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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Trump Libel Lawsuit Part of Quest to Silence Critics
"President Trump's quest for re-election is being waged through a campaign to intimidate, discredit, and silence critics." More
PEN America Files Ninth Circuit Legal Brief in Support of Student Detained for Reading Poem
“The ability to voice one’s opinion, whether that be through a tweet, an article, or a poem, is one of the most powerful ways we advocate for ourselves and… More
Publisher Gui Minhai Issued Lengthy Prison Sentence by Chinese Court
“Gui Minhai’s 10-year prison sentence is a wildly unjust punishment, based on absurd and politically motivated charges.” More
Egyptian Institutions Ban Mahraganat Genre of Music and Threaten Legal Action Against Artists and Listeners
“New genres of music so often emerge as the voice of those who feel they have been neglected or left behind, and whose voices might otherwise not be heard… More
Tennessee’s Parental Oversight of Public Libraries Act Would Censor Books, Jail Librarians
“This bill would empower a small group of people to act as morality police for entire communities and would punish libraries and librarians who act to safeguard the fundamental… More
Burmese Filmmaker Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi Freed From Prison
“While Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi has found freedom, we remain staunch in our call for the Burmese government to drop any remaining charges and cease their ongoing persecution… More
Ugandan Writer and Activist Released From Prison on Appeal of “Cyber Harassment” Charges
“Her fearless commitment to continuing to write, even from behind bars, is a reminder that even prison cannot silence a voice that is determined to speak truth to power.” More
Turkish Writer Acquitted of Terrorism Charges
“The charges against Aslı Erdoğan are baseless, and the threat of a lengthy sentence after such a drawn-out, unfair trial on such flimsy grounds is devastating." More
Tom Stoppard, M. NourbeSe Philip, Tanya Barfield, Rigoberto González to Receive PEN America Honorary and Career-Achievement Literary Awards
“Fostering and celebrating international literature is central to the mission of the PEN America Literary Awards; we seek to champion original and promising writers of the global community and… More
Turkish Writer Asli Erdoğan Facing Lengthy Prison Sentence
“The charges against Aslı Erdoğan are baseless, and the threat of a lengthy sentence after such a drawn-out, unfair trial on such flimsy grounds is devastating." More