Nasrin Sotoudeh | Status: Imprisoned | Iran
Nasrin Sotoudeh, a prominent writer, human rights lawyer and activist, was abruptly re-arrested on June 13, 2018, and taken to Evin prison. Her arrest came shortly after her legal… More
Narges Mohammadi | Status: Imprisoned | Iran
Narges Mohammadi is an independent journalist and the former vice-president and spokesperson of the Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC), which advocates for human rights reform and represents political… More
SIGN NOW: Iran Must Release Nasrin Sotoudeh
We write to call for the immediate and unconditional release of writer, human rights lawyer, and activist Nasrin Sotoudeh. More
PEN America Condemns Iran’s Sentencing of U.S.-based Iranian Writer and Activist’s Brother
“We are horrified that Alireza Alinejad—who has been detained without charge since September 2019—has been sentenced to an eight-year prison term on trumped-up charges.” More
Nasrin Sotoudeh, Imprisoned in Iran
Nasrin Sotoudeh is a human rights lawyer and public intellectual who has faced harassment and intimidation for years and spent time in and out of prison. More
Iran: Writer and poet released on bail
Author and poet Dr. Sedigheh Vasmaghi was released on bail on November 4, 2017. Vasmaghi had been held in Evin prison since October 22 where she was brought for… More
Iran: Writer and poet arrested upon return to Iran
PEN is deeply concerned about the well-being and safety of Dr. Sedigheh Vasmaghi, an Iranian author and poet who was arrested by the Iranian authorities upon her arrival to… More
Mehdi and Hossein Rajabian | Status: Conditional Release | Iran
Iranian musician Mehdi Rajabian and his brother, writer and filmmaker Hossein Rajabian, are currently serving three-year prison sentences on charges of “insulting Islamic sanctities,” “propaganda against the state,” and… More
DARE: Daily Alert on Rights and Expression
Berkeley cancels speaker amid protests while Trump threatens its funding, French press removed from far right press conference, and more. More
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PEN America On 
In light of #BannedBooksWeek this week, we want to bring back our reading list for Literature Locked Up, which sought to shine a light on book banning in America's prison system. Here's a list of books that have been or are currently banned from prisons: https://bit.ly/3jdfqya.
Activist scholar Benny Tai Yiu-ting has reflected upon the sixth anniversary of the "Occupy Central with Peace and Love" event, saying that the protests were a pivotal period in Hong Kong's ongoing pro-democracy protests. https://bit.ly/2HF0TO4
Join PEN America CEO @SuzanneNossel and Ben Fountain for a virtual conversation TOMORROW at 5pm CT to discuss her new book, DARE TO SPEAK. Presented in partnership with @DallasNews and @TheDIHC. Register here: https://bit.ly/3l0HyFB.