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
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
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
PEN America Condemns Arrest of Iranian Musician Mehdi Yarrahi and Subsequent Work Ban on ‘Cultural Activists’
PEN America condemns the arrest of Iranian musician Mehdi Yarrahi following the release of his song “Your Head Scarf” which protests the long-standing mandatory hijab rule imposed in the… More
New PEN America Report: Crackdown on Anti-Government Protests in Iran Swells the Number of Jailed Writers
“Iran’s creative community—long at the forefront of fighting for free expression and human rights—was singled out as part of a broader crackdown on dissent in 2022,” said Karin Deutsch… More
PEN America Demands the Immediate Release of Kurdish Rapper Saman Yasin After Request for Amnesty Was Denied
"Our hearts go out to Yasin and his family and friends, and we urge the Iranian authorities to grant him amnesty and release him from prison at once,” said… More
2021 Freedom to Write Honoree Keyvan Bajan Is Released from Prison in Iran After Nearly One And a Half Years
Iran is among the world’s most restrictive countries for freedom of expression. In 2020, PEN America found that Iran imprisoned the fourth-highest number of writers and public intellectuals in… More