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Iran: PEN International calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities that undermine international peace and security law
Iran 2026 Statement 6 March Written By PEN International ‘We are witnessing grave challenges to world peace and security, with political leaders utterly failing to uphold international law and actively dismantling the rules-based order. The international community has a crucial responsibility to uphold international law and support UN institutions in resolving disputes between states through diplomacy, not […]
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PEN International: International Women’s Day 2026 – Take Action for Valeryja Kaściuhova (Belarus)
Writer, editor and political scientist Valeryja Kaściuhova is serving a 10-year prison sentence in Homel, Belarus. Arrested in June 2021, she was convicted in March 2023 on politically motivated charges commonly used to silence independent voices and is reportedly in need of medical care. PEN International is deeply concerned by Kaściuhova’s continued imprisonment and urges […]
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Free Them All: Day of the Imprisoned Writer 2025
“Across the world, writers continue to pay a heavy price for speaking truth. Rory Branker, Yalqun Rozi, Mohamed Tadjadit, and Mzia Amaglobeli remind us that words can shake the powerful — and that courage endures even when their freedom is taken away. Their persecution is a wound to justice and humanity itself. We must not […]
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PEN International statement on the fragile ceasefire in Gaza
PEN International released a statement on 21 October 2025 calling on all parties to uphold the ongoing implementation of the drastically overdue ceasefire in Gaza and never allow any resumption of hostilities. The international community must ensure a permanent end to the genocide in Gaza, a full withdrawal of Israeli forces, unfettered access to humanitarian assistance […]
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International Mother Language Day 2025: Take Action for Andrzej Poczobut (Belarus)
“Andrzej Poczobut, a voice for the silenced, is paying a devastating price for his unwavering commitment to truth and justice. Locked away, deprived of the very freedoms he seeks to protect, his persecution is a chilling reminder of the lengths to which the Belarusian authorities will go to crush dissent. PEN International stands with Andrzej […]
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5th Video-Poem Marathon in Indigenous and Minoritised Languages
PEN International’s Translation and Linguistic Rights Committee is organising a new Video-Poem Marathon in Indigenous and Minoritised Languages, from February 21, 2025 (International Mother Language Day) to March 21 (World Poetry Day). This simple activity is essential for making visible linguistic communities and literary works that are too often ignored. Each new poem created in […]
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Join PEN International’s Day of the Imprisoned Writer Campaign 2024 to free silenced voices
EMBARGOED 15 November 2023 PRESS RELEASE (London, 12 November 2024): Acclaimed writers Olga Tokarczuk, Elif Shafak, Viv Groskop and Gioconda Belli express solidarity to fellow writers as PEN International launches its annual Day of the Imprisoned Writer campaign, 15 November 2024. From 15 – 29 November, PEN International spotlights four writers targeted for their […]
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Announcing the 2024 Moore Prize Jury for Writing on Human Rights
1 May, 2024 – For immediate release The Christopher G. Moore Foundation is delighted to announce the jury for their eighth annual literary prize honouring books that feature human rights themes. The Prize has been established to provide recognition to authors who, through their work, contribute to the universality of human rights. This unique initiative […]
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Defend Press Freedom Amidst Israel’s War on Gaza: World Press Freedom Day 2024
“Amid the mounting death toll, destruction, and reports of harrowing atrocities, journalists in Gaza risk their lives and limbs to cover the war. Deliberately targeting journalists, and indiscriminate attacks that kill or injure journalists, amount to war crimes. All those responsible must be held to account. Protecting press freedom and ensuring the safety of […]
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PEN International releases War, Censorship, and Persecution caselist 2023
The PEN International Case List 2023/2024, has been released, highlighting challenges for writers in global conflicts and emphasizing the need to safeguard freedom of expression, especially in war-torn regions. War, Censorship, and Persecution documents 122 cases of writers facing harassment, arrest, violence and even death worldwide. These include 26 people imprisoned, 23 detained, 22 harassed, 14 […]
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Prominent writers pull out of PEN AMERICA literary festival, citing Gaza
March 15, WASHINGTON POST: A group of writers including Lorrie Moore and Michelle Alexander announced Thursday that they are pulling out of this year’s PEN AMERICA World Voices Festival, citing the organizer’s inaction over the war in Gaza. In a letter published on Lit Hub, the writers criticized literary nonprofit PEN America for failing […]
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PEN International Case List 2023/2024: Unveiling the Persecution and Censorship of Writers Amid War
2023/24 website statement “The role that writers can play in times of uncertainty, diligently curating narratives to nourish empathy, encompassing glimpses of joy and ultimately offering the gift of hope, lacks formal recognition, and this lack of acknowledgement or coherent protections can ultimately decimate expression and propel rampant self-censorship.” Ma Thida, Chair of PEN […]
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