February 1, 2010:
PEN President Appiah Nominates Liu Xiaobo for Nobel Peace Prize >> More

January 26, 2010:
Detained PEN Officer Zhao Shiying Released; ICPC Site Attacked >> More

January 14, 2010:
Writer and PEN Officer Zhao Shiying Detained in China >> More

Writers for Freedom
of Expression in China

Despite official promises to the contrary, Chinese writers and journalists continue to be censored, harassed, and imprisoned throughout the country. PEN calls for the release of all currently imprisoned writers; complete media freedom; the end of Internet censorship; and drastic reform of laws used to jail writers and suppress freedom of expression in China.

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Iraqi Refugees Campaign:
The Least We Can Do

Since the 1930s, PEN has assisted colleagues who are forced to seek refuge abroad. Since 2006, this campaign has been working to resettle Iraqi translators, writers, and journalists who have been targeted for death and forced into hiding and to press the U.S. government to institute programs to resettle Iraqis who are persecuted as a result of their efforts to build a safe, free, and open society in Iraq.

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The Rapid Action Network (RAN) was founded by International PEN in 1991. PEN utilizes the Network to alert Members as rapidly as possible to disturbing developments affecting the welfare of writers and journalists around the globe, and to encourage them to respond instantly by writing an appeal and passing the information on to their contacts.

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International pressure is the single most critical factor in the fate of writers imprisoned or harassed around the world, many of whom are Honorary Members of PEN. This campaign has long worked to ensure the safety of these writers, and we are committed to pressing these cases until they are freed, exonerated, or safe from further threat.

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January 20, 2010:
PEN Celebrates Victory in Tariq Ramadan Case  >> More

November 11, 2009:
Book Groups Support Patriot Act Reform Bill in House  >> More

October 14, 2009:
Writers Press for Accountability on Torture  >> More

Torture and Basic Human Rights

Promoting U.S. policies that reflect a core commitment to individual rights, preserve these rights at home, and expand them internationally

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Surveillance and Privacy

Protecting the personal privacy necessary for the free exploration of information and ideas

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Secrecy and Access to Information

Protecting the personal privacy necessary for the free exploration of information and ideas

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PEN’s Campaign for Core Freedoms works to: protect personal privacy; preserve public access to information and a full range of voices from the United States and around the world; and promote policies that reflect a core commitment to human rights.

In line with these goals, PEN is calling for:

• the restoration of protections for bookstore and library records

• restrictions on the use of National Security Letters

• an end to illegal telephone and Internet surveillance programs

• federal “shield” protection for the press

• an end to ideological exclusion

• an end to torture, extraordinary rendition, and arbitrary detention

• policies promoting press freedom and freedom of expression in Iraq and Afghanistan

>> Campaign background