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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PEN America Calls On Berkeley to Ensure Speech is Not Shut Down
In response to a decision by the University of California at Berkeley to cancel a planned appearance by conservative provocateur Ann Coulter, PEN America Executive Director Suzanne Nossel called… More
MYANMAR: PEN America Demands Immediate Investigation into Murder of News Editor Wai Yan Heinn
The murder of news editor Wai Yan Heinn in Myanmar, a country notorious for its climate of impunity in attacks on journalists, demands an immediate and thorough investigation. More
US: Decision to Stop Releasing White House Visitor Logs a “Step Backwards”
WASHINGTON -- The Trump administration’s announcement that it would end the Obama administration’s practice of routinely releasing White House visitor logs is a step backwards for government transparency and… More
ETHIOPA: Zone 9 Bloggers Should Be Acquitted of All Charges
NEW YORK—The Ethiopian Supreme Court's decision yesterday to open a criminal case against two Zone 9 bloggers formerly charged and acquitted of terrorism is a shameful setback in a long… More
US: Release Singaporean Blogger Amos Yee
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials should immediately release persecuted Singaporean activist and blogger Amos Yee, who was granted asylum by a U.S. immigration judge on March 24,… More
PEN America to Honor Women’s March with Free Expression Courage Award
PEN America honors the Women's March for acting at a critical moment to overcome the inertia and fear of failure that can impair public mobilization, and for inspiring millions… More
PEN America to Honor Imprisoned Ukrainian Writer and Filmmaker Oleg Sentsov with 2017 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award
The abduction, abuse, and baseless conviction of Oleg Sentsov are emblematic of Russian President Vladimir Putin's refusal to countenance dissent. More
Hisham Matar Takes $75,000 Prize for Book of the Year at Reimagined PEN America Literary Awards Ceremony
Hisham Matar was awarded the inaugural PEN/Jean Stein Book Award for his memoir The Return (Penguin Random House) Monday night at the PEN America Literary Awards Ceremony in a… More
ISRAEL: Poet Dareen Tatour Should Be Acquitted For Protest Poem and Facebook Posts
NEW YORK—Ahead of upcoming hearings in the trial of poet Dareen Tatour, a Palestinian citizen of Israel who has been charged with incitement to violence and support of terrorism,… More
Jasper Johns, Rosanne Cash, Hanya Yanagihara, and more than 200,000 Americans Call on Congress to Save Federal Arts Funding
More than 200,000 Americans have joined PEN America, the Daily Kos, and other progressive groups in calling on Congress to reject the proposed federal budget revealed today and to… More