Press Releases
PEN America experts are available for interviews with the press. Please direct inquiries to Suzanne Trimel, Senior Advisor, Communications and Media, at [email protected].
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Free Speech and Other Organizations Urge Florida Lawmakers to Oppose Bill Banning Youth from Social Media
We know social media sites can present significant risks to minors, but the state’s response to such risks should be tailored to minimize harm, not passing measures that violate… More
PEN America Condemns Harsh Sentencing of Grammy-Winning Iranian Singer
PEN America strongly condemns the sentencing of Grammy-winning Iranian singer Shervin Hajipour to three years and eight months in prison. More
PEN America Calls on S.C. Library to Reverse Restriction on Books about Transgender Subjects
Kasey Meehan, Freedom to Read program director at PEN America, said the board should reverse its decision, which she said was based on “viewpoint discrimination” and noted that book… More
PEN America Condemns UC Berkeley Protests that Turned Violent, with Reported Antisemitic Bigotry
“The violent protests and reports of antisemitic bigotry that led to the event cancellation are abhorrent,” said Jonathan Friedman, director of free expression and education programs at PEN America.… More
PEN America Urges University of Houston to Reschedule Talk by Artist Shahzia Sikander and Show Her Film
PEN America’s senior manager for Free Expression and Education, said: “Artistic freedom is not optional on college campuses. As a public university, the University of Houston has an obligation… More
Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) Mourns the Death of Palestinian Artist Fathi Ghaben
Palestinian painter Fathi Ghaben died in Gaza on February 25, after Israeli authorities did not respond to his request for permission to travel outside Gaza for medical treatment. More
Calls by Lawmakers to Disband LGBTQ Studies and Remove “Critical Race Theory” at Texas A & M
Jeremy C. Young, Freedom to Learn program director at PEN America, said in response: “This level of ideological meddling into the affairs of a university by politicians is frightening.… More
Coalition of 20 Groups Press Lawmakers to Reject Florida Teacher Training Bill
“This bill is as dystopian as the original Stop WOKE Act, and would undermine teacher training across key classroom topics, from history and literature to social studies and current… More
PEN America Condemns Unjust Jailing of Memorial Co-Chair for Article Criticizing Russia’s Military
Prominent human rights defender Oleg Orlov, co-chair of Memorial, the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate found guilty on charges of “repeatedly discrediting” the Russian military and sentenced to 2.5… More
Social Media Content Moderation Laws ‘Strike at the Heart of the First Amendment’
PEN America said two laws being challenged before the Supreme Court are unconstitutional and seek to control public discourse much in the same way that book bans, educational gag… More