South African President Drops Defamation Suits Against Zapiro and Media Outlets
In a victory for free expression, South African President Jacob Zuma has dropped 14 defamation lawsuits totaling R60 million against a famous cartoonist and various media outlets. More
Dispatch from South Africa: What’s Wrong with the Secrecy Bill?
We reached out to veteran journalist and Vice President of South African PEN Ray Louw to learn how the Secrecy Bill in South Africa is still a threat to… More
South African Luminaries to Debate Literature and Free Expression
South Africa's premier writers convene in New York for a feisty debate on the future of literature and free expression in the Rainbow Nation. More
Announcing the 2013 PEN World Voices Festival
With Salman Rushdie returning as chairman, the PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature will bring more than 100 writers from around the world to New York City to… More
Poet Cathy Park Hong Writes About Her Visit to South Africa with PEN
A former journalist, Cathy Park Hong traveled to South Africa on behalf of PEN American Center as part of a programmatic exchange with South African PEN that is supported… More
PEN Visits South Africa
I just returned from a fabulous trip to South Africa, where I traveled on behalf of PEN American Center with the poet Cathy Park Hong as part of our… More
Censorship and Writing for Young Adults
I write for children and teenagers—this is my perspective on censorship from within the world of kids’ books. More
South Africa: Nobel Laureates and PEN Battle for Free Expression
We’re excited that the UK-based Guardian has reported on the important free expression battles unfolding in South Africa, summarizing international condemnation of the country’s so-called Secrecy Bill at the United Nations.… More
PEN at the UN: Human Rights Council completes review of South Africa, Bahrain, Ecuador, and Tunisia
Last week, PEN was excited to see free expression issues take center stage during reviews of South Africa, Bahrain, Ecuador, and Tunisia at the UN Human Rights Council.South Africa continues to… More