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.
Conviction of 81-year-old Chinese Publisher an Attempt to Suppress China’s History
Tie published a small-circulation, not-for-profit journal that collected the memoirs of individuals who had been persecuted for criticizing the Communist Party in the 1950s. More
South Africa: Investigate Free Expression Violations in Parliament
Intentional jamming of cellular signals during the State of the Nation Address is a clear act of censorship and a troubling sign for the state of free expression… More
Hundreds of Writers Gather in Brooklyn to Celebrate Free Expression
PEN American Center brought together over 300 of New York’s most acclaimed writers, translators, editors, agents, and publishers to celebrate free expression Wednesday night at its annual New Members/New… More
Bahrain: Writers Stripped of Citizenship
Bahrain should take immediate steps to reinstate nationality for writers unduly stripped of their citizenship, PEN American Center said in a statement today. This weekend, Bahrain revoked the citizenship… More
Argentine Intimidation Tactics ‘Kafkaesque,’ says PEN
PEN is gravely concerned by reports that journalist Damián Pachter has been the target of intimidation by the Argentine government, forcing him to flee to Israel. More
American Publishers and Authors to OFAC: Permit U.S. Publication of Books and Articles From Syria
The Syrian Sanctions Regulations violate federal law and the First Amendment, severely restricting the ability of American publishers to publish works by Syrian academics. More
Press Freedom Waning in Hong Kong
The deterioration of press freedom has accelerated over the past year in Hong Kong, coinciding with a period of rising political tension, according to a new report released by… More
Saudi Arabia: Halt Flogging of Raif Badawi
PEN implores the U.S. government to redouble their efforts to prevent tomorrow's whipping of Raif Badawi, a blogger sentenced to 1,000 lashes. More
PEN Appalled by Savage Attack on French Satirical Magazine Charlie Hebdo
PEN International, PEN American Center, French PEN, PEN Lebanon, English PEN, and PEN Turkey condemn the unprecedented attack on the French publication, Charlie Hebdo’s office in Paris today in… More
New PEN Report Demonstrates Global Chilling Effect of Mass Surveillance
Self-Censorship in Democratic Countries Approaching Authoritarian Levels: Ripple effects of mass surveillance are reverberating worldwide, driving writers to self-censor, according to a new report by PEN American Center released… More