Joint Letter: The Problem with Banishing Books
Joint letter on the problem of banishing books that are deemed controversial. More
December Featured Cases: Writers at the Forefront of Exposing Corruption
During the month of December, we highlight three writers who have courageously used their right to free expression to break the chain of corruption in their countries. More
November Featured Cases: Honoring the Day of the Imprisoned Writer
PEN American Center honors the Day of the Imprisoned Writer on November 15 by featuring three cases from around the world that represent the dire situation imprisoned writers face. More
Myanmar: Poet’s Arrest Signals Deteriorating Tolerance for Online Satire & Free Expression
The arrest of a poet on charges of insulting the president of Myanmar points to both the government’s low tolerance for satire as a form of creative expression and… More
Iran: Poets’ Sentencing Signals New Low
Iranian poets Fatemeh Ekhtesari and Mehdi Musavi have been sentenced to 11. 5 and 9 years in prison, respectively, and 99 lashes each in what PEN American Center today… More
Eskinder Nega, Zone 9, and Anti-Terrorism Laws: Ethiopia’s Free Expression Crisis
This past weekend marks one year since Ethiopian authorities conducted a sweeping arrest of a group of 6 young bloggers from the Zone 9 Collective and three other journalists.… More
Syrian Activist and Writer Mazen Darwish Released Uncondtionally
PEN warmly congratulates Syrian activist, journalist and winner of the 2014 PEN Pinter Prize for international writer of courage Mazen Darwish and his colleagues from the Syrian Center for… More
Journalism, A Most Deadly Profession
The cases of Ruben Espinosa, Gao Yu, and Sandeep Kothari demonstrate the worrying power of governments to crush freedom of expression. Methods of silencing journalists have moved beyond rigged… More