Press

Press release of 18, January 2025
Saman Yasin arrived in Berlin

The rapper Saman Yasin, who comes from the Kurdish part of Iran, had been imprisoned since October 2022 for writing lyrics critical of the regime. […] Joachim Helfer, board member of PEN Berlin, said: »Saman Yasin is finally free, and our other Iranian honorary member Toomaj Salehi has been free since December 2024. This is probably a consequence of the critical situation in which the Islamic Republic of Iran currently finds itself. But it also shows that international solidarity and commitment to human rights can make a difference.« MORE

 

 

Press release of 8, January 2025
Uganda: Freedom for Eron Kiiza

On 7 January, the well-known Ugandan lawyer and poet Eron Kiiza was initially prevented from taking his seat in the military court in Kampala as the lawyer for Kizza Besigye, the opposition’s multiple presidential candidate. After protesting, he was forcibly arrested, taken away and shortly afterwards, now in the defendants’ cage, sentenced to nine months in prison for alleged contempt of court. MORE

 

 

Press release of 24, November 2024
Algeria: Freedom for Boualem Sansal!

Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who was awarded the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade in 2011, was arrested a few days ago at Algiers airport on his return from Paris. (…) »The legitimacy of a state is not undermined by public criticism, but only by the actions of those in power. Algeria’s freedom is our colleague Boualem Sansal’s freedom«, said Thea Dorn, spokesperson for PEN Berlin. MORE

 

Press release of 1, November 2024
Thea Dorn for Eva Menasse

PEN Berlin held its third general meeting in person on Friday. At the regular elections, journalist Deniz Yücel was confirmed in the role of spokesperson. Thea Dorn, writer and presenter for ZDF, was elected as new spokesperson. The writers Dana Grigorcea, Sophie Sumburane and Joachim Helfer, the playwright Konstantin Küspert and the translator Sandra Hetzl were confirmed in the association’s board. The new members of the eleven-member board are the writer Tomer Dotan-Dreyfus, the publisher Birgit Schmitz, the poet Paul-Henri Campbell and the author and lawyer Andrea Landfried.« MORE

 

Press release of 22, October 2024
PEN Berlin congress 2024: »On we go«

»This year’s keynote speaker is Israeli writer Etgar Keret. He follows in the footsteps of last year’s speaker, the British writer A.L. Kennedy, and the US author, playwright and then-President of PEN America, Ayad Akhtar, who delivered the keynote address at the first PEN Berlin Congress in 2022.« Other participants: Ivan Krastev, Fintan O’Toole, Eva Menasse, Daniel Morgenroth, Daniel Ris, Stella Nyanzi, Alain Sulzer, Dana Grigorcea, David Werdermann, Philipp Ruch, Daniel Kahn and others. MORE

 

Press release of 1, October 2024
Frankfurt Book Fair: Italy in the spotlight at PEN Berlin

In June, 34 prominent Italian writers (…) criticised the official programme of this year’s Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair, Italy, as well as the non-invitation of mafia expert and outspoken critic of the Meloni government, Roberto Saviano. In close cooperation with the signatories of this open letter, PEN Berlin has now organised just that: international meetings and discussions on current issues. Roberto Saviano will be with us twice. Paolo Giordano (…) will be coming to the Frankfurt Book Fair after all. MORE

 

Press release of 24, September 2024

Attack on Joe Chialo: there is nothing to discuss here

PEN Berlin is appalled by the attack on the home of the Berlin Senator for Culture. Following the physical and verbal assault on Joe Chialo at the opening of a cultural festival last week, this violation of his privacy marks a further escalation. Not only are these assaults unacceptable, but so is the accusation sprayed on the wall of the house in blood-red paint that Chialo supports ‘genocide. MORE

 

Press release of 10, September 2024
Seven years in jail for a novel?

