Articles by PEN America
Turkish writer Ayşe Berktay released from prison
Turkish translator, writer, and peaceful activist Ayşe Berktay has been released from prison pending trial today. However, her ongoing prosecution is indicative of a continued assault on writers and scholars whose views the Turkish government disfavors.
Pussy Riot members to be freed from prison after passage of Russian amnesty law
PEN American Center is delighted by news of the impending release from prison of Pussy Riot members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alekhina under an amnesty law passed unanimously by the Russian Duma today, and urges President Putin to sign the law immediately.
Ruling says NSA metadata collection is “likely unconstitutional”
PEN American Center welcomes with cautious optimism a ruling that NSA telephone metadata collection is “likely to be unconstitutional,” made by U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon in the case of legal activist Larry Klayman. Judge Leon issued the first injunction against NSA surveillance.
Worldwide condemnation for brutal attacks on over 50 journalists in Ukraine
IFEX members strongly condemn recent attacks on journalists during public demonstrations in Kyiv and call for those responsible to be held accountable.
PEN examines the rise of digital repression in an interactive report
Digital media have enabled writers to reach new audiences around the globe, but the promise of these technologies can come at a terrible cost: governments are increasingly imprisoning and persecuting writers for what they write, blog, and post online. Below are revealing statistics from PEN’s case lists over the past 12 years.
Vocal NSA critic admitted into U.S. on third attempt
Bulgarian-German writer Ilija Trojanow was denied entry to the United States on September 30, when checking in for a flight from Brazil for a conference. On November 8 he was granted entry on U.S. visa to speak at the Goethe Institut’s “Surveillance and the Naked New World”.
60 human rights groups call for release of Moroccan journalist
In a second joint appeal, over 60 IFEX members and partners again call for the release of Moroccan journalist Ali Anouzla, after terrorism-related charges were laid against him.
German writer banned entry to U.S. after criticising the country’s surveillance powers
Bulgarian-German writer Ilija Trojanov, an outspoken critic of America’s controversial surveillance powers, was denied entry to the United States on 30 September. PEN American Center said that the ban “will hardly calm the anxiety our colleagues around the world are feeling about America’s electronic spying.”