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No Safe Haven: Writers and the
Rise of Transnational Repression
Writers have long crossed borders in search of safety, but increasingly, governments are reaching beyond their own to silence those who continue to speak out from exile.
Join moderator Samira Mohyeddin and panellists Ross Holder, Basma Mostafa and Doan Bao Chau as they draw on PEN International's forthcoming report on transnational repression to examine how these practices are reshaping exile and undermining freedom of expression.
Wed 30 September, 16:00–17:30 BST, online.
Sign the Petition: Demand Proof of Life for Eritrea's Disappeared Writers
18 September 2026 will mark 25 years since 12 Eritrean writers and journalists were arrested for peacefully expressing their views and calling for reform. They have not been seen since. For a quarter of a century, the Eritrean authorities have held them incommunicado—without charge, trial, or contact with their families.
Join PEN International and PEN Centres in demanding proof of life—now.
Join our Imagine Campaign:
Defend Free Expression
PEN International has launched its Imagine campaign, calling on people around the world to support its work defending writers, journalists and others persecuted for their words.
Donations will fund PEN International's global programmes and campaigns — helping ensure every person's right to be heard.
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Photo Credit: Roberk Brooks
Become a friend of PEN International
Freedom of expression is deteriorating worldwide giving way to a rise in hate speech and oppressive legislation which threatens the lives and wellbeing of all kinds of writers, inc. poets, novelists, and journalists, as well as publishers. Meanwhile, writers, particularly women and those from marginalised communities, still need equal access and representation within the literary and civic spaces.
Become a Friend of PEN International today and help us continue our vital work to defend free expression and promote literature worldwide.
About us
We believe in everyone’s freedom to write and read, wherever they are in the world. Founded in 1921, today PEN International is recognised as the world’s foremost association of writers, as well as a leading international charity and expert on freedom of expression.