Nine-year-old Ayla Lewis read her poem “Peace” at PEN Perth’s Poems of War and Peace event.
Tag Archives: PEN Perth
Writers under siege: Defending freedom of expression
Acting Chair’s message May 2026 Writers under siege are facing imprisonment, censorship and exile in increasing numbers across the world. Protecting freedom of expression is at the heart of PEN’s mission. PEN International launched its International Case List 2026 on 23 April 2026. Since 1960, case lists have been updated regularly. This year’s Case ListContinueContinue reading “Writers under siege: Defending freedom of expression”
Banned books: Myanmar
In 2023, PEN America labels Myanmar ‘the world’s worst jailer of writers’. It might well be also called ‘the world’s worst book banner’. Under Aung San Suu Kyi’s nearly 10 years rule, as the military stepped back, the democratic experiment led to some freedom of expression, albeit ‘with the persistence of taboo issues, such asContinueContinue reading “Banned books: Myanmar”
Why freedom of expression must remain above politics
Chair’s message March 2026 Freedom of expression is the foundation of every free society. For more than a century, PEN has defended writers and literature regardless of politics, religion or ideology. Dear members and fellow travellers In 1934, as war threatened to engulf the world, H.G. Wells addressed the PEN Congress in Edinburgh: “The defenceContinueContinue reading “Why freedom of expression must remain above politics”
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”
URGENT CALL TO ACTION: Letter Writing Campaign
Kyaw Min Yu (Ko Jimmy). Source: PEN International PEN International recently condemned the Myanmar military junta’s public declaration they intend to proceed with the execution of author and activist Kyaw Min Yu (also known as Ko Jimmy), who was arrested in 2021 for criticising the military coup in social media posts. Kyaw Min Yu, alongContinueContinue reading “URGENT CALL TO ACTION: Letter Writing Campaign”
Professor in Prison: The Curious Case of Hany Babu
On 28 July 2020, human rights defender Hany Babu was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Mumbai. He is now the twelfth accused arrested for his alleged involvement in the violence that broke-out at Bhima Koregan on 1 January 2018.
PEN Sydney and PEN Melbourne Call for PM to Help Julian Assange
PEN Sydney and PEN Melbourne have called for Prime Minister Scott Morrison to stand up for the rights of Australian citizen Julian Assange. Read their full letter here.
A Letter to Đoan Trang Phạm
At our recent Human Rights Day event, PEN Perth Member Frances An read a touching letter to journalist Đoan Trang Phạm. PEN Perth is proud to publish the letter here, written and translated by Frances An.
Nobel Peace Prize 2021
Maria Ressa shares this year’s Nobel Peace Prize with fellow journalist, Dimitri Muratov from Russia. Ressa, notably, is the first Filipino Nobel Laureate.
Writers in Prison Committee Meeting
On 14 September, representatives from over 60 PEN Centres convened for its annual Writers in Prison Committee (WIPC) meeting. The meeting drew attention to the critical situation in Afghanistan, where the Taliban’s recent takeover means that Afghan writers, activists, and cultural practitioners—especially women—face imminent danger.
Securing Writers’ Rights
As in previous years, PEN International held pre-conference discussions for its main committees, including the Writers for Peace Committee and the Linguistic Rights Committee, which I was able to attend via Zoom, albeit at an unusual hour as the conference ran on London time.