Disponible en arabe ?????? ?????? ???????  International PEN Charter

The New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc) Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa sends love and support to our devasted communities across Aotearoa. PEN International condemns this act of cowardice and hate.

Every NZSA regional branch and council meeting begins with reference to the empty chair where we acknowledge writers and journalists persecuted around the world; PEN lobbies governments in support of these writers and campaigns for journalistic freedoms.

We are devastated at the cruel, premeditated attacks on our local Muslim community in Christchurch; on our people, New Zealanders, murdered as they prayed. NZSA offers our thoughts and prayers and stands with you all in your anguish.

The PEN charter includes these words:

“Members of PEN should at all times use what influence they have in favour of good understanding and mutual respect between nations and people; they pledge themselves to do their utmost to dispel all hatreds and to champion the ideal of one humanity living in peace and equality in one world. “

“PEN declares for a free press and opposes arbitrary censorship in time of peace. It believes that the necessary advance of the world towards a more highly organised political and economic order renders a free criticism of governments, administrations and institutions imperative. And since freedom implies voluntary restraint, members pledge themselves to oppose such evils of a free press as mendacious publication, deliberate falsehood and distortion of facts for political and personal ends.”

NZSA endorses these principles today. Kia Kaha.

New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc) Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa.