Barack Obama Receives 2020 PEN America Voice of Influence Award, Re-Embraces His Identity as a Writer
“My politics, my public life, and my more interior writing life have never been that far apart," More
Barack Obama and the Freedom to Write
“We want to make a more perfect union, [but] it’s not to say that America will ever be perfect. It is that we can make it more perfect.” More
“James Baldwin Didn’t Have to Go Out and Get Votes.” Obama Reflects on Race, Dialogue, and Disinformation in PEN America Interview
In an interview with PEN America, President Obama reflects on race, dialogue, and disinformation as the country confronts a new political future. More
Police Threaten Chinese Women’s Rights Activist
“Threatening someone for speaking out about the people they love is a tactic for extortionists, not for governments that claim to respect the rule of law." More
Iran Orders Women’s Rights Activist Nasrin Sotoudeh Back to Prison
(New York, NY) — PEN America today condemned Iranian authorities for ordering the re-imprisonment of women's rights activist Nasrin Sotoudeh, winner of the 2011 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award.… More
China Bars Imprisoned Activist’s Access to Lawyers, Hiding Potential Mistreatment
“It is painfully obvious that authorities are repeatedly extending the investigation period into Xu’s case in order to deny him his legal rights under both international and Chinese law,… More
Pulitzer Winners, Prominent Writers Call for Release of Chinese Dissident
“Our letter is a clear reminder that writers around the world intend to speak out on behalf of one another." More
20 Facts about Human Rights in Saudi Arabia
As part of our efforts to hold the Saudi regime accountable for its actions, here are 20 facts about human rights in Saudi Arabia. More
20 Saudi Voices the Regime Has Attempted to Silence
Saudi Arabia has continuously glossed over its attempts to silence and imprison dissidents who have spoken out. Here are 20 Saudi voices that the regime has attempted to silence. More
As Saudia Arabia Hosts W20 Summit, Women’s Rights Activists Remain Imprisoned
"The cruel and unjust incarceration that women such as Loujain Al-Hathloul and Nasrin Sotoudeh face represent the harrowing experiences of many others detained in the prisons of Saudi Arabia… More