Nouf Abdulaziz, Loujain Al-Hathloul, Eman Al-Nafjan | Status: Detained | Saudi Arabia
Writer-activists Nouf Abdulaziz, Loujain Al-Hathloul, and Eman Al-Nafjan were detained without charge by the Saudi government for their outspoken dissent. More
Loujain Al-Hathloul, Detained in Saudi Arabia
Loujain Al-Hathloul is a Saudi blogger and women’s rights activist. Since May 2018, she has been detained in connection with her writing and activism. More
PEN America Welcomes News that New York Public Library Will Not Host Saudi-Sponsored Event
“The New York Public Library has made the right choice to decline hosting this event sponsored by Saudi Arabia, in particular by a man whose government apparatus orchestrated the… More
DARE: 3 Saudi rights activists temporarily released
Three Saudi women's rights activists have been released, including 2019/PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award honoree Eman Al-Nafjan (see PEN America's reaction here, and find out more about Al-Nafjan, as… More
Saudi Arabia: Raif Badawi spends his 2000th day behind bars
PEN condemns the ongoing arbitrary detention of blogger Raif Badawi, currently serving a 10-year sentence in Saudi Arabia. PEN is also deeply concerned that the Saudi government will continue the lashing… More
Free Expression Daily Digest: Thursday, October 27
Journalist prevented from speaking in Qatar Indian journalist Rana Ayyub, who authored a book on the 2002 Gujarat riots, was prevented from speaking at an event organised by the Indian… More
President Obama: Press for Release of Jailed Poet Ashraf Fayadh
We, the undersigned free expression and human rights organizations, call on you, President Obama, to push for the release of poet Ashraf Fayadh during your visit to Saudi Arabia… More
Ashraf Fayadh | Status: Imprisoned | Saudi Arabia
Ashraf Fayadh is a Palestinian poet, artist, and curator living in Saudi Arabia, who was sentenced to eight years in prison and 800 lashes on charges of apostasy on… More
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PEN America On 
Today, co-creator of #BlackLivesMatter @aliciagarza and @OneWorldLit's @cjaxone will host a conversation on the importance of resistance and resilience, and why they ground their work in a vision of collective humanity. Register here: https://bit.ly/2U9w87j.
In short, it is a *privilege* to say things. We can’t say whatever we want, & we shouldn’t. It’s illegal. Here & around the world, journalists are threatened, physically attacked, & imprisoned for doing their jobs. They do it so we can be informed & enlightened. Truth matters. TY
On today's edition of #thePENpod, we announce the winner of our 2020 PEN/Barbey #FreedomToWrite Award, imprisoned Chinese writer and activist Xu Zhiyong. We speak to his friend, scholar, and advocate Teng Biao. LISTEN 🎧 : https://bit.ly/36YGsUO. #FreeXuZhiyong