Category Archives: General

Newsflash: Yang Hengjun’s death sentence PEN International joins the undersigned PEN Centres in condemning the handing down of a suspended death sentence to Australian writer Yang Hengjun, five years after he was detained and accused of espionage. According to a statement published by Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, the death sentence can beContinueContinue reading “FEB Newsletter”

PEN International joins the undersigned PEN Centres in condemning the handing down of a suspended death sentence to Australian writer Yang Hengjun, five years after he was detained and accused of espionage. According to a statement published by Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, the death sentence can be commuted to life imprisonment afterContinueContinue reading “Newsflash: Yang Hengjun’s death sentence”

Spotlight on Palestine https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/spotlight-on-palestine-tickets-805464725677?aff=oddtdtcreator Date: 1 March Time: 5-7 pm Location: Centre For Stories (100 Aberdeen St, Northbridge, WA, 6003) In November, PEN International condemned the arbitrary arrest of young Palestinian writer Ahed Tamimi from her house in the occupied West Bank, and called on the Israeli authorities to end their arbitrary arrests and detention of Palestinians, and to unconditionallyContinueContinue reading “Event Newsflash”

In case you missed it… Last year, we hosted Behrouz Boochani in person for the PEN Perth Annual Lecture 2023. He was joined in conversation with award-winning translator, Omid Tofighian and academic, Anne Surma. Together, they discussed defiance, resistance, displacement in relation to the act of writing freedom, asking what does it mean to bearContinueContinue reading “JAN Newsletter”

Dear members/friends It is that time of year when we all start preparing to celebrate with family and friends. However, some writers and journalists worldwide will not have that opportunity. There are writers in prison in various countries who have been imprisoned for writing about human rights in defiance of a government policy. We atContinueContinue reading “December 2023 – Holiday greeting”

Thanks to all who will be attending ‘Writing Freedom: Behrouz Boochani in conversation’: it was a fully booked out event. We look forward to seeing you soon. For those who missed it, Behrouz Boochani will be at Curtin Centre Human Rights Education for the event ‘Reflections on Activism with Behrouz Boochani’ (16NOV, 4-6PM). Book here:ContinueContinue reading “NOVEMBER 2023”

PEN Perth call for volunteers and feedback form We appreciate your ongoing involvement with PEN Perth and would like to know how we can improve. Please submit your responses via this survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NJFK7VM Release of Cheng Lei (left) but Yang Hengjun (right) still imprisoned We are thrilled to report that Cheng Lei has been releasedContinueContinue reading “October 2023 – Upcoming events, survey, release of Cheng Lei”

NOTICE OF Annual General Meeting, followed by in conversation event with Ma Thida on Writers at Risk in Burma5:30PM (Thursday) 21st September 2023Centre for Stories, 100 Aberdeen Str., Northbridge BOOK HERE FOR EVENT  The 2023 Annual General Meeting of the Perth PEN Centre will be held at 5.30pm on Thursday 21st September 2023 at theContinueContinue reading “AUG Newsletter – AGM notice and membership”

Starting with good news – releases and awards Release of Chau Van Kham Australian man Chau Van Kham has been released from a Vietnamese prison and reunited with his family in Australia. Mr Chau, a retired baker from Sydney, was detained in Vietnam in January 2019 and sentenced to 12 years in prison on terrorismContinueContinue reading “JULY 2023 newsletter”

With the growing political polarisation, conservative leaders have taken a close and biased policing of book titles about race, gender and sexuality. Amanda Gorman wrote a poem for Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021 named The Hill We climb. This year, the poem has been placed on a restricted list Bob Graham Education Center in MiamiContinueContinue reading “JUNE Newsletter”

Looking back at World Press Freedom Day World Press Freedom Day Celebrated every 3rd of May, this year’s theme for the Day was “Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights” (working title), signifying the enabling element of freedom of expression to enjoy and protect all otherContinueContinue reading “MAY 2023 Newsletter”

Afghanistan: Arrest of girls’ education activist latest example of Taliban repression PEN International is deeply concerned over reports regarding last week’s arrest of educator and prominent advocate for girls’ education, Matiullah Wesa, and calls for his immediate and unconditional release. Matiullah’s detention is just the latest example of the Taliban’s intolerance towards anyone who challengesContinueContinue reading “APRIL 2023 Newsletter”