The award-winning Turkish-Kurdish author Yavuz Ekinci will have to stand trial once again on 18 September in Istanbul. His novel »Dream Divided« was confiscated and banned in March 2023. According to the new charges, the book contains »terrorist propaganda«. Ekinci faces a seven-year jail term. (…) Sandra Hetzl, board member of PEN Berlin, commented: »This charge against one of Turkey’s best and most famous authors is a new, dramatic attempt to intimidate all those who wish to express themselves freely in Turkey.« MORE

 

Press release of 1, July 2024
Major series of talks: 37 x in Eastern Germany

PEN Berlin is organising a series of talks in Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg under the title “You Can’t Say Anything These Days – talks about democracy and freedom of expression”. There will be 37 events, from Annaberg to Perleberg, from Ilmenau to Zwickau.With 118 guests, including Pinar Atalay, Juli Zeh, Dirk Oschmann and Monika Maron. And always with the audience. MORE

 

Press release of 25, June 2024
Julian Assange: Finally, but

Finally – Julian Assange, the longest serving political prisoner in the Western world, is free and on his way home to Australia. PEN Berlin welcomes the release of its honorary member with great relief. After 15 years of injustice, the decision by the US Justice Department to return to the proper treatment of whistleblowers was years overdue. MORE

 

Press release of 25, April 2024
Free Toomaj Salehi!

Rapper Toomaj Salehi sentenced to death: PEN Berlin joins the call of Ye-One Rhie, a member of Bundestag who has taken on a »political sponsorship» for Salehi. »Mullahs of Iran, revoke the death penalty for Salehi and drop the charges! And finally stop torturing people. Grant freedom of expression. The more you try to brutally suppress the critical words of your citizens, the louder we hear them«, said PEN Berlin spokesperson Deniz Yücel. MORE

 

Press release of 26, March 2024
Julian Assange: No victory, just no defeat

Julian Assange could not win today; for him it was only a matter of not losing – as so often in the past 13 years”, Menasse said. (…) PEN Berlin recalls that Julian Assange has been in prison for over 13 years because of the publications of WikiLeaks. However, no one has yet been brought to justice for the war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan exposed by WikiLeaks. MORE

 

Press release of 20, Februar 2024
Julian Assange: The Dreyfus of our century

It has all been said. Not just once, but a thousand times: in its treatment of the Wikileaks founder and journalist Julian Assange, the West is showing just how much its values are really worth in an emergency. Julian Assange, who has been in England’s Belmarsh high-security prison for four years without charge, who previously had to hide in the Embassy of Ecuador for seven years on Snowflakeed-up sex charges, who now faces 175 years in prison or the death penalty if extradited to the US – he is the Dreyfus of our century. MORE

 

Press release of 18, February 2024
No to cancellation, yes to conversation

PEN Berlin strongly criticises the disinvitation of the writer and columnist Ronya Othmann, our former board member, from the Karachi Literature Festival. The disinvitation was preceded by a social media campaign and an open letter with over 400 signatories accusing Othmann of »Zionist and Islamophobic positions«. It is irritating, even disturbing, that the signatories include many writers and intellectuals who would claim freedom of expression at any time. MORE

 

Press release of December 16, 2023
General assembly of PEN Berlin

The writers′ association PEN Berlin held its second regular general meeting on Friday. Spokespersons Eva Menasse and Deniz Yücel regretted the resignations of some members who had attracted media attention in recent weeks in the wake of the Middle East conflict, but reaffirmed the association′s commitment to political diversity. MORE

 

Press release of December 3, 2023

Release our honorary member Toomaj Salehi

The Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi was beaten by armed police on the streets of Tehran on 30 November and taken to an unknown location. He had previously posted a video on social media describing the torture he had been subjected to during his last eleven months in prison.(…) Deniz Yücel, spokesperson for PEN Berlin, said: »While the world focuses on Israel and Gaza, the Islamist dictatorship is executing more and more opponents of the regime«. MORE

 

Press release of November 29, 2023
Causa Otoo: PEN Berlin calls for a sense of proportion

PEN Berlin is fundamentally opposed to any politically motivated boycott of art and culture. The BDS approach is wrong and incompatible with the values of the PEN Charter. But it is equally wrong to turn this misguided approach against its supporters. In light of the increasing number of cases in recent weeks, we strongly remind cultural institutions in Germany of their duty of care towards recognised artists.« MORE

 

Press release of November 23, 2023
Criminalisation of Last Generation goes too far

