Home > Freedom to Write > Press Releases PRESS RELEASES March 8, 2006: International Women's Day To mark International Women's Day on March 8, International PEN Writers in Prison Committee is focusing on the case of the Mexican writer and journalist Lydia Cacho. >> More March 4, 2006: International PEN Writers in Prison Committee meets in Istanbul At meetings focusing on PEN's global program, the members planned the launch of a campaign against insult and criminal defamation laws under which writers and journalists are imprisoned worldwide, including Article 301 in Turkey. >> More November 10, 2005: PEN Goes to Court for Documents on Visa Denials PEN filed a lawsuit today to compel the Departments of State, Justice, and Homeland Security and the CIA to release documents on whether the United States bars prominent international figures from visiting the United States because of their political views. >> More September 14, 2005: Yahoo! information used to convict Chinese journalist PEN is alarmed by evidence that information supplied by the Internet Service Provider Yahoo! Inc. was used to convict journalist, poet and dissident writer Shi Tao. >> More September 2, 2005: PEN Protests Charges Against Turkish Author Orhan Pamuk PEN expressed shock today that world-famous Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk will be brought before an Istanbul court on December 16 and that he faces up to three years in prison for a comment published in a Swiss newspaper earlier this year. >> More August 8, 2005: PEN Hails Release of Saudi Reformers PEN hailed the release today of Ali Al-Domaini, a leading Saudi literary figure who was one of three prominent intellectuals imprisoned for criticizing the pace and reach of human rights reforms in Saudi Arabia. >> More July 25, 2005: Writers condemn sentences against Saudi reformers, call for increased pressure PEN expressed deep disappointment that an appeals court has upheld the harsh jail sentences against Saudi poet Ali Al-Domaini and two other reformists accused of petitioning for a constitutional monarchy in the conservative Muslim kingdom. >> More June 3, 2005: PEN Calls for the Permanent Release from Prison of Journalist Akbar Ganji Now that Ganji has been released from Evin Prison, we urge that his freedom from incarceration be made permanent and that he not be returned to prison next week. >> More May 16, 2005: International PEN statement on the recent events in Uzbekistan International PEN is alarmed by recent days' events in Uzbekistan and calls for a lifting of the clamp down on the media reporting from cities affected by unrest, and urges that there be no further killings. >> More May 15, 2005: Writers Condemn Conviction of Poet, Two Other Reform Advocates In Saudi Arabia PEN reacted with shock to the announcement that Saudi poet Ali Al-Domaini has been sentenced to nine years in prison for criticizing the pace of political reforms in Saudi Arabia. >> More May 6, 2005: Verdict Imminent In Trial Testing Saudi Tolerance For Reform PEN joined Saudi and international human rights groups in calling for the unconditional release of the reformers, calling the proceedings a key test of whether Saudi citizens will have a voice in shaping their country's political future. >> More May 3, 2005: World Press Freedom Day To mark this year's May 3rd World Press Freedom Day, PEN is focusing on three cases of attacks on writers and journalists who use the Internet. >> More April 28, 2005: PEN Centers join campaign to end murder of Mexican journalists PEN Canada, PEN Québec, PEN American Center, and Danish PEN have joined forces with PEN Mexico and other Mexican media and free expression organizations, converging under the banner of Ni Uno Más (Not One More). >> More April 4, 2005: Librarian Who Fought FBI Search to Receive 2005 PEN/Newman’s Own Award PEN named Joan Airoldi, a librarian and library director in rural Washington State who challenged an FBI effort to search patron records, as the recipient of this year’s prestigious PEN/Newman’s Own First Amendment Award. >> More April 4, 2005: Jailed Saudi author, murdered Gambian publisher to receive 2005 PEN Award PEN named Ali Al-Domaini, one of three prominent intellectuals currently imprisoned for criticizing the pace and reach of human rights reforms in Saudi Arabia, and Deyda Hydara, a newspaper publisher and press freedom champion, as recipients of its 2005 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Awards. >> More April 4, 2005: Turkish Publisher to Receive Jeri Laber International Freedom to Publish Award Abdullah Keskin, the courageous publisher of Avesta, has been selected as the 2005 recipient of the Jeri Laber International Freedom to Publish Award. >> More March 8, 2005: International Women's Day This year PEN is focusing on three women under attack for using the Internet to disseminate information and ideas. >> More January 5, 2005: Freedom to Write Award recipient Aung Myint released in Myanmar PEN welcomed reports that poet and journalist Aung Myint and three other journalists were among more than 50 political prisoners released in Myanmar on January 3. >> More December 14, 2004: PEN Condemns Detention of Chinese Writers PEN expressed alarm that Chinese authorities detained three prominent intellectuals yesterday, including two writers who helped found a new PEN Center to promote the free exchange of literature and ideas in China. >> More December 10, 2004: PEN Welcomes Release of Two Cuban Journalists PEN welcomes the release of journalists Edel José García Díaz and Jorge Olivera Castillo on health grounds. However, PEN remains concerned that they have only been freed on parole and that they could both still be returned to prison. >> More December 9, 2004: PEN/Newman's Own Award recipient Barbara Parsons Lane given parole The state has granted