PEN America Calls for Release of Ukrainian Theater Director Yevhen Lavrenchuk
PEN America called for the immediate release of Ukrainian theater director Yevhen Lavrenchuk, who has been detained in Italy since December 17 following an extradition request to Interpol from… More
PEN America Condemns Sentencing of Historian Yury Dmitriev
Today, a court in Russia sentenced the historian and leader of a regional branch of the human rights organization Memorial Yury Dmitriev to 15 years in a penal colony. More
Letter: President Biden Must Sanction Individuals Responsible for Human Rights Violations in Eastern Ukraine
We write to urge the immediate imposition of targeted sanctions against the individuals responsible for grave human rights violations in the areas of eastern Ukraine. More
PEN America Decries Move to Liquidate Russian Human Rights Group
PEN America today decried the move by the Russian prosecutors to liquidate Memorial, the country’s oldest human rights group. More
Nobel Prize to Dmitry Muratov is a Sign that the World Should Unite to Confront Kremlin’s Foreign Agent Law
The Nobel Peace Prize to Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov is an important step to acknowledge the crackdown on independent media by authoritarian regimes. More
New Round of Additions to Russia’s List of ‘Foreign Agents’ Is Direct Threat to Press Freedom
PEN America today condemned Russia’s government for adding yet more journalists and media outlets to its “foreign agents” list. More
Russia Labels Mediazona as ‘Foreign Agent’ in Ongoing Crackdown
The Russian justice ministry this week designated the independent investigative news outlet Mediazona and its editor-in-chief, Sergei Smirnov, as “foreign agents.” More
Russia Effectively Blackmailed Apple, Google Into Removing Voting App
Google and Apple have removed from their stores a tactical voting app from imprisoned activist Alexei Navalny and his allies after coming under pressure from the Russian government for… 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
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
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PEN America On 
Bad news from Mississippi today, where the state senate passed an educational gag order that applies to all public universities and K-12 schools. Among other things, the bill could threaten recognition of the Black Law Students Association at the University of Mississippi.
We have just learned the Myanmar military have sentenced Ko Jimmy and Phyo Zayar Thaw to death for alleged anti-coup activities.
https://www.myanmar-now.org/en/news/democracy-veteran-ko-jimmy-and-former-nld-mp-phyo-zayar-thaw-sentenced-to-death
Oh, I’ve been waiting for this little gift for a bit now. Here’s a sneak peek for the rest of you! @PENamerica #reginalddwaynebetta #prisonwriting
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