2021 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award: Baktash Abtin, Keyvan Bajan, and Reza Khandan Mahabadi
PEN America bestows its 2021 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award on Iranian writers Baktash Abtin, Keyvan Bajan, and Reza Khandan Mahabadi. More
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
The PEN Pod: On the Virtual Gala and the Beauty of Human Rights Work with Suzanne Nossel
“There’s something about individual cases of dissidents—these are human stories, faces, and individuals with families and life trajectories. When you can help them, it’s so concrete.” More
Amid Tumultuous Year, PEN America Virtual Gala Celebrates Acts of Courage and Bravery by Those Who Stand Up to Oppression
"I’m heartened to think that this assembly of not always like-minded but always like-hearted writers and thinkers and advocates—that our assembly tonight points to our power.” More
Eskinder Nega | Status: Detained | Ethiopia
Eskinder Nega, a journalist and dissident blogger who is one of Ethiopia’s leading advocates for press freedom and freedom of expression, served almost 7 years of an 18-year sentence… More
Mamadali Mahmudov | Status: Deceased | Uzbekistan
Mamadali Mahmudov is a renowned Uzbek writer and opposition activist who was released in 2013 after serving a 14-year sentence on charges related to a series of explosions in… More
2020 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award: Xu Zhiyong
PEN America bestows its 2020 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award on detained Chinese essayist and activist Xu Zhiyong. More
Read Oleg Sentsov’s Acceptance Letter from the Solidarity of Arts Festival
"It's easy to be a revolutionary when revolution has already won. And much more difficult when the oppressor is still strong and the chances to win are small." More
He Is Not Forgotten: Celebrating Oleg Sentsov’s Birthday, His Sixth in Captivity
PEN America congratulates Oleg Sentsov on his 43rd birthday, which serves as a reminder to the world not to forget him in his plight. More
2019 Literary Gala: Presentation of the 2019 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award
Watch the presentation of the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award at the 2019 PEN America Literary Gala & Free Expression Awards. More
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"Online is real life. For me, social media is an extension of my workplace. And it can be unsafe." @carlyfindlay shares her experiences of online abuse & highlights the lack of protection on social media platforms for disabled users facing online abuse. https://r29.co/2ZcrElS
On the latest edition of @progressntwrk's podcast What Could Go Right?, PEN America CEO @SuzanneNossel speaks about navigating and defending free speech and free expression while also cultivating a more inclusive public culture. LISTEN 🎧 : https://bit.ly/3E4iAP3.
