London, UK – March 20, 2025 – PEN International, the global association championing free expression, has launched its annual Case List, Identity on Trial: Persecution and Resistance – PEN International Case List 2025, set for official release tomorrow, March 21. This year’s report paints a grim picture of escalating attacks on writers worldwide, spotlighting how their gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and religious beliefs are increasingly used as weapons to silence them. Amid rising censorship, book bans, and violence, the document underscores a troubling reality: those who dare to speak out or embody marginalized identities are facing unprecedented persecution.
A Global Crackdown on Identity
The 2025 Case List reveals a sharp uptick in identity-based persecution. Women writers, though comprising 29% of the featured cases, disproportionately face legal trials, censorship, and harassment. In Afghanistan, the Taliban’s draconian policies have erased women from public life, imposing what PEN calls an “apartheid-like system” that denies them education, employment, and cultural engagement. The report cites harrowing examples, including four emergency grants issued to Afghan women writers fleeing gender-based violence.
Indigenous and ethnic minority writers are also under siege. In the Americas, Indigenous authors in Canada and Mexico face growing threats, while in China, Uyghur professor Ilham Tohti languishes in prison with a life sentence for defending his community. In Türkiye, Kurdish writer Yavuz Ekinci’s novel Dream Divided remains banned, and he faces over seven years in jail on baseless terrorism charges tied to his work.
Ma Thida, Chair of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee, emphasized the stakes in the report’s foreword: “As the very principles of international human rights and humanitarian law are being increasingly questioned by governments worldwide, we must redouble our efforts, defending the values that unite us: freedom, justice, and equality.”
Censorship and Book Bans Surge
A disturbing trend highlighted in the report is the global rise in book bans, targeting works that explore sexual violence, LGBTQI narratives, and racial issues. In the United States, over 10,000 book bans were recorded in the 2023-2024 school year, a statistic that has sparked outrage among free expression advocates. Argentina is increasingly censoring women’s voices, while Hungary and Russia are purging LGBTQI-themed books, with publishers facing fines and intimidation.
“These bans are not just about removing books—they’re about erasing marginalized perspectives from public discourse,” said Sabrina Tucci, PEN International’s Communications and Campaigns Manager, in an interview with this blog.
War and Conflict Amplify the Crisis
The intersection of war and identity-based persecution is a recurring theme. In Ukraine, Russian forces have damaged 476 cultural sites since their 2022 invasion, according to UNESCO, while journalist Viktoria Roshchyna reportedly died in Russian custody in September 2024 under mysterious circumstances. In Palestine, Israel’s bombardment of Gaza has killed over 45,000 people, including at least 26 writers, and obliterated libraries, schools, and cultural hubs. Meanwhile, Sudan and Ethiopia’s conflicts have triggered mass killings and attacks on the press, driving a surge in emergency assistance requests to PEN.
Emergency Support Hits Record Levels
In 2024, PEN International distributed 87 emergency grants—a 17% increase from the previous year—to help writers escape danger. Palestinian writers fleeing Gaza received the most support (13 grants), followed by those in Afghanistan (11) and Myanmar (9). These funds, covering relocation, medical aid, and living expenses, reflect the dire circumstances facing writers globally.
Spotlight Case: Mahvash Sabet
Coinciding with World Poetry Day on March 21, PEN is rallying support for Mahvash Sabet, an Iranian poet and Baha’i minority member serving a 10-year sentence on fabricated espionage charges. Her poetry, penned behind bars, symbolizes the resilience of writers under oppression. PEN has called for her immediate release, urging global action to amplify her case.
PEN’s Call to Action
The report concludes with urgent recommendations to the international community: end armed conflicts, protect cultural heritage, safeguard writers—especially women and minorities—and counter authoritarianism by preserving civic space. PEN vows to continue its advocacy in 2025, pushing for stronger refuge systems and justice for persecuted writers.
A Sobering Reflection
Identity on Trial is more than a report—it’s a clarion call. As governments worldwide tighten their grip on free expression, PEN International’s documentation of these struggles serves as both a warning and a proof of resistance. The stories of Tohti, Ekinci, Sabet, and countless others remind us that the fight for words, identity, and truth is far from over.