The Munich I Regional Court has classified the climate protection group »Last Generation« as a criminal organisation. Deniz Yücel commented on this legally binding decision: »You don’t have to like Last Generation. You can agree with their drastic warnings of an imminent climate catastrophe, or you can regard them as an exaggerated form of apocalypticism. You may find some of their demands anti-democratic. (…) However, their protest, always peaceful, should not be criminalised in this way.« MORE

 

Press release of November 13, 2023
Belarus: Father of writer Filipenko jailed

On the morning of November 9, the father of well-known Belarusian writer and dissident Sasha Filipenko was taken away by several armed men in the capital, Minsk. This is a clear case of clan responsibility and intimidation, unfortunately common in Russia and its satellite states. The parents were forced to lie on the floor, their home was searched and their personal belongings taken. MORE

 

Press release of October 20, 2023
PEN Berlin supports Seyran Ates: Our Salman Rushdie

Following the uncovering of plans by an offshoot of the Islamic State terror militia to attack the progressive Ibn Rushd Goethe Mosque in Berlin, PEN Berlin has expressed its solidarity with its founding member Seyran Ateş. »Fortunately, the killers were stopped in time«, said PEN Berlin spokesperson Deniz Yücel.« MORE

 

Press release of October 13, 2023
Not a minor detail: Let Adania Shibli get awarded!

Usually, these kinds of press releases are only written after the milk has been spilled. But perhaps it makes more sense to speak up before. We’re talking about the Palestinian writer Adania Shibli, who is to be awarded the »LiBerature Prize 2023« during the Frankfurt Book Fair. (…) Eva Menasse said: »No book becomes different, better, worse or more dangerous because the news situation changes. (…) The fact that something must be able to be said does not mean that it is beyond criticism. The Book Fair should be the place to have such debates – not to stifle them«. MORE

 

Press release of October 9, 2023
Goethe Institutes: You better save!

It comes as no surprise that the Goethe Institutes (with a current annual budget of 239 million euros) are having to cut costs. After years of pandemic and a wartime energy crisis, the traditionally expansive German cultural work abroad has been hit. (…) Eva Menasse, spokesperson for PEN Berlin, comments: »Of course, even Goethe must save money. But this first result is both meagre and politically short-sighted. It preserves domestic interests and unnecessarily alienates France and Italy.« MORE

 

Press release of October 2, 2023
We have not forgotten Ján Kuciak

PEN Berlin is concerned about the situation of freedom of expression in Slovakia after the left-wing populist politician Robert Fico again won the parliamentary elections on Sunday. »No one should forget that Fico had to resign in the wake of the protests following the brutal murder of journalist Ján Kuciak and his partner Martina Kušnírová«, said PEN Berlin spokesperson Deniz Yücel. MORE

 

Press release of September 28, 2023
Why the hell not: PEN Berlin at PEN International

PEN Berlin has officially become a member of the international PEN family! At this year’s General Assembly, held via videoconference from Tuesday to Thursday, PEN Berlin received the necessary two-thirds majority of votes cast. »We are thrilled«, said Eva Menasse. »This is also a recognition of our work over the past 15 months – supporting persecuted authors as well as our commitment to freedom of speech, press and art.« MORE

 

Press release of July 30, 2023

Cuts in cultural programs at Bayerischer Rundfunk

The BR wants to cut formats like »kulturWelt«, »Diwan: Das Büchermagazin«, »Kulturjournal: Kritik Dialog Essay«, »Nachtstudio«, »radioTexte – die Lesungen«, as well as in-house radio dramas. The cuts affect seven hours of broadcasting time each week. Critics within the station say that »culture is becoming a niche product«. This was reported by the Münchner Abendzeitung. PEN Berlin strongly protests against this decision. MORE

 

Press release of June 21, 2023

Defamatory film series about Osman Kavala

Turkish-German Forum of Culture, PEN International, PEN Centre Germany, (aspiring) PEN Berlin, Academy of Science and Reporters without Borders are deeply concerned about the broadcast of a film series on the streaming service of the Turkish state broadcaster TRT, which shows a discrediting and disparaging portrayal of cultural promoter and intellectual Osman Kavala. MORE

 

