PEN America Condemns Arrest of Iranian Writers and Translators, Another Attack on the Iranian Writers Associaton
(New York, NY) — The abrupt arrest of writers and translators Keyvan Mohtadi and Anisha Asadollahi is the latest targeted judicial attack on members of the historic and vital… More
Truth-Telling And Its Dire Consequences: PEN America Hosts Conversation with Writers Targeted by Authoritarians Around the Globe
By Suzanne Trimel (NEW YORK)—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… More
Life Prison Sentence for Cultural Rights Activist Osman Kavala is a “Dark Moment” for Human Rights and Democracy in Turkey
“Today is a dark moment for Turkey. The life sentence handed down to Osman Kavala is a devastating and unjust blow, not only to him and his family, but… More
Imprisoned Ukraine Journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko To be Honored with 2022 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award May 23
PEN America Chief Executive Officer Suzanne Nossel said, “Since February, the horrors of Russia's war on Ukraine have been laid bare for all the world to see. But Russia’s… 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 such… More
Freedom to Write Index 2021
During 2021, at least 277 writers and public intellectuals in 36 countries were unjustly imprisoned or detained in connection with their writing, their work, or related activism. More
PEN America Calls Kidnapping of Ukrainian Writer Volodymyr Vakulenko “Horrifying”
“The kidnapping of Volodymyr Vakulenko and his son Vitalii is simply horrific,” said Polina Sadovskaya, director of Eurasia Programs at PEN America. “Russian occupying forces are punishing Vakulenko for… More
Putin Continues Destruction of Independent Media by Declaring Eight Media Figures ‘Foreign Agents’
"Those Russian journalists who have persisted in speaking the truth and uncovering the crimes of the Putin regime--no matter the cost--deserve the support and solidarity of the international community." More
PEN America Responds to the Deaths of Filmmaker Mantas Kvedaravicius and Photojournalist Maksim Levin in Ukraine
"Kvedaravicus and Levin will be remembered for their remarkable courage and for the vital contributions they have made to exposing the devastating, ongoing impact of Russian aggression against Ukraine.… More
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This week, PEN America and a delegation of Ukrainian writers and human rights defenders met with members of Congress. Thank you @SenWhitehouse, @RepMcGovern, and @RepCohen!
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