General

Chair’s message April 2026

Dear members and fellow travellers As I write to you, many South Asian communities are marking the beginning of a new year, guided by their lunar calendars. From Myanmar to Nepal, Bangladesh to Sri Lanka, and across many parts of India, these celebrations share a spirit of renewal, reflection, and optimism. May the year aheadContinueContinue reading “Chair’s message April 2026”

Writer in prison: Narges Mohammadi, Iran

Multi award-winning writer, journalist, human rights defender and Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi (54) was free from an Iranian prison on medical grounds as of 31 December 2024, a year in which she received three new prison sentences. Held since 16 November 2021, she is serving multiple unjust sentences, totalling 35 years’ imprisonment including 154 lashes. In JanuaryContinueContinue reading “Writer in prison: Narges Mohammadi, Iran”

Banned books: Life and Death in Shanghai by Nien Cheng

At a March meeting of the PEN International Women Writers Committee, Sotiria Georganti focused on a selection of banned books around the world and spotlighted Life and Death in Shanghai by Nien Cheng (1915–2009). As a memoir documenting the Red Guards’ cruelty and the Chinese Cultural Revolution’s chaotic nature, it is prohibited for sale inContinueContinue reading “Banned books: Life and Death in Shanghai by Nien Cheng”

Chair’s message March 2026

Dear members and fellow travellers In 1934, as war threatened to engulf the world, H.G. Wells addressed the PEN Congress in Edinburgh: “The defence of liberty of expression, and that defence alone, defines a task big enough for all your efforts as a society.” His warning to PEN was precise. “If and when National SocialismContinueContinue reading “Chair’s message March 2026”

History of banned books in Iran

Since the 1979 Revolution, book banning in Iran has been a constant. Religious, political and moral grounds against foreign and local authors were at their most severe for the twenty years preceding the Reform period (1997–2005; see The Dial).[1] Some relaxation of the rules occurred then, but President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005–2013) engineered a backlash againstContinueContinue reading “History of banned books in Iran”

Chair’s message February 2026

Dear members and fellow travellers Welcome to 2026. We began the year with a letter from a writer recently released from prison. We are not able to share their name, but we can share their words: “Let me start by thanking PEN International … and all the writers and artists who united in solidarity forContinueContinue reading “Chair’s message February 2026”

Boualem Sansal: A victory for freedom of expression… and a reward

Eighty-year-old Franco-Algerian writer and journalist Boualem Sansal was arrested in November 2024 by Algerian authorities on trumped-up charges of ‘undermining national unity’ and ‘attacking state institutions’ after suggesting in an interview with the extreme-right wing media Frontières, France had unfairly transferred Moroccan territory to Algeria during the colonial era.[1] This territorial issue has soured French–AlgerianContinueContinue reading “Boualem Sansal: A victory for freedom of expression… and a reward”

Charges dropped against Murray Hunter

After months of legal uncertainty, the criminal defamation charges against Australian writer and commentator Murray Hunter have been formally withdrawn by a Bangkok court, with the matter resolved without penalty or costs. Hunter described the experience as “personally very traumatic” but said he is relieved to have his passport returned and to regain the freedomContinueContinue reading “Charges dropped against Murray Hunter”

Adelaide Writers’ Week media statement

PEN Centres have published their media statement highlighting concerns about the decision to remove Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah from Adelaide Writers’ Week. Adelaide writers_festival cancelled PEN Perth patron, Peter Greste also shared his letter to the Adelaide Festival, alongside a recent Guardian article in which he again defends the importance of the ‘grey zone’ – theContinueContinue reading “Adelaide Writers’ Week media statement”

Murray Hunter faces criminal charges

Australian writer and academic, Murray Hunter, is facing criminal charges in Thailand for articles he published online criticising Malaysia’s Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). Malaysia is the current Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and is obligated under the ASEAN Charter to uphold human rights and freedoms, democracy, rule of law andContinueContinue reading “Murray Hunter faces criminal charges”

Hany Babu released on Bail

After more than five hard years behind bars – arrested in July 2020 under the controversial Bhima Koregaon / Elgar Parishad case – Dr Hany Babu has been granted bail by the Bombay High Court. This wasn’t some quick detour behind bars – the bail was granted on the grounds of prolonged pre-trial detention, aContinueContinue reading “Hany Babu released on Bail”

Jimmy Lai found guilty

On 15 December 2025, writer and media publisher Jimmy Lai was found guilty on two counts of conspiring to collude with foreign forces under Hong Kong’s draconian National Security Law (NSL), and a third count of seditious publications under the territory’s colonial-era sedition law. Lai, who recently turned 78, now faces spending the remainder of his life behind bars,ContinueContinue reading “Jimmy Lai found guilty”