, putting researchers, faculty, and university administrators on notice that speech will now be monitored by the… More
Lawsuit filed by Representative Devin Nunes (R-CA) suing Twitter for defamation is an attempt to silence criticism, restrict online speech
"Nunes case is a ridiculous attempt to use the court system to hold social media platforms accountable for what is ultimately constitutionally-protected satirical speech." More
PEN America to Honor Trailblazing Truthteller Anita Hill with 2019 PEN Courage Award
“As a Yale Law School graduate pursuing a promising career as a legal scholar and lawyer, Anita Hill stepped alone into the glare of the public spotlight to call… More
Breakout Novelist Tommy Orange Wins $25,000 PEN/Hemingway Award for There There
Critically-acclaimed debut author Tommy Orange is the winner of the 2019 PEN/Hemingway Award for his novel There There (Knopf), PEN America announced today. More
Journalist Protection Act A Welcome Step in Giving Press Recourse for Attacks and Encroachments
"At a time when threats to journalists are on the rise in the United States, we welcome introduction of this legislation as a launching point for discussion around the… More
PEN America to Honor Imprisoned Saudi Writer-Activists and Women’s Rights Champions Nouf Abdulaziz, Loujain Al-Hathloul, and Eman Al-Nafjan with the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award at 2019 Literary Gala
"We are proud to honor these drivers of change—Nouf Abdulaziz, Loujain Al-Hathloul, and Eman Al-Nafjan—for their fearless words and actions, and to send a strong signal that international pressure… More
Risk that Fraudulent News and Disinformation Become “New Normal” Political Tactics Going into 2020 Election, Warns PEN America Report
"We see disturbing signals that domestic political actors are beginning to view disinformation as a necessary evil, believing that they have little choice but to fight fire with fire… More
38-Year Sentence for Iranian Writer and Human Rights Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh Defies All Reason
“This astonishingly harsh sentence for Nasrin Sotoudeh defies all reason. After months of detention and a frustratingly opaque legal process, the decision to condemn Nasrin to decades behind bars for her… More
Russian Bill Punishing “Disrespect of Government” and “Fake News” Online a Dangerous Tool for Censorship
"The language in the bill punishing 'disrespect of the government' is an alarming and blatant attempt to silence opposition. We are extremely troubled to see this legislation advance towards… More
Alert Us
Are you an artist at risk or know someone who is?
