France’s Laws against Hate Speech Are Bad News for Free Speech
Following the horrific attacks at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris this January and an ensuing increase in arrests for hate speech, the state of freedom expression in France… More
SAUDI ARABIA: Supreme Court Confirms Sentence of Raif Badawi
On 7 June 2015, the Saudi Supreme Court confirmed the sentence of 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes imposed on editor Raif (or Raef) Badawi after conviction of… More
Between Speech And Religion, Freedoms Often Spell Friction
They pushed the boundaries. They were fearless. And that's what put them into the crosshairs here. And this is a pattern that we've seen escalating over time. More
Putin, Ventriloquism, and Free Speech
The Russian government has gotten back into the story business. This is bad news for people who like to tell stories of their own, but good news for people… More
PEN Mourns Loss of Free Expression Defender Edward de Grazia
PEN is saddened by the loss of Edward de Grazia, a lawyer, playwright, and longtime PEN member who devoted his life to fighting censorship and promoting free expression. More
Supreme Court Decision on Stolen Valor Act Promotes Free Expression
The Supreme Court decided in favor of free expression on Thursday by striking down the 2006 Stolen Valor Act.Passed by Congress to “protect the reputation and meaning” of military… More
Supreme Court Decision on Stolen Valor Act Promotes Free Expression
The Supreme Court decided in favor of free expression on Thursday by striking down the 2006 Stolen Valor Act. Passed by Congress to "protect the reputation and meaning" of military… More
Julian Sanchez: On Fiction and Surveillance
"When we talk about surveillance and privacy—perhaps more than any other political question—we speak a language borrowed from fiction." More
Julian Sanchez: On Fiction and Surveillance
[caption id="attachment_11940" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Julian Sanchez © Susan Morgan/PEN American Center"][/caption] At this year's PEN World Voices Festival, the panel Life in the Panopticon: Thoughts on Freedom in an Era… More