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.
The Daily Show’s Hasan Minhaj to Launch New PEN America Series on Muslim Identity
Amid a presidential campaign cycle infused with anti-Muslim sentiment and high profile hate crimes, PEN America is launching a groundbreaking program to elevate, amplify, and celebrate the voices of… More
New $50K Literary Award Honors the Spirit of Vladimir Nabokov
Prize will honor a writer of any genre for an outstanding body of work over a sustained career. More
Turkey: Dozens of Journalists Arrested in Wake of Failed Coup
The rapid purge of journalists, academics, and university leaders in Turkey following a failed coup attempt undermines crucial pillars of the very democracy that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan professes… More
Israel: Defense Minister Compares Revered Palestinian Poet to Hitler
Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s bizarre comparison of the late Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish to Adolf Hitler, made in the context of his worrying attempt to influence the programming… More
Mexico: Another Journalist Murdered in Veracruz
PEN America condemns the killing of Mexican journalist Pedro Tamayo Rosas. Tamayo, a reporter and editor in the eastern state of Veracruz, was shot and killed on July 20th… More
Ukraine: Veteran Journalist Murdered in Car Bombing
The killing of veteran journalist Pavel Sheremet is a grievous blow against critical journalism in Eastern Europe and demands a serious response from authorities, PEN America said today. More
‘Guantánamo Diary’ Author Cleared for Release
PEN America welcomes news of the Periodic Review Board’s decision to clear Mohamedou Ould Slahi for release from Guantánamo Bay. More
PEN America and Jean Stein to Honor Groundbreaking Literature with New Awards
$75,000 Prize to be Awarded to a Single Writer for Originality and Impact More
Neil Gaiman, Judy Blume, Martin Amis, Robert Caro, and 20,000 More Americans Call on Presidential Candidates to End Attacks on Journalists
More than 20,000 Americans have called on the Republican and Democratic parties and the presumptive presidential nominees to end attacks on journalists and create an open environment for reporters… More
United States: Journalist’s Murder Requires Prompt Investigation
The horrifying murder of Texas journalist Jacinto Hernández Torres requires a prompt police investigation, including into allegations that he was killed due to his journalistic activities, said PEN America… More