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 Demands Iran Release Writer and Human Rights Defender Narges Mohammadi
“Narges Mohammadi has been a stalwart defender of free expression in Iran for more than a decade. This latest arrest and immediate detention in solitary confinement is a gross… More
PEN America Celebrates Release of U.S. Journalist Danny Fenster
The release of journalist Danny Fenster, a U.S. citizen and managing editor of the independent Frontier Myanmar news outlet, is a rare victory for freedom of expression in Myanmar. More
Cuban Authorities Lock Down Would-Be Protesters
State security forces in Cuba today prevented demonstrators from taking part in a planned rally to protest ongoing repression and persecution on the island, barricading artists, journalists, and activists… More
Advancement of Ohio Bill Ominous Sign for Protest Rights
(New York, NY) — A proposed state law in Ohio threatens to unduly restrict protest rights and undermine First Amendment freedoms, PEN America warned today. The legislation—HB 109—was voted… More
Closure of Kyiv Post Raises Warning Signal About Independent Journalism in Ukraine
PEN America today expressed deep concern regarding the closure of the Kyiv Post. More
PEN America Decries Move to Liquidate Russian Human Rights Group
PEN America today decried the move by the Russian prosecutors to liquidate Memorial, the country’s oldest human rights group. More
Texas Governor Invokes ‘Pornography’ to Ban Books, Threaten Criminal Action Against Librarians and Teachers
PEN America condemns the governor’s actions as a politically-motivated exercise in censorship and intimidation that threatens to ban books and criminalize teachers and librarians doing their job. More
PEN America Announces 60 Judges for 2022 Literary Awards
PEN America today announced the 60 judges for its 2022 PEN America Literary Awards. More
Reopening of Criminal Investigation Into Nobel Laureate Orhan Pamuk is Egregious Move to Silence Writers in Turkey
The reopening of a criminal investigation into Nobel Laureate Orhan Pamuk for writing in his latest novel Nights of Plague is an egregious attempt by Turkish authorities to silence… More
New PEN America Report Warns About Dangers of Educational Gag Orders
A wave of alarming legislative efforts to limit teaching and learning on topics including racism, sexism, and American history represent a censorious drive to impose viewpoint and content-based restrictions… More
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