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
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
Nasrin Sotoudeh | Status: Conditional Release | 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
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
In Letter to the UN, Imprisoned Iranian Writer Nasrin Sotoudeh Protests Executions
In this letter, jailed Iranian writer Nasrin Sotoudeh appeals to the UN and the global community to pay attention to the unjust executions taking place in her country. More
ADVISORY: PEN America, Ms. Magazine Host Conversation on Imprisoned Iranian Activist Nasrin Sotoudeh
“The new documentary film NASRIN is an inspiring portrait of an indefatigable human rights advocate, who has dedicated her life to fighting for the rights of the marginalized and… 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
The PEN Pod: On Trump’s Continuing Fraud Claims and COVID Vaccine with Suzanne Nossel
“I think the question of the media’s role in helping usher Trump offstage is a really important one. . . it’s important that the media begin to shift focus… More
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Book Banning Is Getting Worse, writes @lutzfernandez, who warns against 6 forms of "false comfort" that are "swaddling the discussion."
https://open.substack.com/pub/annelutzfernandez/p/book-banning-is-getting-worse?r=w4bm&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web #BannedBooks #Censorship #FirstAmendment #StudentsRights
Authors are being disinvited from school visits. It's happening all over, not always publicly. Seems to frequently be b/c of a single parent's complaint, controlling what all kids and families can learn. A shame for both the authors and students alike. https://www.al.com/educationlab/2023/01/hoover-schools-cancel-black-history-month-author-visit-after-parent-complaint.html
School librarians vilified as the ‘arm of Satan’ in book-banning wars https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2023-01-27/school-librarians-vilified-as-the-arm-of-satan-in-book-banning-wars