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Sentencing of Poet Wang Zang and His Wife to Prison in China Shows “Repressive Environment” for Free Expression, as PEN America Calls For Their Release

Press ReleaseDecember 13, 2022

“We condemn the sentencing of Wang Zang for exercising his freedom to write, and of his wife Wang Liqin whose only apparent ‘crime’ was advocating for her husband’s rights,”… More

Margaret Atwood Unveils Fireproof Copy of Bestseller The Handmaid’s Tale To Be Auctioned by Sotheby’s in Support of PEN America

analysis
By: Suzanne Trimel | May 23, 2022

‘Powerful Words Can Never Be Extinguished’ (NEW YORK)--Nearly 700 supporters of PEN America's work to defend free expression reacted with cheers and applause at the organization's annual gala tonight after… More

Dmirty Muratov and Maria Ressa

PEN America Overjoyed to See Two Defenders of the Freedom to Write Receive Nobel Peace Prize

Press ReleaseOctober 8, 2021

The free expression and writers' organization PEN America today welcomed the news that journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov will receive the Nobel Peace Prize. More

a fountain pen writes on a piece of paper; on top: PEN America logo and “Freedom to Write Index 2020”

PEN America: China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey Remain World’s Top Jailers of Writers

Press ReleaseApril 20, 2021

In PEN America’s annual census of detained writers worldwide, The Freedom to Write Index, the literary and free expression group found that in 2020, at least 273 writers, academics,… More

Barack Obama headshot

Barack Obama Receives 2020 PEN America Voice of Influence Award, Re-Embraces His Identity as a Writer

Press ReleaseDecember 8, 2020

“My politics, my public life, and my more interior writing life have never been that far apart," More

Barack Obama headshot

“James Baldwin Didn’t Have to Go Out and Get Votes.” Obama Reflects on Race, Dialogue, and Disinformation in PEN America Interview

Press ReleaseDecember 5, 2020

In an interview with PEN America, President Obama reflects on race, dialogue, and disinformation as the country confronts a new political future. More

Xu Zhiyong Advocacy Page

PEN America Announces Detained Chinese Essayist Xu Zhiyong as 2020 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award Honoree

Press ReleaseJune 4, 2020

"His essays have served as calls to conscience at pivotal moments in China’s recent history." More

collage of a prison overlaid with a handwritten note

PEN America: China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey Are World’s Worst Jailers of Writers

Press ReleaseMay 19, 2020

"The Index spotlights governments’ nefarious will to suppress truth and control the public mind by silencing writers who dare challenge authority." More

Flag of Egypt

Egypt Going to Extreme Lengths to Quash Dissent, Imprisoning Writers as Part of Broader Crackdown

Press ReleaseOctober 2, 2019

“The Sisi regime is engaged in a desperate but nonetheless brutal attempt to silence even the slightest expression of dissent." More

page one of Oleg Sentsov's handwritten letter

Read Oleg Sentsov’s Acceptance Letter from the Solidarity of Arts Festival

Letter
By: Oleg Sentsov | August 27, 2019

"It's easy to be a revolutionary when revolution has already won. And much more difficult when the oppressor is still strong and the chances to win are small." More

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  • What's New
PEN America: Arrest of Protesters in Georgia on Broad and Vaguely-Worded ‘Domestic Terrorism’ Charges Could Chill the Right to Protest
PEN America Speaks: How We Defended and Celebrated Free Expression This Week
PEN America Condemns Ongoing Russian Efforts to Stifle Independent Media and Civil Society
PEN America: Meta Decision Lifting Trump Suspension To Hinge on How New Guardrails are Implemented and Enforced

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penamerica PEN America @penamerica ·
7h

Walking on Eggshells: Teachers' Responses to Classroom Limitations on Race- or Gender-Related Topics

@RANDCorporation report on educational gag orders shows #teachers are self-censoring and restrictions are falling disproportionately on Black teachers.

https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA134-16.html

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Retweet on Twitter PEN America Retweeted
jeremycyoung Jeremy C. Young @jeremycyoung ·
30 Jan

@PENamerica predicted in November 2021: "These bills will have a chilling effect on the speech of educators." We wish we had been wrong. State legislators: did you want teachers more afraid and students learning less? Because that's what you've created. https://pen.org/report/educational-gag-orders/

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Retweet on Twitter PEN America Retweeted
fromajwithlove PRE-ORDER🦕THE NOISY CLASSROOM GOES TOTHE MUSEUM🦖 @fromajwithlove ·
14h

Then there’s this 🙄 https://twitter.com/penamerica/status/1619505262024601601

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