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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Ahmed Gamal Ziada’s Continued Detention Part of Concerted Effort to Erode Press Freedom in Egypt
"Even when, as in this case, Mr. Ziada is seeking simply going about the normal activities of a working journalist in Egypt, he is being detained on spurious charges… More
President Trump Must Call a Decisive Halt on Attacks on the Press, Starting with His Own
"The bone-chilling details of this plan to target journalists and politicians with murderous violence are a sobering reminder of the threats journalists and others face for uncovering and speaking the truth. That on this very… More
Russian Bill Requiring All Internet Traffic to Pass Government-Controlled Routing Points a Troubling Advancement of “Digital Sovereignty”
"The bill passed this week, which has an extremely tenuous national security justification, would essentially provide the government with veto power over the online communication and behavior of its… More
Trump’s Manufactured State of Emergency a Clear Effort to Grab Power and Evade Checks and Balances
"The manufactured state of emergency the President has announced today is a familiar ploy of authoritarian governments—to grab power and evade checks and balances based on a crisis of… More
PEN World Voices Festival 2019: Open Secrets to Convene Leading Writers and Luminaries from Around the World to Address the Blurring Boundary Between Public and Private, May 6-12, in 60+ Events Across NYC
"PEN World Voices offers an annual occasion for writers, artists, and intellectuals to pool resources for a weeklong exchange of creativity and ideas. In our era of global and… More
Arrest of Maria Ressa Exposes Philippines Government’s Intention to Stamp Out Investigative Journalism
By arresting her on these absurd and baseless charges, concerning an article published 7 years ago and prior to the enactment of the very law under which she is… More
President Trump’s Character Assassination Against the Press Is Irresponsible, Manifestly Dangerous
Yet again we see evidence that President Trump's steady campaign of character assassination being waged against the news media is not just irresponsible but manifestly dangerous. Those present at… More
Google’s Reported Decision to Delete Search Results a “Troubling Sign of Capitulation” to Russian Censorship
Reports that Google has begun deleting from its search engine websites banned inside Russia is a disturbing sign that the digital giant may be compromising on its users’ right… More
White House’s Refusal to Report to Congress on Khashoggi Killing a Disgrace
This failure to act enables impunity, puts journalists and dissidents around the world at risk, and sends an alarming message that will only empower autocrats. PEN America continues to call… More
Charges Against Philippines Journalist Maria Ressa an Affront to Free Expression
"The latest charges against Maria Ressa and Rappler lack any clear legal basis and represent an overtly politicized attempt to further cow this brave investigative journalist and her colleagues into submission and silence." More