Writers Under Siege: Defying Silence – PEN International Case List 2026 Reveals Shrinking Global Space for Expression

LONDON – On World Book Day, 23 April 2026, PEN International will launch its new report, Writers Under Siege: Defying Silence – PEN International Case List 2026, documenting a global trend of shrinking space for expression, culture, and dissent as governments intensify efforts to silence critical voices.

“When literary heritage and expression are attacked, our capacity to develop the narratives and ideas necessary to understand and address the world’s seemingly intractable challenges is diminished, resulting in a cost borne by us all,” said Ma Thida, Chair of PEN International Writers in Prison Committee.

A Global Pattern of Persecution

The 2026 Case List documents a troubling global pattern of persecution against writers, documenting 140 cases worldwide in 2025. These cases included:

• 32 writers imprisoned.
• 26 subjected to harassment.
• 23 facing judicial harassment.
• 12 victims of enforced disappearance.

Specific examples highlighted in the report include Indian journalist Rana Ayyub, who continues to face death threats and harassment for her reporting. The fate of writer Dawit Isaak, detained in Eritrea for nearly 25 years, remains unknown. Meanwhile, Belarusian Nobel laureate Ales Bialiatski was released from prison but forced into exile. Others, like journalist Óscar Enrique Martínez D’Aubuisson in El Salvador and Malian author Étienne Fakaba Sissoko, have been forced into exile due to threats and intimidation. Algerian poet Mohamed Tadjadit has been repeatedly imprisoned for his writings and activism.

Key Threats to Freedom of Expression

The report highlights several major threats contributing to the crisis:

• Eroding Protections: International safeguards protecting free expression are weakening, as many governments abandon adherence to human rights and withdraw from international institutions.
• Conflict and Cultural Devastation: Armed conflicts are devastating cultural life in countries including Sudan, Ukraine, Palestine, Myanmar, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Sudan, up to 90% of media houses have been destroyed. In Ukraine, Russian forces have killed at least 255 cultural figures. In Gaza, Israeli bombardment has destroyed cultural spaces and libraries.
• Repression of Protest: Authorities frequently respond to widespread protest movements, often led by Gen Z activists, with excessive force, mass arrests, and internet shutdowns. In Cuba, poet and academic José Gabriel Barrenechea Chávez received a six-year prison term for participating in a peaceful protest.
• Transnational Repression: Governments are increasingly targeting writers beyond their borders using tactics like trials in absentia and harassment of family members.
• Disinformation and Censorship: Manipulation of information spaces, often amplified by artificial intelligence, is used for smear campaigns against writers, such as Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa in the Philippines. Book censorship, particularly targeting works addressing gender, racial equality, and LGBTQI issues, is rising in countries including the USA, Canada, Cuba, Mexico, and Türkiye.

Emergency Support and Victories

In response to the threats, PEN International, in cooperation with the PEN Emergency Fund, issued 84 emergency grants to writers at risk, with the largest number supporting Palestinian writers from Gaza (21 grants), followed by Myanmar (16), and Afghanistan (7).

Despite the challenges, the report documents important victories, including:

• The acquittal and release of Mozambican writer Alex Barga and Filipino writer Amanda Echanis.
• The release of Ukrainian journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko and British-Egyptian writer Alaa Abd El-Fattah.
• The conviction of Hadi Matar for the attack on Salman Rushdie.

Call to Action

PEN International calls on governments and the international community to:

• Strengthen multilateral cooperation, uphold the rule of law, and ensure accountability for international crimes.
• End attacks on cultural infrastructure, release unjustly imprisoned writers, and end transnational repression.
• Protect writers from violence and defend civic space.

To mark the report launch, PEN International will host an online discussion, Voices Freed: International Solidarity in a Time of Global Disorder, on Thursday, 23 April 2026, from 13:00–14:30 (UK time).