Human Rights Advocate Liesl Gerntholtz Joins PEN America as Inaugural Director of the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Center
PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel said: "We are delighted to have Liesl Gerntholtz join PEN America to spearhead our global work to defend writers and confront mounting threats to… More
PEN America 2021 Freedom to Write Index: Myanmar Joins China and Saudi Arabia as World’s Top Jailers of Writers
During 2021, Myanmar accounted for the single-largest increase of writers and public intellectuals newly jailed for exercising free expression, due to the military junta’s crackdown on influential voices. More
Freedom to Write Index 2021
During 2021, at least 277 writers and public intellectuals in 36 countries were unjustly imprisoned or detained in connection with their writing, their work, or related activism. More
PEN America, Joined by PEN Sydney and PEN Melbourne, Mourns Baktash Abtin’s Death in Solidarity with the Iranian Writers’ Association and Abtin’s Family
Following the devastating death of prominent Iranian poet, filmmaker, free expression advocate, and 2021 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write honoree Baktash Abtin in state custody from COVID-19 contracted at Tehran’s… More
PEN America Mourns “Utterly Preventable Death” of Baktash Abtin
(New York, NY) — Imprisoned Iranian poet, filmmaker, and recipient of the 2021 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award Baktash Abtin died in a Tehran hospital, succumbing to COVID-19. “Our worst… More
Chinese Authorities Poised to Put Activists Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi On Trial, PEN America and China Human Rights Defenders Warn
Chinese authorities may use the lull around the Christmas and New Year’s holidays to subject prominent human rights defenders to unfair trials while much of the international community is… More
PEN America Reacts to DarkMatter Lawsuit
“Al-Hathloul’s suit is a courageous contribution to establishing that accountability and our collective safety." More
PEN America Overjoyed to See Two Defenders of the Freedom to Write Receive Nobel Peace Prize
The free expression and writers' organization PEN America today welcomed the news that journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov will receive the Nobel Peace Prize. More
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