Advocacy
Irony in China: Anti-Corruption Activist Xu Zhiyong Marks Two Years in Prison
Today marks the two-year anniversary of the arrest of Chinese activist Xu Zhiyong under charges of disrupting public order. More
France’s Laws against Hate Speech Are Bad News for Free Speech
Following the horrific attacks at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris this January and an ensuing increase in arrests for hate speech, the state of freedom expression in France… More
New Bill Risks Transforming Egypt’s Media into Mouthpiece of the Regime
A new anti-terrorism bill in Egypt threatens to criminalize the publication of news that contradicts the official narrative of “terrorist operations” in the embattled North African country. More
Mexico: Four Journalists, Two Weeks, Zero Arrests
The recent deaths of four journalists in Mexico in the last month—three of them in the space of a week—is a harrowing reminder of the dangers facing media professionals… More
‘The Wounds of the Uyghur People Have Not Healed’
July 5, 2015 is the sixth anniversary of the Urumqi riots in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Ilham Tohti, winner of the 2014 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award,… More
Joint letter Expresses Concern about Trigger Warnings in College Courses
A joint letter by National Coalition Against Censorship, PEN, and other organizations urges Crafton Hills College not to set a dangerous precedent by adopting a general warning or disclaimer… More
Kyrgyzstan: Anti-LGBTQI law passes second reading
News that a law which will restrict positive discourse around sexual orientation has been passed in a second reading by the Kyrgyzstan parliament is deeply disappointing, PEN International and… More
Azerbaijan: Meydan TV Director Emin Milli Threatened for Critical Reporting on European Games
On 26 June, Meydan TV Director Emin Milli reported that he had received a threat from the Azerbaijani Minister of Youth and Sport, Azad Rahimov, in connection with his… More
PEN Expresses Concern at Conviction in Bangladesh Contempt of Court Case
PEN American Center welcomes the exoneration of 22 people on contempt of court charges brought by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal No. 2 for the simple act of making a… More
Concern in South Africa over British GCHQ’s Unlawful Interception of Communications
Reports, confirmed by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, that the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), a British intelligence and surveillance agency, intercepted the communications of human rights groups in South Africa… More