Chinese Government Bars Writer Liao Yiwu From Attending PEN Festival in New York
PEN American Center today condemned the Chinese government’s refusal to allow celebrated author Liao Yiwu to attend the PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature, which opens Monday in… More
PEN American Center Announces New Emerging Writers Awards
PEN American Center, the largest branch of the world’s oldest literary and human rights organization, announced today the creation of the PEN Emerging Writers Awards, established to promote talented… More
Top PEN Prize to Honor Nasrin Sotoudeh, Jailed Iranian Lawyer, Writer, Activist
PEN American Center today named Nasrin Sotoudeh, a writer, lawyer, and leader of the women’s and children’s rights movement in Iran, as the recipient of its 2011 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith… More
Afghan Writer and Activist Malalai Joya Granted U.S. Visa
Two days after PEN joined with the ACLU and the American Association of University Professors to protest the denial of a visa to Malalai Joya, a renowned women’s rights… More
Chinese Writer Liu Xianbin Sentenced to 10 Years for Inciting Subversion
PEN American Center condemned the 10-year sentence handed to writer and PEN member Liu Xianbin last week on charges of “inciting subversion of state power,” calling the conviction for… More
Writers Hail U.N. Accord Ending Push to Ban Blasphemy
PEN American Center today praised the U.N. Human Rights Council for ending efforts to restrict speech considered offensive to religions, calling the Council’s recent unanimous vote on a religious… More
PEN Welcomes Edward Burlingame and Jacob Weisberg to Board of Trustees
The Board of PEN American Center, the largest branch of the world’s oldest literary and human rights organization, voted at their meeting on March 24, 2011, to appoint Edward… More
Court Rules NSA Surveillance Suit Brought by PEN, Partners Can Proceed
PEN American Center today hailed an appeals court ruling that PEN and its co-plaintiffs have standing to challenge the constitutionality of the FISA Amendments Act, the 2008 legislation that… More
Free Speech Groups Protest Denial of Visa for Afghan Rights Activist
The American Civil Liberties Union, American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and PEN American Center today sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Homeland Security Secretary… More
Anthony Appiah Reelected as President of PEN
PEN American Center, the largest branch of the world’s oldest literary and human rights organization, announced yesterday at its Annual Members Meeting the reelection of Kwame Anthony Appiah, the… More