Poet and PEN Belarus Member Imprisoned for Demonstrating
“Strotsev now joins a long list of Belarusian cultural figures who have been unjustly detained and faced brutal treatment for expressing dissent through their art." More
PEN America Demands End to Violence Against Protesters in Nigeria
“The use of indiscriminate and senseless violence to suppress peaceful protests against police violence in Nigeria is as heartbreaking as it is horrific." More
PEN America Demands Belarus Drop Charges Against Olga Shparaga
"We demand Shparaga’s immediate release. Efforts to silence political opponents through arrests, kidnappings and harassment are a violation of people’s most basic human rights, and are doomed to fail.” More
Arrest of PEN Belarus Member Represents Another Attack on Cultural Leaders
"These disgraceful, ongoing attacks on people exercising their basic rights to expression and peaceful protest must end." More
Hong Kong Activist Arrested Hours After PEN America Event
Joshua has long stood as a symbol of the broad public movement for democracy and freedom in Hong Kong. Any time he is targeted, it is the authorities sending… More
DeSantis’ Anti-Protest Proposal Shows Flagrant Disregard for First Amendment
“Florida Governor DeSantis' anti-protest bill politicizes the right to protest and flagrantly disregards the protections provided by the First Amendment." More
PEN America Condemns Belarus’ Campaign of Intimidation Against Nobel-Winner Svetlana Alexievich
"All that stands between Svetlana Alexievich and arrest is international pressure and the physical bodies of European diplomats." More
Skidmore Should Stand Strong for Basic Assembly Rights
"It should be easy for Skidmore to ardently defend his basic civil liberties, and clearly and unequivocally explain why these calls are so disproportionate and extreme." More
PEN America Calls for the Immediate Release of PEN Belarus Members and Employees
"PEN America is outraged at the unjust detention of our colleagues, leaders of a venerated literary and human rights organization." More
Kenosha Authorities Must Commit to Protecting Protesters
PEN America is calling for public authorities in Kenosha, WI to ensure protesters are safe and protected in the wake of Tuesday night's fatal shooting and the arrest of… More
Alert Us
Are you an artist at risk or know someone who is?
PEN America On 
Keep calm and curl up with a good book about #democracy, #disinformation, or #votingrights--it's at least more soothing than Twitter! @PENamerica has some suggestions.
https://pen.org/what-to-expect-when-youre-electing-reading-list/
NEW: Yet another member of @pen_belarus has been detained for speaking out against the Belarusian government. Poet Dmitry Strotsev was sentenced to 13 days in prison after taking part in a peaceful demonstration.
Our statement. https://pen.org/press-release/poet-and-pen-belarus-member-imprisoned-for-demonstrating/
In the leadup to #Election2020 we're turning to the words of writers for their perspectives on how to use their voices for change. Hear from @rokwon for @ellemagazine, on the discipline of hope and the power of collective action https://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/a34384183/ro-kwon-activism-essay/