New Report Calls for Greater Protections for Threatened Artists on the Frontlines of Social and Political Change Worldwide
“With their unique ability to challenge dominant narratives, bring people together, and foster hope in a brighter future, socially engaged artists are a critical part of the battle to… More
Myanmar Spring Diary
Writers from India and the Indian diaspora reflect on the state of free expression in India in its 75th year of independence. More
Secret Military Executions of Four Pro-Democracy Myanmar Activists a “Devastating Act of Brutality”
Liesl Gerntholz, director of the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Center, said: “This is an unspeakable act of brutality, an abhorrent act. We join their families and the people of… More
Truth-Telling And Its Dire Consequences: PEN America Hosts Conversation with Writers Targeted by Authoritarians Around the Globe
The difficult plight of writers living under authoritarian rule has been well-documented over decades, with some enduring impossibly harsh treatment for their truth-telling and resistance to repression. 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
The PEN Pod: Fighting for Artistic Freedom in Myanmar with Karin Deutsch Karlekar and Bart Was Not Here
“It’s really striking to see the degree to which writing is at the heart of what we are debating about. . . . we are seeing just… More
As Myanmar Creative Artists Resist Violent Military Crackdown, PEN America Spotlights their Voices in New Report
PEN America’s new report "Stolen Freedoms" details the devastation to the creative sector as well as the courage and determination of Myanmar’s literary and creative community, and offers recommendations… More
Stolen Freedoms: Creative Expression, Historic Resistance, and the Myanmar Coup
This report explores the creative response to the February 1, 2021 coup and the military’s retaliatory crackdown, framing it within Myanmar’s long history of creative expression and protest. More
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