PEN calls on President to abandon Patriot Act politics
In a letter made public today, PEN American Center is calling on President George W. Bush to lead an open, bipartisan evaluation of individual provisions of the Act that… More
PEN welcomes developments in prison writing suit, workshop suspension
Assurances that Connecticut's Department of Corrections will continue Wally Lamb's Creative Writing Program at the York Correctional Institution and that the State of Connecticut will soon announce a successful… More
Vaclav Havel and Nobel laureates call For release of imprisoned Burmese writers
Fourteen Nobel Literature Laureates are joining Vaclav Havel, former President of the Czech Republic and renowned playwright, and Jiri Grusa, acclaimed Czech writer and President of International PEN, to… More
Letter demands release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other writers
Your Excellency: We would like to address you on a matter that is important to all our hearts and minds. When Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the… More
First Amendment problems remain in wake of latest OFAC pronouncement
According to the Association of American Publishers (AAP), the Association of American University Presses (AAUP), and PEN American Center, a letter sent by the director of the Office of… More
PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award Recipients Announced
PEN American Center today named Nasser Zarafshan, a writer, translator and attorney serving a five year prison term for his criticism of the official investigation into the serial murders… More
PEN/Newman’s Own First Amendment Award recipient announced
PEN American Center has named Barbara Parsons Lane, one of eight incarcerated writers who were sued by the State of Connecticut after contributing to the acclaimed collection Couldn't Keep… More
Tony Kushner on Ruslan Sharipov and Human Rights in Uzbekistan
American democracy provides inspiration by example (rather than by military occupation) to people all over the world who are seeking justice and freedom. And it is important to note… More
PEN protests Treasury Department regulations that interfere with publishing
Dear Secretary Snow and Mr. Newcomb, We are writing on behalf of the 2,700 professional writers, editors, and translators who are members of PEN American Center to request an… More
Book, library groups launch Patriot Act petition campaign
Groups representing booksellers, librarians and writers today launched a nationwide effort to obtain one million signatures in support of legislation to amend Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act. More