PEN America condemns the sentencing of Alsu Kurmasheva to 6.5 years in prison
(NEW YORK, NY) — PEN America strongly condemns the sentencing by a Russian court of Alsu Kurmasheva to 6.5 years in prison. A Prague-based book editor and a journalist… More
PEN America Signs Joint Letter to President Biden in Advance of Meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu
PEN America joins with other NGOs to request that, during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington, DC, the week of July 22, President Biden urges the government… More
PEN America: Wall Street Journal Termination of Journalist Selina Cheng “Risks Sending Troubling Signal”
The Wall Street Journal’s decision to terminate journalist Selina Cheng’s position shortly after she was elected to head the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) risks sending a troubling signal,… More
Masha Gessen Sentenced in Absentia to Eight Years in Russian Prison for Ukraine Comments
"Unfortunately, this conviction comes as little surprise given Gessen’s well-established record of bravely speaking out against the suppression of human rights in Russia." More
Vietnamese Government Must Release Trương Huy San and Drop All Charges
PEN America condemns the Vietnamese government for the arrest of author and journalist Trương Huy San, calling for his immediate release and the dismissal of all charges against him. More
New Coalition Demands Immediate Release of Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi
The Free Narges Coalition is launching following a June 8 court hearing in a new case against Mohammadi that could further lengthen her prison sentence. More
Georgia’s New Foreign Agent Law Puts Right to Dissent at Risk
Georgia’s new foreign agent bill, signed into law on Monday despite prolonged and passionate public outcry and a presidential veto, threatens writers, artists, and other cultural workers who express… More
PEN America Urges Türkiye to Withdraw Foreign Agents Law from Consideration
Pro-government media outlets have reported that the bill, which will soon be formally introduced in parliament for debate, will expand the definition of espionage to include influencing public opinion. More
Kremlin Crackdown on Foreign and Independent Media Intensifies with New Arrests
As Russia closes itself off from the rest of the world, journalists are risking their lives to report independent news to help people understand what is happening in the… More
Iranian Cartoonist Detained for Trying to Post a Cartoon on a Wall Next to Presidential Palace
We are outraged by the violence deployed by Iranian authorities against Atena Farghadani, whose work upholds human rights, democratic values, and free expression. More