International writers call for justice for bloggers murdered in Bangladesh
More than 150 writers from around the world, including Margaret Atwood, Amitav Ghosh, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Yann Martel, Salman Rushdie and Colm Tóibín have condemned the murders of Ananta… More
Freedom to Write Award Winner Khadija Ismayilova’s Pretrial Detention Extended
PEN American Center condemns the extension of Azeri investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova’s imprisonment. More
PEN Condemns the Denial of Family Visits or Support in Prison for Ilham Tohti
PEN expresses serious concern over reports that prison authorities in Xinjiang have refused to allow the jailed Uyghur writer and scholar Ilham Tohti to receive visits or support from… More
Charlie Hebdo and Challenges to Freedom of Expression (video)
Charlie Hebdo’s recently appointed editor-in-chief, Gérard Biard, and its film critic, Jean-Baptiste Thoret, visited the United States for the first time since the attack on Charlie Hebdo’s office in… More
BAHRAIN: Serious concern for the health of academic, activist and blogger Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace.
PEN International is seriously concerned for the health of prominent academic, activist and blogger Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace, who has been on hunger strike since 21 March 2015 in protest… More
French Surveillance Bill Threatens Free Expression, Privacy
New counter-terrorism legislation passed by the lower house of the French Parliament today would dramatically expand the government’s surveillance powers and directly conflicts with France’s international legal commitments to… More
Honduras: two more journalists killed ahead of UN human rights review
The murder of two more journalists in Honduras within 24 hours highlights the government’s failure to stem the ongoing wave of violence against the Honduran media, days before the… More
Alain Mabanckou to Present Award to Charlie Hebdo
Acclaimed French-Congolese writer Alain Mabanckou will present the PEN/Toni and James C. Goodale Freedom of Expression Courage Award to Charlie Hebdo at the annual PEN Literary Gala in New… More
Combating the Multiplying Challenges to the Right of Free Expression
Journalists—traditional targets of authoritarian governments who want to limit their watchdog role—are being killed in record numbers. At least 61 were murdered in 2014 alone. More
Russian Censorship Sweeps Maus Off Shelves, Chills Expression
Moscow bookstores' decision to pull Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus from shelves over concern about 'fascist symbols' is a clear example of the chilling effect of sweeping government censorship,… More