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.
Iran: Another Poet’s Arrest Signals Creation of Repressive Blueprint for Free Expression
The arrest of poet Hila Sedighi in Tehran this week marks an acceleration in Iran’s crackdown on provocative cultural figures as the country prepares for elections next month. More
Joint Statement: PEN Joins Call Asking World Leaders to Support Strong Encryption
Today PEN American Center joined 195 experts, companies, and organizations in more than 35 countries in asking world leaders to support strong encryption and to reject any law, policy,… More
PEN Expert Available for Comment on Anniversary of Charlie Hebdo Attacks
Escalating efforts to narrow the space for free expression in 2015 give increasing relevance to writers, artists, and human rights organizations on the front lines of the battle to… More
Hong Kong: Disappearances of 5 Associated with Publisher Furthers Concerns about Free Expression
The mysterious disappearances of five men associated with a Hong Kong publisher known for its scathing exposés of Chinese officials drive increasing concern for the fading autonomy of the… More
China Expels French Journalist in Blatant Assault on Foreign Reporting
Gauthier wrote an article criticizing Chinese authorities’ efforts to draw a comparison between the terrorist attacks in Paris and the ongoing unrest in China’s Xinjiang province. More
China Effectively Ends Career of Prominent Human Rights Lawyer in Continuing Crackdown on Free Speech
China’s sentencing of Pu Zhiqiang is the latest example in an ongoing crackdown by President Xi Jinping’s administration against activists, human rights lawyers, and writers. More
PEN Joins Coalition Calling on Secretary Kerry to Grant Visas to Threatened Bangladeshi Bloggers
A coalition of free expression and human rights advocacy groups led by PEN American Center today released an open letter to the U.S. Department of State urging the swift… More
Bill Introduced in U.S. Would Hold Azerbaijan Accountable for Free Expression Crackdown
The introduction of a bill in the U.S. Congress that would impose visa sanctions on Azerbaijan’s senior leadership is an important move to hold Azerbaijan accountable for its escalating… More
Chimamanda Adichie, Neil Gaiman, and More Join PEN in Urging President Obama to Press Saudi Arabia on Poet Sentenced to Beheading
NEW YORK—Seventy-one of the most prominent names in international literature and art have joined PEN America in an open letter to President Obama today, urging him to take up… More
Bangladesh: Social Media Platform Blocking Signals Further Free Expression Degradation
The blocking of access to Facebook, Viber, Whatsapp, and other similar services in Bangladesh indicates a further degradation of free expression in a country that has seen increased violent… More