Scottish PEN stands in solidarity with all those arrested today and condemns the ongoing attacks on freedom of expression and the right to protest. The erosion of civil liberties & the criminalisation of those standing in opposition to genocide must be opposed at every level and always.

Massive Attack frontman Robert Del Naja has been arrested on suspicion of showing support for a proscribed organisation after attending a mass protest against the ban on Palestine Action in London

Industry bodies have condemned Israeli strikes that killed three journalists in a single day, including one in a targeted strike

Update❗ The pre-trial detention of Ahmed Douma has been extended by a further 15 days in relation to his writings and online expression. This continued detention is arbitrary and unjust. We reiterate our call for his immediate and unconditional release. www.pen-international.org/news/egypt-p...

President Donald Trump’s apocalyptic warning that Iran's “whole civilization will die tonight” is a threat to commit war crimes and may constitute a threat to commit genocide. The international community must take urgent action to avert an impending catastrophe. Read more 👇

Our investigation in Byline Times exposes a network of global ultra-conservative groups using courts to target trans healthcare. https://bylinetimes.com/2026/04/02/how-the-us-christian-right-and-anti-abortion-lobbyists-are-reshaping-nhs-policy/

I wished a poet a happy birthday on World Poetry Day, then spent the day being more of a dad than a poet. But! Here’s one I prepared earlier, if you like poetry. Or the world. Or days. www.brokensleepbooks.com/product-page...

Crown prosecutors have binned terror charges against a Scottish man alleged to have supported Palestine Action at a Gaza rally. The decision, thought to be a UK first, should 'start a precedent' and see other cases thrown out as well, he said www.thenational.scot/news/2595575...

Interesting: The UK’s three national human rights institutions have warned that weakening protections under the European Convention on Human Rights would risk the rights of everyone in the country👇 🔗 www.heraldscotland.com/news/2594907... via @heraldscotland.bsky.social

ARTICLE 19 welcomes the news that human rights defenders Nasta Lojka & Marfa Rabkova and journalist Katsiaryna Andreeva are among 250 prisoners released in Belarus. But this does not signal a change in repressive policies. All political prisoners must be freed. www.article19.org/resources/be...

📣 We welcome the release of journalist, writer, and poet Kaciaryna Andrejeva and many others after years behind bars in #Belarus. There must be full accountability for the violations they suffered. #FreeThemAll www.rferl.org/a/washington...

#Lithuania: Index and other organisations have raised serious concerns about proposed amendments to the country's public service media law. The current draft risks undermining the independence and sustainability of the national broadcaster, LRT⬇️ www.ebu.ch/news/2026/03...

"At the moment, my life is all black. I thought I’d reached the bottom. But I was wrong, it wasn’t the bottom." Marfa Rabkova wrote these words from prison to her husband. Now, she is finally free. She should never have been imprisoned in #Belarus. www.indexoncensorship.org/campaigns/le...

PEN International is deeply saddened by the passing of dedicated writer and advocate Joel Pablo Salud, former PEN Philippines board member and Writers in Prison Committee Chair. Our heartfelt condolences to his family and colleagues at PEN Philippines. www.rappler.com/people/obitu...

One of the many benefits of giving @ruthaylett.bsky.social and my novel an astronomical title is that there's an excuse to promote it twice a year! Do check out the excellent @stairwellbooks.bsky.social for Equinox and its sequel, Solstice. www.stairwellbooks.co.uk/product/equi...

Guinea has banned 40 political parties, a blow to political freedoms and free expression. ARTICLE 19 calls on the govt to reverse the ban and uphold obligations under the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, the ICCPR + Guinea’s constitution. www.article19.org/resources/gu...

EXCLUSIVE: A Scottish man who was charged with terrorism after allegedly showing support for Palestine Action has had his case thrown out in what is thought to be a UK first

A shocking new investigation by Index reveals that Emily (not her real name), a school librarian in Greater Manchester, faced disciplinary action after stocking the book Men Who Hate Women. Nearly 200 books were targeted. 1/4 By @katiedd.bsky.social

Happy spring equinox to those of us in the north! This day always makes me think of this poem by e.e. cummings

📣 We welcome reports that #ValeryjaKaściuhova is among those released from prison in #Belarus. Thank you to everyone who stood with her on #InternationalWomensDay, collective action makes a difference! www.pen-international.org/our-campaign...

101 months ago today, #DaphneCaruanaGalizia was assassinated in Malta because she spoke truth to power. Scottish PEN stands in solidarity with Daphne's family & all those fighting for justice for her murder. #JusticeForDaphne @peninternational.bsky.social @irishpen.bsky.social

Celebrate IWD with Scottish PEN this coming Tuesday evening in Edinburgh with Nada Shawa and readings of imprisoned women writers from UniEd Creative Writing students

#UK: We join @indexoncensorship.org and others in urging the UK government to ensure the BBC World Service has the funding it needs to continue its vital work across the globe. Read our joint letter 🔽 www.pen-international.org/news/open-le...

