PEN America Condemns Nicaragua’s Ongoing Press Crackdown, Political Repression
PEN America today decried the ongoing crackdown on press and political freedom in the country in advance of elections later this year. More
PEN America Decries Russia’s Expulsion of Comedian
The Russian government this week issued an order permanently expelling Idrak Mirzalizade, a Belarusian standup comedian, from Russia in retaliation for a joke he made about racial discrimination in… More
New Cuban Cyber Security Laws Will Deepen Government Repression
A new package of cyber security laws introduced last week in Cuba threaten to further curtail online dissent and pose an ever-greater threat to free expression in a country… More
The Taliban Takeover Is Forcing Afghans to Delete Their Photos and Posts—It’s a Free Expression Tragedy
Photos and social media posts in Afghanistan are being used against individuals as the Taliban takes over. Digital platforms have a responsibility to prevent digital cultural erasure. More
Turkey: Charges Against Kurdish PEN Member Must Be Dropped
PEN is deeply concerned for the well-being of Kurdish PEN member, writer and poet Meral Şimşek, who is facing up to 20 years on two separate charges. PEN believes… More
U.S. Must Act Swiftly to Protect Afghan Writers and Cultural Figures Who’ve Defended Free Expression
PEN America today called for the U.S. to act swiftly to offer protection to writers and cultural actors in Afghanistan. More
Court Formally Dissolves PEN Belarus
As Belarus marks one year since a fraudulent election kept President Aleksandr Lukashenka in power, a court in the country today formally dissolved PEN America's sister organization PEN Belarus. More
Imprisoned Chinese Activist Xu Zhiyong Indicted for ‘Subversion’
Lawyers for imprisoned Chinese activist and writer Xu Zhiyong—the 2020 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write honoree—indicated this week that he's now been indicted for “subversion,” alongside fellow human rights lawyer… More
Russian Officials Raid Investigative Journalist’s Home
PEN America condemned a police raid on the home of the editor in chief of the Russian investigative website The Insider today, just days after the government labeled the… More