Banned Books Week 2023
Banned Books Week 2023: Discover events around banned books week, the most banned books and more for banned books week October 1 - 7, 2023. More
Threat by Tennessee Prosecutor to Enforce Drag Performance Ban at Pride Festival Poses a “Grave Threat” to Free Expression
“Tennessee’s Adult Entertainment Act poses a grave threat to the free expression of drag artists and LGBTQ+ Tennesseans more broadly. Even further, it is likely unconstitutional—as stated by a… More
Death Sentence for Retired Teacher Over Social Media Posts in Saudi Arabia is a “Horrifying Escalation” of the Kingdom’s Crackdown on Free Expression
Justin Shilad, Middle East and North Africa research and advocacy lead at PEN America, said: “Saudi Arabia’s sentencing Mohammed al-Ghamdi to death for posting and sharing on social media… More
A Year After Assault on Salman Rushdie, PEN America is Heartened by His “Full Force” Return as a Free Expression Champion
A week after the unthinkable assault at a bucolic intellectual retreat center in upstate New York, we were heartened by the outpouring of support for Salman when PEN America… More
PEN America: ‘Distressing’ That Indiana Library Is Moving Teen Books to the Adult Section
PEN America expressed distress over the decision by Indiana’s Hamilton East Public Library to move more than 1,300 Young Adult books to its adult section under a new policy… More
Withholding Funds for Palestinian Students is Effort to Entrench a “Separate and Unequal” System Depriving Palestinians of Rights
The Israeli government’s proposed laws concerning Palestinian access to education come amid a broader right-wing legislative push, which has resulted in unprecedented protests throughout Israel this year. This push… More
Crackdown on Free Expression and Dissent Widens in Tunisia, With Arrest of Poet and Scholar Sami Dhibi Over a Facebook Post
Justin Shilad, Middle East and North Africa research and advocacy lead at PEN America, said: “Dhibi’s arrest is a sign of a government afraid of its own people, and… More
New PEN America White Paper: The Human Spark That Drives Creativity Must be Safeguarded As Potential Threats Loom from Artificial Intelligence
“Generative AI and automated tools represent a sea change in how artists, journalists, and writers create, interact with, and disseminate content, and how the public understands and consumes it.… More