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.
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
PEN America Highlights World Press Freedom Day Underscoring Writers and Journalists Jailed Worldwide
Nadine Farid Johnson, managing director of PEN America Washington and Free Expression programs said, “Across the world, the bravery of journalists is on full display. Resolute in their commitment… More
Outdoor Art Installation 5/11 and 5/13 in NYC Draws Attention to Crisis of Book Bans in Public Schools
Across the United States, local and state initiatives are regulating what can and cannot be taught to students. School boards are limiting students' access to books, and elected leaders… More
U of Arkansas Refuses Payment to Doctor for Speaking to Medical Students After He Fails to Agree Not to Boycott Israel
Kate Ruane, director of U.S. Free Expression Programs at PEN America, said: “It is ridiculous and offensive that Dr. Feldman is being denied payment for his services because he refuses… More
PEN Tulsa Celebrates Free Expression and Queer Identity with Events May 20 and 21
"[...] the title alone is like waving a red cape in front of a right-wing bull. Let alone that it centers the story of an urban Black trans woman.… More
Now the Most Challenged and Banned Book, Gender Queer Was Written to Give Teenagers the Guidance that Author Maia Kobabe Never Had
“If I’d had a book to read like this, specifically, when I was like a freshman in high school, it would have saved me years of questioning and confusion… More
Firing of Tenured Professor at Bakersfield College “Blurred Lines” Between Protected Speech and Conduct that May Merit Investigation, Says PEN America
Jeremy C. Young, senior manager of free expression and education at PEN America, issued the following statement: “Universities should never throw the kitchen sink at faculty in an attempt to… More
Student Decision to Prevent Speaker from On-Campus Talk in Spokane is Disappointing, Especially in Light of Historic Levels of Education Censorship, Says PEN America
Kristen Shahverdian, senior manager of free expression and education at PEN America, released the following statement: “It is disappointing to see a student group fearful of inviting a speaker based… More
As Press Leaks Confirm Iran’s Systematic Targeting and Persecution of Artists, PEN America Calls on UN Fact-Finding Mission to Investigate
“The leaked documents prove the deliberate and systematic nature of the Iranian regime’s attacks on freedom of expression, amounting to major human rights violations under international law. The Minister… More
New PEN America Manifesto on Translation: A Call for Change to Counter Historic Racial and Gender Inequities in the 21st Century
Allison Markin Powell, a member of the Translation Committee who led the group that drafted the manifesto, said: “The manifesto’s call to action emphasizes that translation is a form… More
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