PEN International

29/05/2026

: Five years after the secret, closed-door trial of Yang Hengjun, the injustice he faces remains as stark as ever, including a suspended death sentence imposed after proceedings marred by serious due process concerns.

PEN International marks the anniversary by renewing its call for his immediate and unconditional release, alongside urgent access to adequate medical care and respect for his fundamental rights.

Read our statement:

‘Five years after Yang Hengjun’s secret trial, the injustice he faces remains as stark as ever. A writer should never face imprisonment, let alone a suspended death sentence, for peacefully expressing ideas and engaging in public debate. The Chinese authorities must quash Yang’s conviction, en...

29/05/2026

For the last month, we have been calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Ukrainian journalists held in Russian captivity.

At least 26 journalists remain detained simply for doing their job — reporting the truth. Their imprisonment is an attack on press freedom and the public’s right to know the truth.

Today, and every day, we stand in solidarity with journalists everywhere who risk their lives to tell the stories that matter.

Find out more:

“Journalists play a key role in providing the public with accurate and timely information, documenting events, and bearing witness where others cannot. When they are silenced, families are left waiting, stories remain untold, and truth itself is

27/05/2026

Vietnam: Today, on her 48th birthday, journalist and writer Phạm Đoan Trang marks her sixth birthday in prison in Việt Nam.

“I don’t want freedom for myself; that’s too easy. No, I want something greater: freedom for Vietnam.”

Phạm Đoan Trang — co-founder of Luật Khoa Magazine and The Vietnamese Magazine — was arrested in October 2020 following her reporting on police violence in Đồng Tâm. After more than a year incommunicado, she was sentenced to nine years in prison on charges of “propagandizing against the state”.

Her continued detention is a grave injustice and a stark symbol of the repression of independent journalism and free expression in Việt Nam. Concerns for her health and wellbeing remain serious, with restricted family contact and access to care.

PEN International joins Committee to Protect Journalists, Reporters sans frontières / Reporters Without Borders / RSF and others in calling for her immediate and unconditional release.

A birthday should be spent with loved ones, not behind bars.

‍ ‍ “I don’t want freedom for myself; that’s too easy. No, I want something greater: freedom for Vietnam.” Phạm Đoan Trang ‍ 27 May 2026: PEN International joins an international coalition of press freedom and human rights organisations calling for the immediate and unconditional re...

26/05/2026

: In September 2001, Yousif Mohammed Ali was editing a newspaper called Tsigenay when he was arrested and vanished into Eritrea's prison system.

That was 25 years ago. PEN International, PEN Eritrea in Exile, and PEN Centres worldwide demand proof of life — now.

22/05/2026

: PEN International has joined the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and seven other press freedom and human rights organisations in a joint letter to incoming Attorney General Gabriel García Luna.

The letter calls for an end to criminal proceedings against journalists, the dropping of politically motivated cases, and safe conditions for the return of exiled reporters.

Read the joint letter ⬇️

22 May 2026: PEN International has joined the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and seven other press freedom and human rights organisations in a joint letter to Guatemala's incoming attorney general, Gabriel García Luna, calling for an end to criminal proceedings against journalists, the drop...

22/05/2026

PEN Languages of Russia aims to support ‘independent, anti-authoritarian, anti-war literary figures’ writing in the many languages indigenous to Russia — from Avar to Chuvash to Tatar.

Find out more in this compelling interview with Dinara Rasuleva & Sergei Lebedev:

PEN Languages of Russia, a new initiative co-founded by Russian writer Sergey Lebedev, aims to support "independent, anti-authoritarian, anti-war literary figures" writing in the many languages indigenous to Russia — from Avar to Chuvash to Tatar. An official member of the PEN network, the organis...

21/05/2026

On the Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners in , we stand with the 122 cultural figures, including 24 writers, jailed or under house arrest for their peaceful expression.

Find out more in the latest report by Беларускі ПЭН / PEN Belarus ⬇️

This report draws on data collected by the PEN Belarus monitoring group from open sources, individual contacts, and personal meetings with cultural figures. The information reflects the situation at the time of writing and may be updated as new data becomes available. Despite efforts to ensure accur...

21/05/2026

: 18 September 2026 marks 25 years since 12 Eritrean journalists and writers were arrested and disappeared into prison for speaking out.

One of those arrested was Said Abdelkadir, editor-in-chief of Admas newspaper. His whereabouts remain unknown to this day.

PEN International, PEN Eritrea in Exile, and PEN Centres worldwide demand proof of life—now.

Find out more: https://www.pen-international.org/our-campaigns/worlds-longest-jailed-writers-and-journalists-eritrea

20/05/2026

Congratulations to Yáng Shuāng-zǐ and translator Lin King on winning the 2026 International Booker Prize for Taiwan Travelogue. A novel that confronts colonial history with courage and proof that translated literature remains one of the most powerful tools for truth-telling!

Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, translated by Lin King, has won the International Booker Prize 2026, supported by Bukhman Philanthropies

20/05/2026

: PEN International joins growing alarm over a wave of attacks against journalists covering social protests across Bolivia. In just one week, more than 10 reporters were injured with equipment seized and destroyed.

We urge authorities to guarantee safe conditions for press and cultural actors, and protect the right to report freely.

Miami (May 19, 2026) — The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) warns with concern about a series of attacks against journalists recorded in recent days in Bolivia during news coverage of social protests in different areas of the country. The hemispheric organization urges that safe conditions ...

20/05/2026

: Prominent investigative journalist Alican Uludağ stands trial in Ankara tomorrow on bogus 'insult' and 'disinformation' grounds. We urge his immediate release and an end to judicial harassment of journalists.

‘Alican Uludağ is a well-known and respected figure in Türkiye, whose only “crime” is daring to be a journalist. His targeting is yet another attempt to muzzle independent reporting and instil fear. We