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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Statement by PEN America on the Resignation of Trustee Masha Gessen
PEN America regrets the situation that ensued from the error. As we conveyed to the writers from Ukraine, it is elemental to PEN as advocates of free expression that… More
“Breathtaking” Ohio Bill Would “Mandate” Censorship in State Universities and Colleges, Says PEN America
“SB 83 would not only legalize censorship in Ohio’s public universities, but would mandate it,” said Jeremy C. Young, Freedom to Learn program director. “SB 83 is the longest… More
PEN America’s Literary Gala May 18 to Honor Iranian Writer and Human Rights Defender Narges Mohammadi with PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award
PEN America Chief Executive Officer Suzanne Nossel said: “Narges Mohammadi inspires awe across the world for her unflinching courage and resistance to the Iranian government’s determined campaign to silence… More
Shut Down of Environmental Blog at U of Iowa After Lawmakers Reportedly Complained About It is “Profoundly Alarming,” Says PEN America
PEN America’s senior manager of free expression and education Kristen Shahverdian said: “It is nothing short of a tragedy that Jones’ blog has been shut down for political reasons.… More
PEN America Condemns China’s Arrest of Exiled Mongolian Writer and Historian Lhamjab A. Borjigin
These efforts infringe on the rights to freedom of opinion and belief, cultural expression, and education, protected by Chinese and international law. The arrest on Mongolian soil and immediate… More
Ahead of United Nations Review, PEN America Finds Chinese Government Has Failed to Protect Women’s Rights
“The May 12 review between the Chinese delegation and the UN Committee provides an opportunity for international scrutiny and accountability for the Chinese government’s violation of women’s rights,” said… More
PEN America Statement About Ted Sarandos and the Business Visionary Award
PEN America released the following statement: “We admire Ted Sarandos’ singular work translating literature to artful presentation on screen, and his stalwart defense of free expression and satire. As a… More
PEN America: Choice to Rescind Permission for Event at Medical College of Wisconsin Sends the Message that Speakers Must Pass Through an “Ideological Litmus Test”
"The choice to rescind permission for this event sends a message that the exchange of ideas at the Medical College of Wisconsin is not truly free and must pass… More
PEN America Mourns Passing of Philanthropist Laura Pels
For the past 25 years, the award has recognized playwrights of all career stages including Tony Kushner, Suzan-Lori Parks, David Henry Hwang, Lynn Nottage, and Larissa FastHorse. These and… More
PEN America Condemns “Egregious” Sentences Against Blogger and Journalists in Belarus
Since the 2020 presidential election in Belarus, internationally regarded as neither free nor fair, Lukashenka’s government has jailed journalists, writers, and other cultural figures on politically-motivated charges for expressing… More
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