Communication to the UN Commission on the Status of Women on the Persecution of Iranian Women’s Rights Defenders
We joined Iranian human rights organizations to alert the UN CSW to the persecution and prosecution of women human rights defenders in Iran. More
Rights Groups: Iranian Dissidents Remain at Risk Worldwide Without International Action
PEN America and other rights groups sound the alarm about Iran's drastic steps to silence dissidents well beyond the country's borders. More
The PEN Pod: On Authoritarian Regimes and Public Pressure Campaigns with Summer Lopez
“These governments are trying to send a clear message that you’re not safe or free, no matter where you go, to dissidents.” More
Iranian Agents Indicted in Plot to Kidnap Journalist and Activist in the U.S.
A federal court in New York today unsealed an indictment charging four Iranians in a plot to kidnap a Brooklyn-based journalist, author, and human rights advocate who had criticized… More
The PEN Pod: On Iran, Digital Sovereignty, and Divisive Topics on Campus
“[There’s a hypocrisy of] purporting to be a champion of free speech on campus. . . and at the same time, trying to pass a bill stating that certain… More
Biden Administration Must Prioritize Human Rights and Free Expression in Responding to Iranian Election Outcome
As Iran elects a new president, PEN America urged the Biden Administration to emphasize the country’s dire human rights situation as it responds to the outcome of the vote. More
Nasrin Sotoudeh | Status: Conditional Release | Iran
Nasrin Sotoudeh, a prominent human rights lawyer, writer, activist, and former political prisoner, was abruptly re-arrested and beaten on October 29, 2023 as she was attending the funeral of… More
Virtual Solidarity Reading to Honor Imprisoned Women Writers and Activists
On Thursday, May 27, PEN America—in partnership with Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, Amnesty International USA, and the makers of the documentary film NASRIN—will host a virtual reading in… More