Vacancy: Finance & Admin Worker
Scottish PEN is seeking an experienced finance and administration worker to support its busy staff team for 7 hours per week. Deadline: 17:00, Friday 15th June 2018 Responsible to: The Project Manager...
View ArticleDefamation reform should not be delayed
We have made so much progress towards much-needed reform of defamation laws in Scotland. As the current law has not been substantially reformed in 22 years, it is wholly inadequate faced with the...
View ArticleLiu Xia has been released
Scottish PEN is delighted to hear that poet and artist, Liu Xia has been released from house arrest and has been able to leave China for a new life in Europe. Following the death of her husband, the...
View ArticleScottish PEN statement on visa refusals for writers at EIBF
Scottish PEN condemns the Home Office’s decision to block a number of visa applications for writers intending to take part in this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival. With frustrating...
View ArticleJo Clifford: Censorship & Violent Threats in Brazil
Jo Clifford is a leading playwright and Scottish PEN member based in Scotland. Her adaptation of Great Expectations made her the first openly trans playwright to have a play running in London’s West...
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Daphne’s Legacy
This blogpost, written by Nik Williams the Project Manager of Scottish PEN commemorates the one year anniversary of the murder of Maltese journalist, Daphne Caruana Galizia. Last week an international...
View ArticleFree Expression in Malta: 2018 PEN Congress Resolution
Here below is the resolution put forward by PEN Netherlands and Scottish PEN about the state of free expression in Malta at the 84th PEN International Congress in Pune, India, September 2018 Press...
View ArticlePress freedom campaigners call for action on ‘vexatious lawsuits’
In July 2019, Scottish PEN co-signed a letter calling for the UK Government to bring forward new legislation to protect against defamation law being abused to silence criticism. This came from the...
View ArticleMatthew Caruana Galizia – Public Inquiry Opening Statement
On Friday 6th December the public inquiry in the assassination of Maltese investigative journalist, Daphne Caruana Galizia started in the Law Courts in Malta. As part of the proceedings, Daphne’s son,...
View ArticleEuropean leaders must hold Muscat to account for political interference in...
On Thursday 12th December, EU Heads of State will come together for the meeting of the European Council. Scottish PEN joins 11 rights and journalist organisations calling for the European community to...
View ArticleFree expression groups call on Arron Banks to drop SLAPP lawsuit against...
On Thursday 12th December, the High Court passed a preliminary ruling on the defamation action brought by Arron Banks against the investigative journalist, Carole Cadwalladr. We joined Reporters...
View Article#DefamationScot: Justice Committee Call for Evidence
We are another step closer to reforming defamation law. Earlier this month, the Scottish Parliament Justice Committee announced a call for evidence for the Defamation and Malicious Publications...
View ArticleEU Laws to deter SLAPPs should cover everyone
Scottish PEN joined 27 organisations calling on the EU to ensure that everyone who chooses to speak up and speak out is protected by any EU laws targeting Strategic Lawsuits Against Public...
View ArticleTurkey: Asli Erdogan faces lengthy prison sentence in impending verdict
The Turkish authorities must drop all charges against award-winning writer Asli Erdogan, who faces up to nine years and four months in prison for her writings, PEN International said today, ahead of...
View ArticleDefamationScot: Tell the Justice Committee to bring forward reform
The Scottish Parliament Justice Committee has announced a call for evidence as part of their scrutiny of the Defamation and Malicious Publications (Scotland) Bill. This is an important step towards...
View ArticleThe Scottish Poetry Library’s statement raises more questions than it answers
Here is a statement from the Scottish PEN trustees on behalf of the organisation in relation to the recent statement made by the Scottish Poetry Library. In February 2020, the Scottish Poetry Library...
View ArticleOutcome: Andy Wightman MSP Defamation Action
Scottish PEN member and a Scottish Green MSP, Andy Wightman has been defending a £750,000 defamation action for blog posts and social media content published prior to his election to Scottish...
View Article#DefamationScot: Scottish PEN’s Submission to the Justice Committee
Friday 13th March is the deadline for the Justice Committee’s Call for Evidence as part of its scrutiny of the Defamation and Malicious Publications (Scotland) Bill. This is a unique chance to reform...
View Article‘Any discussion of freedom of expression must also be a discussion of power’:...
Scottish PEN has joined with English PEN, PEN International and 19 other centres to support a statement on the issue of online harassment. Across the world online harassment is on the rise*,...
View ArticleScottish Black Writers Group launches
During Black History Month, Scottish PEN is supporting the Scottish BAME Writers Network to launch a new group, facilitated by writer Dean Atta. The Scottish Black Writers Group is a new writers group...
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