parole to a woman who won a $25,000 writing award with the help of best-selling author Wally Lamb. >> More December 2, 2004: Raúl Rivero Castañeda and Oscar Espinosa Chepe released on health grounds PEN welcomes the release of Raúl Rivero Castañeda and Oscar Espinosa Chepe, reportedly on health grounds. However, PEN remains concerned that they have only been released on parole and that they could both still be returned to prison. >> More Oct. 22, 2004: Uzbek journalist, human rights activist Ruslan Sharipov obtains asylum in the U.S. PEN is delighted to announce that Uzbek journalist and human rights activist Ruslan Sharipov has obtained political asylum in the United States and is now with members of his family in California. >> More October 8, 2004: PEN protests the recent denial of entry visas to Cuban scholars We register our profound concern over the recent denial of entry visas to 61 Cuban scholars who were scheduled to participate in this week's congress of the Latin American Studies Association in Las Vegas. >> More September 27, 2004: PEN, publishers file suit to overturn information restrictions PEN joined publishing groups in filing suit in a challenge to regulations governing the publication of informational materials from countries subject to U.S. trade embargo. >> More July 20, 2004: PEN and CPJ protest U.S. decision to revoke Cuban journalist's visa We express our shock and extreme concern that the U.S. State Department recently revoked Cuban independent journalist Bernardo Arévalo Padrón's refugee visa, just over one month before he was scheduled to travel to the United States. >> More June 18, 2004: PEN welcomes release of Vietnamese Internet dissident Lê Chi Quang PEN hailed the releaseof Lê Chi Quang, an Internet activist whose critical essays about the Vietnamese government earned him a four-year prison term followed by three years of house arrest. >> More May 21, 2004: Fifth biennial conference of Writers in Prison Committee Delegates attending the conference recognised that these are dark days for the right to freedom of expression, but reaffirmed their belief that the role of the writer is more important than ever. >> More May 3, 2004: PEN calls on President to abandon Patriot Act politics PEN is calling on President Bush to lead an open, bipartisan evaluation of individual provisions of the Act that are scheduled to sunset in 2005. >> More April 14, 2004: PEN welcomes developments in prison writing suit, workshop suspension Yesterday's meeting resulted in assurances from the Commissioner that the program would be allowed to resume, that reports that some computer files had been erased would be investigated, and that Lamb and Griffith would continue to lead the program. >> More April 14, 2004: Vaclav Havel and Nobel laureates call For release of imprisoned Burmese writers Nobel laureates are joining Vaclav Havel to urge Senior General Than Shwe of the Burmese Military Junta to immediately release Nobel Peace Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other Burmese writers. >> More April 13, 2004: Letter demands release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other writers We are profoundly disturbed by the open, unchecked, and accelerating suppression of the internationally acclaimed peaceful movement for democracy in the Union of Myanmar. >> More March 8, 2004: Tony Kushner on Ruslan Sharipov and Human Rights in Uzbekistan American democracy provides inspiration by example (rather than by military occupation) to people all over the world who are seeking justice and freedom. And it is important to note that democracy circumscribed at home can encourage anti-democratic forces abroad. March 4, 2004: PEN protests Treasury Department regulations that interfere with publishing PEN requests an immediate review of OFAC regulations that could be interpreted to bar or restrict in any way the publication of literature-and indeed any information and informational materials-originating in countries subject to U.S. trade embargo. >> More Feb. 28, 2004: New York Times Article about the Treasury Department Regulations Writers often grumble about the criminal things editors do to their prose. The federal government has recently weighed in on the same issue — literally. February 17, 2004: Book, library groups launch Patriot Act petition campaign PEN joined booksellers and librarians and writers to launch a nationwide effort to obtain one million signatures in support of legislation to amend Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act. >> More November 19, 2003: PEN hails releases of Tunisian e-zine writer and Cuban journalist PEN hailed the release of Zouhair Yahyaoui, an Internet activist whose popular electronic magazine earned him a two-year prison term in Tunisia. >> More September 30, 2003: Bryant Park event reflects on the freedoms to write and read PEN sponsored this reading to reflect on the freedoms to write and read seventy years after the Nazi book burnings. >> More September 25, 2003: PEN sounds alarm over court appearance of Uzbek activist PEN is expressing serious alarm over reports that Uzbek journalist and human rights activist Ruslan Sharipov appeared at an appeal hearing today with suspicious facial injuries. >> More September 19, 2003: PEN protests Ashcroft comments on librarians, urges repeal of Patriot Act PEN protests in the strongest possible terms the recent speech deriding the concerns that librarians, booksellers, and other organizations have expressed over Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act. >> More May 22, 2003: Letters protest disciplining teacher for assigning Russell Banks book We are interested primarily in seeing a resolution to this situation that respects First Amendment and academic freedom interests of students and teachers, and high quality education