PEN America: China Must Not Intimidate Those Who Honor Imprisoned Publisher
"State officials kidnapped Gui Minhai, forced him into a series of staged confessions, and have held him against his will for years, in a breathtakingly blatant violation of human… More
PEN America Welcomes News of Imprisoned Publisher’s Upcoming Poetry Collection
“We enthusiastically welcome the news of Gui Minhai’s forthcoming book of poetry, which will serve not only as a literary work but also as a reminder that Gui continues… More
Intimidation of Muslim Poet an Effort to Silence Writers’ Engagement on Xinjiang
“An Ran, a poet, is speaking out on one of the most important human rights issues of our day. Instead of attempting to shut him down, authorities should be… More
Three-Year Prison Sentence for Poet Galal El-Behairy is Another Blow for Freedom of Expression in Egypt
“To criminalize poetry and songs is to denigrate the most universal forms of human expression,” said Julie Trébault, PEN America’s Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) Director. More
Israel: End judicial proceedings and ensure Dareen Tatour’s immediate release
Dareen Tatour, a Palestinian poet and citizen of Israel, was convicted by the Nazareth Magistrate's Court on May 3, 2018 on charges of incitement to violence and support for terror organizations. Tatour… More
Iran: Arrest followed by an enforced disappearance of poet
PEN condemns the enforced disappearance of poet Mohammad Bamm who was arrested by members of the Iranian security forces on December 31, 2017 while on his way home in the city… More
Release of Tibetan Poet Shokjang an Overdue Welcome Development
“This is a joyful day for those who support free expression in Tibet, as a writer whose only crime was peacefully expressing himself is now out of prison. However,… More
Interrogating the Status Quo
In an era where powerful men are being toppled and long-held notions of “acceptable behavior” are changing, writers remind us that the rules governing language are also not free… More
The PEN Ten with sam sax
I do have more to say about what a good writer is and ought to do, which I think carries many of the same qualities as a good person.… More
Celebrated Authors and Artists Call on China to Release Poet Liu Xia, Wife of Late Dissident, Ahead of Trump Visit
Liu Xia's continued torment is a cruel manifestation of China’s determination to suppress not only dissenters, but someone whose only crime was to love one. More
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The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on Monday urged authorities in Albania to further amend a draft law on a new registration system for online media: https://bit.ly/36mdIUn via @AssociatedPress.
That didn't last long: good for #HongKong panel of international experts who resigned en masse rather than offering cover for police excesses and a complete stonewalling of accountability https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/12/11/breaking-international-experts-quit-hong-kong-investigation-police-handling-protests/?fbclid=IwAR2TJFj7yPE9-AH8H8hcgAtUWSdJ_XEgWpmDiP3IC_T-LVvY_jmg69Yv3po
A senior United Nations official urged Ethiopia on Monday to stop shutting off the internet without legal basis and revise a draft law meant to curb hate speech to ensure it protects freedom of speech: https://bit.ly/2qF9Crr via @Reuters.