PEN America Condemns Assault and Detention of Palestinian Author Hanan Awwad
"We condemn and are deeply distressed by the assault and detention of Hanan Awwad by Israeli soldiers. The assault is not just an attack on an individual, but on… More
India Must Drop the Prosecution of Author Arundhati Roy
“We condemn the escalatory tactics used against Arundhati Roy. This case demonstrates all too clearly how protracted legal harassment, now coupled with the threat of charges under the repressive… More
Narges Mohammadi, The Iranian Writer Speaking Out From Behind Bars
Narges Mohammadi has been a target of Iranian authorities for more than 30 years. She was arrested twice at meetings of a political student group. More
Growing Repression and Persecution of Writers and Artists in Belarus, Ahead of Third Anniversary of Illegitimate Presidential Election
“Belarusians are enduring profound restrictions of their fundamental rights and their cultural heritage is under serious threat and the world is not doing enough to preserve it. If we… More
PEN America Condemns Added One Year Prison Sentence Imposed Unjustly on Iranian Human Rights Defender Narges Mohammadi
“The new charges against Narges Mohammadi fly in the face of freedom of expression, and are a cynical tactic aimed at silencing her brave and fearless voice from speaking… 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
PEN America Decries Continued Imprisonment of Poet Galal El-Behairy, Who is Prepared to Escalate his Hunger Strike by Refusing Water
“Five years of arbitrary detention for nothing other than writing poetry and song lyrics has brought Galal El-Behairy to a point where his life is potentially in critical danger,… More
New Report: 16 Writers and Public Intellectuals Jailed in Belarus in 2022, with 33 Writers at Risk for Persecution
“Belarusian culture does not have a place in its own country,” said Polina Sadovskaya, Eurasia and Advocacy Director at PEN America. “In 2022, the jailing of writers and public… More
New PEN America Report: Crackdown on Anti-Government Protests in Iran Swells the Number of Jailed Writers
“Iran’s creative community—long at the forefront of fighting for free expression and human rights—was singled out as part of a broader crackdown on dissent in 2022,” said Karin Deutsch… More
PEN America Condemns 14-Year Sentence Handed Down to Freedom to Write Honoree Xu Zhiyong
“This 14-year sentence is a shocking and desperate act from the state to hide Xu Zhiyong from the people of China and the world. But his writing lives on… More