Press release of June 20, 2023
Yavuz Ekinci arrived in Berlin

The well-known Turkish-Kurdish writer Yavuz Ekinci has been tried several times in Turkey for tweets and sentenced to 18 months probation; Ekinci’s novel »Dream Splinters« – presented at the Turkish Ministry of Culture stand at the 2014 Frankfurt International Book Fair – was recently banned and confiscated. (…) Now he has arrived in Berlin. MORE

 

Press release of June 14, 2023
Kakwenza Rukirabashaija honored with Havel Prize

PEN Berlin congratulates its newly elected member Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, who was awarded the »Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent« in Oslo today.  The lawyer and writer is a celebrity in his native Uganda for his satirical novels. (…) After being abducted by the secret service in February 2022 and again severely tortured, he decided to flee to a neighboring country. The German PEN Center, under its then-president and current spokesperson for PEN Berlin, Deniz Yücel, was able to bring the writer to safety in Germany. MORE

 

Press release of June 10, 2023
PEN Berlin celebrates first birthday

The new authors’ association PEN Berlin, founded after conflicts in the German PEN Centre (Darmstadt), turned one year old on 10 June. To mark its first birthday, the association held a digital general meeting and elected 85 new members, including Esther Kinsky, Gerd Koenen, Felicitas von Lovenberg, Harald Martenstein and Tien-Chi Martin Liao. MORE

 

Press release of May 18, 2023
Turkey: Arrest warrant for Deniz Yücel

In the May hearing of the trial against the journalist and spokesperson of PEN Berlin, Deniz Yücel on charges of »insulting the president« and »openly degrading the Turkish state and the Turkish nation«, the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court ruled that a warrant for Yücel’s arrest should be issued. (…) In a state governed by the rule of law, Yücel would not have been charged for lawfully exercising these freedoms. In a state that follows its own laws, he should have been acquitted under the Supreme Court rulings in question. MORE

 

Press release of May 18, 2023
Georg Stefan Troller: Honorary member of PEN Berlin

Konrad Adenauer, Romy Schneider, Orson Welles – just three of the countless interview partners Georg Stefan Troller has had in front of the microphone in his eight-decade career as a television journalist. (…) Georg Stefan Troller turns 102 this year. We are extremely pleased to welcome him as an honorary member of PEN Berlin. MORE

 

Press release of May 14, 2023
We mourn the death of Sibylle Lewitscharoff

On Saturday, May 13, Sibylle Lewitscharoff, our esteemed colleague, Büchner Prize winner and founding member of PEN Berlin, died in Berlin after a long illness. She was an outstanding, immensely original, stupendously educated writer and artist, and an exemplary strong, free person. She thought freely, she laughed freely, and when she got something wrong, as occasionally happens to everyone, she faced her errors as fearlessly and openly as she dealt with all the other impositions of life. MORE

 

Press release of May 10, 2023
90 Years of Nazi book burnings

These days we are remembering the National Socialist book burnings that took place all over Germany ninety years ago in May. (…) But if commemoration is not to degenerate into an empty formula, then we today must try to understand history: to recognize the differences, but also related tendencies. (…) Until today books are banned and authors are suppressed, for this or that, but always for bad reasons. MORE

 

Press release of May 5, 2023
Russia: Free Yevgenia Berkovich & Svetlana Petriychuk!

Yesterday, Moscow director Yevgenia Berkovich and playwright Svetlana Petriychuk were arrested. Berkovich is a central figure in the alternative and resistant literary scene in Moscow and Russia. She has chosen not to go into exile and to fight for a democratic Russia, this is the reason why she is being harassed under unjustified allegations. MORE

 

Press release of April 17, 2023
Second aid delivery of the »Fire trucks for Kharkiv«

Last weekend our driver Christian handed over the second aid delivery of the campaign »Fire trucks for Kharkiv« in Lviv to Switlana from the »Lviv Volunteers«. This organization will further transport the goods to Kharkiv to Serhiy Zhadan. At the request of our local friends, we did not deliver a fire truck this time, but a van and a trailer. We loaded five 8.1 KWH generators, ten additional 2.8 KWH gasoline generators, 25 water pumps and eight 2.2 KW power stations. MORE

 

Letter to members of 9 February 2023
Earthquake in Turkey and Syria: Helping, but how?

