Arundhati Roy wins PEN Pinter prize amid prosecution threat over Kashmir comments
The announcement comes two weeks after Indian officials granted permission to prosecute the writer over comments she made 14 years ago
April 2024
PEN America cancels 2024 awards after authors drop out over Gaza
Dozens of nominated writers had withdrawn from consideration by literary and free-expression organization
October 2023
Imprisoned Uyghur academic named 2023 PEN writer of courage
Professor and global expert on Uyghur folklore Rahile Dawut was reportedly sentenced to life in prison after going missing six years ago
September 2023
‘We’re facing another old enemy’: Rushdie warns against global authoritarianism
Speaking in Philadelphia on Wednesday, Rushdie says US Republicans are moving away from democratic values including free speech
June 2023
Author Michael Rosen wins 2023 PEN Pinter prize for ‘fearless’ body of work
Writer of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt is a ‘passionate linguist, gifted humanist, national treasure and ambassador of gibberish’
April 2023
Pioneering publisher Margaret Busby named new president of PEN
The editor, writer and literary critic who was the UK’s first Black female publisher will replace Philippe Sands
October 2022
‘Immensely brave’: Abduljalil al-Singace named international writer of courage
The Bahraini activist who is serving a life sentence in prison for his role in anti-government protests was chosen to share the PEN Pinter prize by Malorie Blackman
June 2022
Malorie Blackman’s ‘dynamic imaginary worlds’ win her the PEN Pinter prize
Noughts & Crosses author praised by judges for ‘challenging issues of injustice in a way that is totally engaging’
January 2022
Ugandan writer charged over tweets critical of President Museveni
PEN prize-winning Ugandan novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija illegally detained and tortured
October 2021
Kakwenza Rukirabashaija named this year’s International Writer of Courage
The Ugandan novelist, who was tortured in prison over his book The Greedy Barbarian, has been selected by Tsitsi Dangarembga as part of the PEN Pinter prize
Author, who was arrested last year in Harare while protesting against corruption, is hailed by judges as a ‘voice of hope we all need to hear’
October 2020
Books blog
Writers need PEN more than ever
Eritrean poet Amanuel Asrat named International Writer of Courage
July 2020
'Living legend' Linton Kwesi Johnson wins PEN Pinter prize
The pioneer of dub poetry has been hailed for his ‘political ferocity’ and ‘tireless scrutiny of history’
February 2020
Patti Smith pitches in to help burgled Oregon bookshop
Poet, singer and memoirist – honoured this week by PEN for ‘literary service’ – sends signed first editions after learning of thefts at Portland store
October 2019
Lemn Sissay and Befeqadu Hailu share 2019 PEN Pinter prize
British poet Sissay names persecuted Ethiopian writer and activist as this year’s ‘international writer of courage’
June 2019
Poet and playwright Lemn Sissay wins the PEN Pinter prize
Judges laud ability to forge beautiful words from sorrows as he sees it as sign to continue
October 2018
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie accepts PEN Pinter prize with call to speak out
Arguing that authors have a duty to ‘call a lie a lie’, novelist also names human rights activist Waleed Abulkhair as the 2018 International Writer of Courage
June 2018
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie wins PEN Pinter prize
Nigerian author wins award in memory of the late Nobel laureate for her ‘refusal to be deterred or detained by the categories of others’
