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].
At a time of unprecedented attacks against the free press, PEN America Members are taking action. Join us today.
Arrest of Chinese Filmmaker Deng Chuanbin Represents the Extreme Lengths of Chinese Authorities to Silence Artistic Voices
"Deng Chuanbin appears to have been arrested merely for tweeting out a meme making reference to a historical date. As we near the 30th anniversary of Tiananmen, we can expect… More
Julian Assange Indictment Raises Grave Concerns for Press Freedom in the U.S.
"By bringing charges under the Espionage Act for actions that include receiving and publishing information and documents, the Department of Justice is setting a dangerous precedent that could be wielded against journalists and… More
2019 PEN America Gala Celebrates Dauntless Truthtellers Anita Hill; Bob Woodward; Imprisoned Saudi Writer-Activists Nouf Abdulaziz, Loujain Al-Hathloul, and Eman Al-Nafjan; and Scholastic Chairman/CEO Richard Robinson
"Tonight’s honorees span generations, geographies, and cultures but are united by their fearless fealty to truth." More
Misguided Ban on Used Books in Ohio Prisons Marks Troubling Erosion of the Right to Read
We urge Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio, Director Annette Chambers-Smith of Ohio’s Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, and other state authorities to reverse these policies, and to re-evaluate how… More
White House’s Decision to Revoke Press Passes Part of Efforts to Stifle Speech and Media Freedom
“This administration’s attempts to stifle the free press are transparent, insidious, and unconstitutional. The mass revocation of press credentials is just the latest act in a long pattern of… More
PEN America Celebrates Reuters Journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo’s Amnesty
The decision of Myanmar’s president to grant an amnesty to Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo is a long overdue restoration of freedom for these two brave… More
New York State Senate Resolution Affirms Centrality of Press Freedom to Our Democracy
“In leading the way for other state and local leaders to support press freedom through legislative action, the New York Senate has underscored the essential role of journalism in… More
PEN America Mobilizes Members and Allies Across the United States to Mark World Press Freedom Day on May 3
“Press freedom can sometimes seem like an abstract concept or a distant problem, but the consequences of its erosion affect every single person’s life, from the air we breathe… More
Congressional Resolutions Marking World Press Freedom Day Reaffirm the Centrality of a Free Press to Democracy
“It is more important than ever before that public officials in America speak up for the press, as the threats against journalists on every continent are mounting day by… More
Myanmar Supreme Court’s Decision to Uphold Convictions of Reuters Journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo a Devastating Blow
"With this devastating and wrongful decision, the Myanmar Supreme Court has disappointed not only Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo and their families, but all those who maintained hope… More