As an exception, we are publishing a letter to our members here. (…) Though humanitarian aid in the event of natural disasters is not our area of responsibility as PEN Berlin, we have been asked frequently by members in recent days which institution to donate to in order to ensure that the help reaches the needy as quickly as possible. MORE

 

Press release of January 12, 2023
Serbia: Solidarity with Marko Vidojković

PEN Berlin observes with great concern the increasingly violent radicalization of the Serbian public. Citizens critical of the government, writers, and journalists are put under massive pressure and receive death threats. In recent years, at least four well-known journalists have been murdered, but the crimes have never been solved. MORE

 

Press release of January 7, 2023
Fire trucks to Kharkiv – We have delivered

PEN Berlin spokesperson Deniz Yücel and co-initiator Liane Bednarz today handed over urgently needed supplies to our Ukrainian colleague, writer, musician, and German Peace Prize laureate Serhij Zhadan: Two IVECO fire-fighting trucks, each with a 20kVA generator, a trailer with twenty-eight 8kVA diesel generators, one 50kVA diesel generator, (…) MORE

 

Press release of December 16, 2022
Mullahs, don’t you dare

Over 150 influential writers, artists, politicians, and citizens are calling for overturning the death penalty for two Iranian women who have been sentenced to death on charges of »corruption on Earth through the promotion of homosexuality«. Amid the executions of protestors in Iran, concern has been rising over the fate of Zahra Sedighi and Elham Choubdar. MORE | VIDEO

 

Press release of December 13, 2022
Mullahs, don’t you dare

We call on the Islamic Republic of Iran to suspend the death penalty in Saman Yasin’s case and to drop the charges against Toomaj Salehi. »Enmity against God« and »corruption on earth« are charges for which people should no longer be allowed to die in the 21st century. (…) As rappers, the two artists work with the word. Because of their free word, their lives are under threat. They are our colleagues. Now they are honorary members of PEN Berlin – harming Toomaj Salehi and Saman Yasin would be an unforgivable crime. MORE

 

Press release of December 5, 2022
Congress and general meeting

Introduced by Daniel Kehlmann, PEN America President Ayad Akhtar gave the keynote address at Festsaal Kreuzberg. Akhtar criticized that »a climate of digital intimidation« is spreading in the U.S. and with it the fear of speaking freely or even thinking freely. On the initiative of Ralf Bönt PEN Berlin has launched the donation campaign »Fire trucks for Kharkiv«. MORE

 

Press release of November 16, 2022
Congress: The Trick is to Keep talking

We promised – after our much-noticed foundation in June 2022, the association law is now followed by the content. The keynote speech will be given by Ayad Akhtar, playwright, author and President of PEN America. Other participants: Eva Menasse, Adriana Altaras, Konstantin Küspert, Jo Lendle, Jackie Thomae, Simone Buchholz, Ursula Krechel, Tanja Maljartschuk, Khuè Pham, Meral Simsek, Herbert Wiesner. Michel Friedman, Aladin El-Mafaalani, Jan Fleischhauer, Karen Köhler, Manja Präkels and Ijoma Mangold. MORE

 

Press release of November 14, 2022
Talking about Iran, talking with Chelsea Manning

We would like to draw your attention to two events next week in Berlin: Azadî in Progress. Revolution in Iran, LGBT+ and what the rest of the world can do. The panelists: Shadi Amin, Bijan Djir-Sarai, Nargess Eskandari-Grünberg, Julia Franck, Hengameh Yaghoobifarah, moderated by Ronya Othmann.

