Advocacy
Turkey: PEN calls for immediate release of Can Dϋndar and Erdem Gϋl
PEN International, English PEN and PEN South Africa are seriously concerned by the arrest and pre-trial detention of Can Dϋndar and Erdem Gul were detained following the charges announced… More
Brazil: Two Political Bloggers Murdered
The fatal shooting of two political bloggers in Maranhão state, north-eastern Brazil, in just over a week signals an alarming rise in fatal violence against writers that must be… More
Hundreds of Writers Rally for Release of Palestinian Poet
It is not a crime to hold an idea, however unpopular, nor is it a crime to express opinion peacefully. Every individual has the freedom to believe or not… More
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