You are invited to a global POETRY ZOOM with phenomenal poets from nine countries. Click here to attend: bit.ly/GlobalPENPoe... #Pen #WomenWriters #PenWomenWriters

After months of disparaging his European allies, U.S. President Donald Trump suddenly seeks their assistance. But none rush to send warships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid Washington’s ongoing war with Iran, even as Trump warns that a lack of action would be “very bad” for NATO’s future.

⚡️EU to open technical talks on Ukraine's remaining accession negotiation clusters. The European Union will open technical negotiations on all of Ukraine's remaining EU accession negotiation clusters, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said on March 16.

Women—especially women of color—made historic gains at the 2026 Oscars. But the night also underscored how the industry’s most powerful categories still largely shut them out.

Political power in Florida "has been hardwired into the administrative structure of higher education, allowing politicians to pull the levers of ideological enforcement without needing to climb atop a social media soapbox," write Jeffrey Sachs & Amy Reid in USA Today www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...

#Philippines: The last remaining charge against writer and Nobel laureate #MariaRessa may soon be dismissed. PEN International welcomes the recommendation that the Supreme Court acquit her in the cyber libel case. www.pen-international.org/news/philipp...

"Nearly everyone I spoke to for this newsletter asked that I not print their names out of fear that they’d become a target." That's where people like Rep. Andy Ogles have gotten us.

📑 We’re in Brussels for the launch of the 2026 report of @coemediafreedom.bsky.social. Press freedom in Europe remains under sustained pressure, driven by legal threats, attempts at media capture and transnational repression. Read the full report ⬇️ www.pen-international.org/news/press-f...

We join @penamerica.bsky.social in strongly condemning the labelling of PEN Belarus as ‘extremist formation’, yet another brazen attack on the country’s cultural sector. #StandWithBelarus

Drag queen Pattie Gonia completes 100-mile trek raising $1m to make outdoors more ‘equitable’ -- YEAH!!! Look what we can do!!! @sotiria-georganti.bsky.social @mahiramakrishna.bsky.social @penamerica.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

On Virginia Woolf's birthday, her extraordinary meditation (sparked by an epiphany in the garden) on the meaning of life and the essence of creativity: www.themarginalian.org/2015/09/09/v...

@penintwomenwriters.bsky.social stands in solidarity with the Druze, Alawites & Kurdish communities in Syria & stand with Syrian writers and journalists who report truth under threat whose struggle for freedom, equality, and peace deserves active global solidarity. @peninternational.bsky.social

One of the green shoots of hope emerging from Trump’s oppression is a movement to make boards of directors more responsive to their constituents — especially university boards. Let me explain. https://robertreich.substack.com/p/opening-boards

A really good read if you want more context to what’s happening in Uganda right now. And from a beautiful writer no less

#Egypt: We condemn the arrest and brief detention of poet and activist Ahmed Douma for his online expression. The Egyptian authorities must stop using the justice system to silence critics and end their assault on freedom of expression. Read our full statement and calls ⬇️

#australia 🇦🇺 🚨 PEN Melbourne, PEN Sydney and PEN Perth express our deep concern regarding the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill that was passed by parliament this week. 📋 Read our joint letter: pen.org.au/hate-speech-... #auspol

#Iran: We are deeply concerned by the deadly crackdown on protests amid internet blackouts and unlawful force. We call for an end to these violations and for the rights to peaceful assembly and free expression to be respected. Read our full statement ⬇️ www.pen-international.org/news/iran-au...

🚨 #Malaysia #Thailand: We welcome the recent settlement for Australian writer Murray Hunter, but his case remains a stark example of a transnational SLAPP involving civil defamation in Malaysia and criminal defamation in Thailand. Read more ⬇️ www.pen-international.org/news/malaysi...

🚨 #Egypt: PEN International is concerned about today’s arrest of Egyptian poet and activist Ahmed Douma, who has repeatedly faced judicial harassment and threats of imprisonment for his online expression. We are monitoring the situation closely and call for his immediate and unconditional release.

