Latest news
International Poetry Day 2025: Mahvash Sabet
PEN International spotlights Mahvash Sabet, Iranian teacher, poet, and Baha’i minority member, unjustly imprisoned for her faith. Take action to free her this World Poetry Day.
Identity on Trial: Persecution and Resistance
PEN International is proud to launch Identity on Trial: Persecution and Resistance – its Case List 2025, which highlights the increasing persecution of writers based on their identity. This year’s report documents the alarming rise in censorship, imprisonment, and threats faced by writers due to their gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or religious beliefs. It underscores a disturbing global trend: those who dare express their identity or challenge dominant narratives are being silenced through legal threats, censorship, and violence.
Stay in touch
Join our newsletter to hear the latest news from PEN International.
Photo Credit: Roberk Brooks
Become a friend of PEN International
Freedom of expression is deteriorating worldwide giving way to a rise in hate speech and oppressive legislation which threatens the lives and wellbeing of all kinds of writers, inc. poets, novelists, and journalists, as well as publishers. Meanwhile, writers, particularly women and those from marginalised communities, still need equal access and representation within the literary and civic spaces.
Become a Friend of PEN International today and help us continue our vital work to defend free expression and promote literature worldwide.
About us
We believe in everyone’s freedom to write and read, wherever they are in the world. Founded in 1921, today PEN International is recognised as the world’s foremost association of writers, as well as a leading international charity and expert on freedom of expression.