Advocacy
In Malaysia, It Is Still Illegal to Disagree
At least six individuals have been charged under Malaysia's Sedition Act since the Federal Court struck down a constitutional challenge to the colonial-era law, reinforcing the government’s right to… More
Saudi Arabia: Poet Ashraf Fayadh Sentenced to Death
PEN is appalled at the news that Ashraf Fayadh, a poet, artist, curator, and member of British-Saudi art organisation Edge of Arabia, has been sentenced to death. More
Myanmar: Poet’s Arrest Signals Deteriorating Tolerance for Online Satire & Free Expression
The arrest of a poet on charges of insulting the president of Myanmar points to both the government’s low tolerance for satire as a form of creative expression and… More
PEN Outraged by New Attacks on Bangladeshi Bloggers and Publishers
PEN American Center expresses outrage at a spate of religiously motivated attacks on October 31 that left a Bangladeshi publisher hacked to death and three others wounded in two… More
Poets Rally for Iranian Colleagues
We the undersigned poets join with PEN American Center to appeal for the immediate nullification of the sentences given to poets Fatemeh Ekhtesari and Mehdi Mousavi. More
Indonesia: End interference with literary festival over ‘year of living dangerously’ sessions
The decision of Indonesian authorities to interfere with the programme of the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, starting on Wednesday in Ubud is deeply shocking and should be overturned… More
Honduras: journalist prevented from testifying at Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
The Honduran government has yet again displayed a fundamental lack of respect for freedom of expression and for the authority of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), PEN… More
PEN Stands in Solidarity with Indian Writers Protesting Murders
PEN, at its 81st Congress in Quebec City, is standing in solidarity with Indian writers, who are protesting against the silencing of independent voices by the killing of writers… More
Publishers’ Pledge on Chinese Censorship of Translated Works
As publishers we cherish and champion the freedom to read, write, and publish and the power of ideas to transcend geographic and political divides. We recognize that free expression… More
Publishers’ Pledge on Chinese Translations
Twelve U.S. publishers have signed onto a PEN American Center pledge to monitor and address incidents of censorship in Chinese translations of books by foreign authors. More
Support for the freedom to read with exclusive designs by Todd Parr, Mike Curato, Art Spiegelman, and more!