We’re excited to be attending Writers Unlimited (22–25 Jan, The Hague) with 100+ writers and artists, including Leïla Slimani, José Eduardo Agualusa and Kim Hyesoon. Find out more ⬇️ news.writersunlimited.nl/en/

#Argentina: PEN International raises alarm over escalating attacks on freedom of expression, including legal harassment of journalists and the misuse of state power to silence dissent. Read our full statement ⬇️ www.pen-international.org/news/argenti...

#USA: We are gravely concerned about the FBI’s raid on reporter Hannah Natanson’s home in connection with a government contractor investigation — an alarming escalation that strikes at the core of press freedom. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026... @washingtonpost.com @penamericas.bsky.social

#Iran: Detainees face risk amid a near-total internet blackout. Journalists, writers and human rights defenders—including Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi—must be protected. We urge immediate release and restoration of internet access. www.pen-international.org/news/irans-d... @penmena.bsky.social

#Venezuela: PEN International welcomes the release of five journalists but condemns their arbitrary detention. We remain deeply concerned for Rory Branker, still detained. All writers and journalists must be freed now. Read our statement ⬇️ www.pen-international.org/news/venezue...

We, the women of @peninternational.bsky.social join all who treasure justice & decry the fatal shooting of 37-year-old poet, mother, daughter, wife, Renée Nicole Good, on 1/7/26 by a United States Immigration Officer during ICE’s (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) invasion of Minneapolis, Minn.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate #NargesMohammadi with other women human rights defenders has been REARRESTED. @peninternational.bsky.social calls for their immediate and unconditional release & access to medical care! pen.org/press-releas... www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/statement...

⚡️ Update: Trump yet to decide on new Russia sanctions, source says. "The President has made no new decisions regarding sanctions at this time," a White House official told the Kyiv Independent.

Please SHARE widely! @mahiramakrishna.bsky.social @ege-dundar.bsky.social @germanrojas.bsky.social @sotiria-georganti.bsky.social @englishpen.bsky.social @irishpen.bsky.social @sanmiguelpen.bsky.social @pencatala.bsky.social @scottishpen.bsky.social @penberlin.de

🚨 Nobel Peace Prize laureate #NargesMohammadi with other women human rights defenders has been REARRESTED. @penintwomenwriters.bsky.social calls for their immediate and unconditional release & access to medical care! @peninternational.bsky.social pen.org/press-releas... @tanjatuma.bsky.social

#HongKong: Yesterday, we have joined @englishpen.bsky.social, @hongkongwatch.bsky.social & over 30 other civil society organisations in an open letter to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, urging him press for Jimmy Lai's release. Read the letter below ⬇️ www.pen-international.org/news/china-h...

Let's show SOLIDARITY & FULL support for #Kurdish author #YavuzEkinci on trial in #Tűrkiye -facing years of prison for his book Dream Divided: Charges MUST be dropped! Like & Share! @yavuzekinci.bsky.social @amdondo.bsky.social @irishpen.bsky.social @burhansonmez.bsky.social @judythhill.bsky.social

The Taliban’s internet blackout is a direct attack on Afghan women’s education, work, and voices: @penintwomenwriters.bsky.social stands with our Afghan sisters and champion their right to connection and freedom! bit.ly/41Y @mahiramakrishna.bsky.social @sotiria-georganti.bsky.social

It destroys part of Belarusian culture. We are losing books, ideas, words that remain in prisons and may never make it out to their readers. It violates the right to freedom of speech and expression for those behind bars. Both people and books must be freed.

☄️ New report out! ☄️ Read our latest monitoring report to see the full picture. Help us spread the word! Share this report to keep the voices of Belarusian culture alive. Support the work of PEN Belarus experts on Patreon: www.patreon.com/penbelarus #penbelarus #culturalrights #imprisonedwriters

#Türkiye: The hearing of @pensweden.bsky.social member Joakim Medin has been postponed to 8 January 2026. He continues to face years in prison on preposterous terrorism grounds. All charges against him must be dropped. Read our latest statement ⬇️ www.pen-international.org/news/trkiye-...