at Brooklyn Tech. >> More May 15, 2003: Congress must safeguard Americans' freedom to read, book community says PEN joined colleagues from the publishing, bookselling and library communities in calling upon Congress to safeguard the right of every American to read freely, without the government's knowledge or intervention. >> More April 9, 2003: PEN to present impunity cases at UNESCO Press Freedom Day observance International PEN's Writers in Prison Committee will press the case of an Iranian writer and lawyer jailed for his crusade to win justice for the families of murdered writers in Iran. >> More April 2, 2003: Cuban Journalist, Tunisian Writer to Receive PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Awards PEN named Bernardo Arévalo Padrón, an independent journalist serving a six-year prison term, and Zouhair Yahyaoui, a Tunisian Internet activist whose electronic magazine earned him a two-year prison term, as recipients of the PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Awards. >> More April 2, 2003: Texas librarian to receive PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award PEN named Jerilynn Adams Williams, a Texas librarian who successfully turned back an attempt to remove books from circulation at Montgomery County public libraries, as the recipient of this year's PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award. >> More January 23, 2003: Grigory Pasko Released Grigory Pasko, a journalist imprisoned in December 2001, was freed today, following a parole hearing. >> More Dec. 10, 2002: PEN announces year-long freedom of expression and impunity campaign The campaign includes direct actions throughout the year and will culminate with the release of a PEN report on the problem of impunity and a series of public programs during International PEN's 69th World Congress. >> More October 22, 2002: PEN protests U.S. treatment of Turkish rights champion PEN demands that the State Department re-issue a visa to Haluk Gerger, a prominent Turkish writer and human rights activist who was denied entry by immigration officials at Newark International Airport. >> More August 19, 2002: Book groups protest secrecy on bookstore, library subpoenas Groups representing authors, book publishers, and booksellers have criticized the Justice Department for refusing to reveal how many times it has used its power under the Patriot Act to force bookstores, libraries and newspapers to reveal confidential records. >> More June 25, 2002: Risking retribution, Iranian lawyer pleads for jailed husband's release PEN issued an urgent appeal for the release of four prominent writers and translators imprisoned in Iran. >> More April 11, 2002: Vanessa Leggett to receive 2002 PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award PEN named Vanessa Leggett, the freelance writer who was jailed in a federal detention center in Texas for 168 days for refusing to bow to a sweeping subpoena of confidential source materials, as the recipient of this year's PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award. >> More April 11, 2002: Burmese poet, Uighur historian to receive PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Award PEN named Aung Myint, a Burmese poet, and Tohti Tunyaz, an ethnic Uighur historian and writer, as recipients of its 2002 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Awards. >> More March 7, 2002: PEN fights Bush executive order on presidential papers PEN has joined the legal battle to reverse President Bush's executive order limiting access to presidential papers and to authorize the National Archives to administer the Presidential Records Act of 1978 as Congress intended. >> More February 7, 2002: PEN applauds release of Mexican general Writers throughout North America hailed the release of a Mexican general jailed for more than eight years for essays advocating human rights reforms for the armed forces in Mexico. >> More January 3, 2002: PEN American Center deplores sentencing of Russian military journalist PEN expressed deep disappointment over the news that Grigory Pasko, the Russian military journalist who has been on trial for reporting on the dumping of nuclear waste by the Russian Navy, has been sentenced to serve an additional two years and four months in prison. >> More November 16, 2001: PEN seeks quick action by Fox administration following IACHR ultimatum PEN called on President Vicente Fox to comply with the two-day deadline the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has issued for the release of José Francisco Gallardo Rodríguez. >> More October 11, 2001: PEN American Center protests prison transfer for Iranian translator PEN expressed deep concern over the news that Khalil Rostamkhani, an Iranian translator sentenced to 8 years in prison, has been transferred to Bandar Abbas prison in southern Iran. >> More May 14, 2001: PEN opposes preliminiary injunction halting publication of The Wind Done Gone PEN called on a Federal Appeals Court to reverse a lower court decision enjoining publication of Alice Randall’s The Wind Done Gone. >> More April 5, 2001: Iranian publisher, Uzbek novelist to receive 2001 Freedom to Write Awards PEN named Shahla Lahiji, a publisher prosecuted for participating in a conference in Berlin last year, and Mamadali Mahmudov, a renowned novelist and opposition activist serving a 14-year prison term in Uzbekistan, as recipients of the PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Awards. >> More March 26, 2001: High school librarian, theater director receive PEN/Newman's Own Awards PEN named Deloris Wilson and Alberto Sarraín as co-recipients of this year’s PEN/Newman’s Own First Amendment Award. >> More Home | Site Map | Copyright / Privacy Policy | Contact Us © 2004-2012 PEN American Center. 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