And: Readme. Chelsea Manning in conversation. Moderated by: Aron Boks and Ruth Fuentes. MORE

 

Press release of October 14, 2022
Maybe not that bad: Program at the Frankfurt Book Fair

We would like to draw particular attention to the panel discussion with Omid Nouripour and Natalie Amiri, among others, as well as the discussion with Peace Prize winner Serhij Zhadan, Claudia Roth and Eva Menasse. There will be readings and other panels at our stand, among others with Dmitry Glukhovsky, Michel Friedman, Luisa Neubauer, Burhan Sönmez and Markus N. Beeko. MORE

 

Press release of September 18, 2022
PEN Berlin continues to grow – Meral Simsek is member

PEN Berlin elected over ninety new colleagues at its first online meeting last Saturday and now has 463 members. The new members include the well-known writers Adriana Altaras, Jackie Thomae, Vea Kaiser and Maxi Obexer as well as the writers Ulrich Peltzer, Fridolin Schley, Wolfgang Hegewald, Jonas Lüscher, Büchner Prize winner Martin Mosebach and the President of the German Academy for Language and Poetry, Ernst Osterkamp. MORE

 

Press release of September 7, 2022
An Evening for Julian Assange

»I have never seen a group of democratic states come together to deliberately isolate, demonise and disrespect a single individual for so long« (UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Nils Melzer, on Julian Assange). (…) That’s why PEN Berlin is organizing an evening for its honorary member Julian Assange. Because journalism is not a crime. MORE

 

Press release of August 23, 2022
Russia: Natalia Sivokhina sentenced

On June 22nd, 2022, our colleague Natalia Sivokhina, Director of the PEN Center St. Petersburg, Russia, was arrested and taken to the police station. There she was accused of having degraded the Russian armed forces on social media. (…) The accusations are absurd: How could the demand for peaceful coexistence and renunciation of unilateral violence diminish the army? MORE

 

Press release of August 18, 2022
Words against Violence: An evening for Salman Rushdie

PEN Berlin and the Berliner Ensemble have organized a reading at short notice as a convalescent salute to Salman Rushdie, one of the greatest writers of our time. As a sign of resistance against fanaticism and violence, together with the audience, with his readers. Like no other writer of his generation, Rushdie had to fight for decades for his personal and artistic freedom. What often comes across as wooden and routine in our world – talking about the freedom of speech – sounds sensual and alive in his words. MORE

 

Press release of July 20, 2022
Turkey: Persecuted author Meral Simsek

PEN Berlin is happy to welcome Turkish-Kurdish writer and poet Meral Şimşek to Germany. We would like to thank all the people and institutions who have assisted in this outcome, in particular Nancy Faeser and the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Klaus Lederer and the Berlin Senate Department for Culture.  (…) Although Meral Simsek was acquitted of the charge of »membership in a terrorist organization« in the first instance, the public prosecutor’s office continues to demand fifteen years in prison in the appeal proceedings. MORE

 

Press release of June 24, 2022
Zimbabwe: Trial of Tsitsi Dangarembga

PEN-Berlin expresses its solidarity with its member Tsitsi Dangarembga. We call on the anti-corruption court in Harare (Zimbabwe) to immediately drop the case against the writer Dangarembga and the co-accused journalist Julie Barnes. The accusations lack any legal basis and serve no other purpose but to repress and unsettle the two authors. MORE

 

Press release of June 17, 2022
UK: Extradition of Julian Assange

PEN Berlin is shocked by British Home Secretary Priti Patel’s decision to extradite Julian Assange to the US. We urge the German government to work for his immediate release, and to offer him political asylum. All the government needs to do is to keep the promises made before the last general election. (…) In this sense, Julian Assange is the Dreyfus of the 21st century. We will do our utmost to protect freedom of the press and freedom. MORE

 

Press release of June 13, 2022
PEN Berlin founded. New: Wallraff, Sorokin, Bachér

On Friday, 10th of June 2022, PEN Berlin was legally founded as an association under German law in the Literaturhaus Berlin. Some 360 authors, translators and publicists joined the new association as founding members. Since the first public announcement of the new writers’ association last Tuesday, more than a hundred authors writing in German or living in Germany have added their support, including Ingrid Bachér, Bora Cosic, Günter Wallraff, Ronja von Rönne, Sven Regener, Nicole Seifert, and Vladimir Sorokin. MORE

 

Press release of June 7, 2022
PEN Berlin. We stand by our word

We want a new PEN. A contemporary and diverse PEN, that brings together writers and translators of all literary and journalistic genres writing in German or living in the German-speaking countries. A PEN run by and for colleagues who stand up for freedom of expression and open discourse, without presidents and other titles, with gender-equal board. MORE