Afghanistan: Taliban imposes nationwide communications blackout, millions now cut off from outside world — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression Worldwide bit.ly/4pGBJ1Y @h0ro.bsky.social @englishpen.bsky.social @irishpen.bsky.social @sanmiguelpen.bsky.social

Hey, Europe, you were dragging feet in sanctioning and stopping the russian shadow fleet? Guess what you'll have now. #UkrainianView #UAView

Thanks to #NAFO support, we were able to pay for 1800 sq m of anti-drone nets with a small mesh size. #StrongerTogether with @tootswoot.bsky.social, @coloradowolf23.bsky.social @krychevska.bsky.social ‪‪@bettybouge.bsky.social @toonietuesday.bsky.social ‪ #NAFO #UkrainianView #Krerson #Ukraine

PEN Writers approve Gender Diversity Justice resolution! @judythhill.bsky.social @burhansonmez.bsky.social @peninternational.bsky.social @tanjatuma.bsky.social @penamerica.bsky.social @penamericas.bsky.social @englishpen.bsky.social @irishpen.bsky.social windycitytimes.com/2025/09/30/w...

PEN's WWC YouTube channel is UP! Have a look! Join us to defend Freedom of Expression & promote the work & status of women writers around the world: piwwc.org Write us! [email protected] @burhansonmez.bsky.social @peninternational.bsky.social @amdondo.bsky.social @tanjatuma.bsky.social

Women's Ongoing: Liiterary Prize Under-Representation, presented by @sotiria-georganti.bsky.social Gen Sec of PEN Greece, @peninternational.bsky.social Women Writers Committee Advisory Board Meeting, PEN Int Congress, 2025, Kraków, Poland. @judythhill.bsky.social @tanjatuma.bsky.social

BRAVA!!!!! @penintwomenwriters.bsky.social JOYOUSLY welcomes & celebrates @youngwriterspen.bsky.social! It's YOUR TIME! We are here for YOU! @tanjatuma.bsky.social @ege-dundar.bsky.social @peninternational.bsky.social @judythhill.bsky.social @sanmiguelpen.bsky.social @germanrojas.bsky.social

In his first piece for our Young Writers Committee, writer, activist, and PEN International Board Member Ege Dündar reflects on youth-led protests in Türkiye, the global assault on free expression, and the urgency of cross-border solidarity. Read it here: www.pen-international.org/committee-ne...

PEN America's (@penamerica.bsky.social) latest #FreedomToWrite Index recorded at least 375 writers jailed for their work in 40 countries during 2024, a stark reminder of global repression. Read more and take action: pen.org/report/freed...

@penamerica.bsky.social ’s latest report highlights rising threats to writers, not just in authoritarian states, but in democracies too. PEN International echoes the call to protect writers everywhere. Read via The Guardian: www.theguardian.com/books/2025/a...

#Gaza is on the brink of catastrophe. PEN International condemns the ongoing blockade of aid and calls for an immediate, permanent ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access. The world must act. #CeasefireNow www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a... @penmena.bsky.social

#Ukrainian journalist #ViktoriiaRoshchyna, 27, died in Russian prison, held for a year w/o lawyer or contact; her body found with returned bones of 775 Ukrainians #StandwithUkraine #CedeRussiaNOTHING bit.ly/ViktoriiaRos... @sanmiguelpen.bsky.social @scottishpen.bsky.social @irishpen.bsky.social

#Ukrainian journalist #ViktoriiaRoshchyna, 27, died in Russian prison, held for a year w/o lawyer or contact; her body found with returned bones of 775 Ukrainians. #WarCrimes #StandwithUkraine #CedeRussiaNOTHING bit.ly/ViktoriiaRos... @penintwomenwriters.bsky.social @ukraineworld.bsky.social

PEN Sweden (@pensweden.bsky.social) member Joakim Medin stands trial in Ankara tomorrow on spurious ‘insult to the president’ grounds. We urge #Türkiye to drop all charges and to release him immediately. Read more ➡️ www.pen-international.org/news/trkiye-... @etc.se

@penintwomenwriters.bsky.social joins @pensweden.bsky.social standing with Joakim Medin on trial in Ankara tomorrow for spurious ‘insult to the president’ We urge #Türkiye to drop all charges & release him immediately! @ege-dundar.bsky.social @burhansonmez.bsky.social @sanmiguelpen.bsky.social