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. “It is crucial that the investigation into… 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
PEN America: All Efforts Must be Made to Protect Journalists Covering the War in Ukraine
These courageous reporters are putting their lives on the line to tell the world the horrific truth of this war. The risks of war reporting are always high,… More
2021 Freedom to Write Honoree Keyvan Bajan Is Released from Prison in Iran After Nearly One And a Half Years
Iran is among the world’s most restrictive countries for freedom of expression. In 2020, PEN America found that Iran imprisoned the fourth-highest number of writers and public intellectuals in… More
Rights Groups to Iran: Drop charges against human rights activist Hossein Ronaghi
PEN America joins human rights groups in calling on Iranian authorities to drop charges against writer-activist Hossein Ronaghi. More
PEN America Celebrates Release of Aras Amiri
PEN America celebrated the acquittal and release of Iranian art curator Aras Amiri, who was serving a 10-year sentence after being arrested during a visit to Iran in 2018… More
PEN America, Joined by PEN Sydney and PEN Melbourne, Mourns Baktash Abtin’s Death in Solidarity with the Iranian Writers’ Association and Abtin’s Family
Following the devastating death of prominent Iranian poet, filmmaker, free expression advocate, and 2021 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write honoree Baktash Abtin in state custody from COVID-19 contracted at Tehran’s… More
PEN America Mourns “Utterly Preventable Death” of Baktash Abtin
(New York, NY) — Imprisoned Iranian poet, filmmaker, and recipient of the 2021 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award Baktash Abtin died in a Tehran hospital, succumbing to COVID-19. “Our worst… More
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