PEN America Condemns Detention of Iranian Dissident Rapper Vafa Ahmadpour
PEN America’s Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) strongly condemns the arbitrary detention of Iranian rapper Vafa Ahmadpour and calls for his immediate release. More
Iranian Musician Mehdi Yarrahi Sentenced to Lashes and Two Years Imprisonment
Mehdi Yarrahi’s disproportionate conviction is further proof of the power of art as Iranian authorities continue to persecute artists, musicians, filmmakers, and writers. More
PEN America Condemns New Conviction of Iranian Dissident Rapper Toomaj Salehi
The re-arrest of Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi and his severe sentence is part of a calculated effort to suppress dissenting voices, illustrating a broader and alarming crackdown on the… More
Narges Mohammadi Awarded Nobel Peace Prize in Absentia
Imprisoned Iranian writer and activist Narges Mohammadi received the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize in absentia at Oslo City Hall today. More
High-Profile Supporters Join PEN America to Call for the Release of Narges Mohammadi Ahead of Nobel Prize Ceremony
Hundreds of the world’s most prominent writers, artists, human rights activists, allies, and civil society organizations have signed on to an open letter created by PEN America calling for… More
PEN America Welcomes Release of Iranian Dissident Rapper Toomaj Salehi
Salehi was arrested in October 2022 for his music in support of Iran's “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests following the custodial death of Mahsa Amini. More
Sotoudeh’s Injuries at the Hands of Iranian Police More Severe Than Initially Believed
America expresses its great concern about the health and safety of human rights lawyer, writer, and 2011 PEN/Freedom To Write Award honoree Nasrin Sotoudeh. More
New Iran Headscarf Ban Targeting Actresses Must Be Lifted Immediately
PEN America strongly denounces Iran’s recent ban on performing for actresses who have appeared in public without a head cover. More
Narges Mohammadi, The Iranian Writer Speaking Out From Behind Bars
Narges Mohammadi has been a target of Iranian authorities for more than 30 years. She was arrested twice at meetings of a political student group. More
On anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death, PEN America calls for an end to the suppression of free thought and expression in Iran
PEN America calls upon the Iranian government to cease its continued persecution of dissident voices and to release artists, writers, and creatives sentenced to prison. More