Join Scottish PEN for IWD event Woman of Courage and Endurance: Scottish-Gazan poet Nada Shawa, plus Uni-Ed Creative Writing students read the work of imprisoned international women writers and some of their own. MARCH 10th, 7pm, Edinburgh Futures Centre rm 2.55. Free tickets, tinyurl.com/5c7e5vcf

"In states that once focused mainly on health care and sports for transgender minors, debates now revolve around the validity of transgender identity." Because it was never about sports. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/18/u... Bypass here: archive.ph/jUvSO

From tomorrow, we’ll share poems celebrating Indigenous and Minoritised languages worldwide as @pen-tlrc.bsky.social launches its 6th Video-Poem Marathon for International Mother Language Day. Explore last year’s video-poems: www.pen-international.org/tlrc #MotherLanguageDay #TLRCMarathon

30 Years of Creative Writing Festival 28 Feb & 1 March @glasgow.ac.uk – free A 2-day festival of readings, workshops, panel discussions & activities celebrating the discipline of Creative Writing at Glasgow University, featuring alumni, current students & staff www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/30-years-o...

A devastating report by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan, finding that the 18-month starvation siege & subsequent atrocities during the fall of El-Fasher genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. www.ohchr.org/sites/defaul...

I wish it were true that "no one is above the law". But while the City of London acts as laundromat for the world's dirty money, as almost all fraud and waste crime go unprosecuted, as no one has gone to jail for the financial crash or the poisoning of our rivers, this is manifestly untrue.

Eight years on, ARTICLE 19 and partners demand full justice for the brutal murders of Slovak investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová. Slovakia must uphold media freedom and end harassment of and smear campaigns against journalists. www.article19.org/resources/sl...

She walks on the charred ground, wings of smoke from the bones of her home rising… —JL Williams, “Logos” published in OUR REAL RED SELVES (Vagabond Voices, 2015) #bookologythursday #poem #poetry www.vagabondvoices.co.uk/poetry/our-r...

Okay, this is quite outstanding from Bedford Council.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians in the Qalandia refugee camp and Kufr Aqab are cut off from Jerusalem by the apartheid wall and separated from other Palestinian towns. Now, a new Israeli settlement plan threatens to displace them completely.

When we take prisoners from other worlds we are not cruel. We let their bodies die. They become words, filtered into air… —Edwin Morgan, “Twilight of a Tyranny” a #ScienceFiction #poem from COLLECTED POEMS, @carcanet.bsky.social 1997 #bookologythursday #poetry www.carcanet.co.uk/cgi-bin/inde...

The old order is breaking up in #Europe. Ahead of the decisive elections in #Hungary this spring, our editor @sallygimson.bsky.social reflects on a recent trip across central Europe ⬇️ www.indexoncensorship.org/2026/02/inde...

It is 100 months since #DaphneCaruanaGalizia was assassinated in Malta for holding power to account. We continue to fight for justice for her killing & send our solidarity to Daphne's family & all our comrades in #Malta #TruthNeverDies

We are delighted #PalestineAction won its appeal! Huge knock-on effects for #Filton24 & Brize Norton political prisoners, for direct action in general, for the 1,000s arrested under the Terrorism Act for showing support for Palestine Action, & for the liberation of Palestine. Victory ✊

The longlist for the 2025 Duais Leabhair na Gàidhealtachd | Highland Book Prize has been announced. The Prize celebrates the talent, landscape, & cultural diversity of the Scottish Highlands & is open to works of fiction, non-fiction, & poetry 💙📚 www.highlandbookprize.org.uk/longlist/

#India: Under Modi, the government has long sought to tighten control over online speech. This new rule raises more alarm bells. How much due diligence can be done in 3 hours? Such haste will encourage platforms to over-censor to avoid penalties www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Children need their families. Refugee children are no different. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

When politicians will not speak - people must. The city belongs to all voices. #publicsydney

For the special reader in your life, nothing says 'I love you' like one of our beautiful bookmarks, quirky badges or handy book lights. And remember, every purchase you make helps to spread a love of reading throughout Scotland. ❤️📚 shop.scottishbooktrust.com/collections/...

Journalist Mohammad Abu Thabet abducted after home raid in Beit Dajan.

#China: the recent purging of senior generals and the imprisonment of journalists show us that no one is safe but #XiJinping ⬇️ www.indexoncensorship.org/2026/02/jour...

Scottish PEN is overjoyed at the outcome of the trial of 6 activists held on remand without trial for 16 months. It underlines the importance of jury trials & highlights the need to deproscribe Palestine Action. Our solidarity with the activists & may justice continue to prevail. #Filton24

Scottish PEN is deeply saddened & disturbed by this news, which has a serious impact on our members and the Scottish arts scene in general. We're appalled by the sudden sacking of all CCA staff & extend our support to them. We're also alarmed by reports of financial mismanagement by the CCA Board.

“Peaceful protest & solidarity should never be a crime, & nor should defending the right of others to protest peacefully. I hope that this decision will be a crucial step in overturning this ridiculous anti-democratic law.” ~ Maggie Chapman (Scottish Greens) greens.scot/news/palesti...

Scottish PEN has always opposed the proscription of #PalestineAction and welcomes the attempt by Craig Murray to overturn this ban in Scotland.

Writer, activist and Vice-President of Scottish PEN, Lizzie Eldridge, appeared on the Palestine International Broadcast again, last week. Lizzie writes, “Every time I meet the presenter, Osama, my heart breaks for his strength, dignity, brilliance and humanity.” youtu.be/AdcwT6BpJuo?...

As an organisation pledged to oppose suppression of freedom of expression, Scottish PEN is also committed to advocating for personal privacy. Therefore, we will not be providing details required for age verification on this site at this time, not least due to the nature of the data requested. 1/2