nduko o’matigere

You say love,
but in the undertone
in the unheard
is control-
you say love,
but mean possession
like I’m an antique you
must own-
you say love,
but mean manipulation
like I’m playdo in your
hands;

You say love
but you can’t love me,
not the way
I need

#vss365 #poetry #domesticviolenceawareness

On this date, Matthew Shephard died 27 years ago. He was beaten, tortured, and left for dead on fence for being gay. Please keep him and his wonderful mother Judy in your thoughts. And let's all work for a world where such horrific things do not happen to anyone. ❤️🏳️‍🌈

Nobel prize in literature 2025 as it happened: László Krasznahorkai wins ‘for his compelling and visionary oeuvre’ Nobel academy cites Hungarian novelist for work that ‘in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art’

Congratulations to Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai for winning the 2025 Nobel Prize in literature.

www.theguardian.com/books/live/2...

Pope Leo blasts economy that marginalizes poor while wealthy live in bubble of luxury Pope Leo XIV has blasted how wealthy people live in a “bubble of comfort and luxury” while the poor suffer.

Pope Leo XIV has blasted how wealthy people live in a “bubble of comfort and luxury” while the poor suffer. In his first teaching document Thursday, Leo confirms that he is in perfect lockstep with Pope Francis on matters of social injustice.

PEN/Opp marks #BannedBooksWeek with their latest publication Against the Grain: Writing Resistance by Shubigi Rao, a Singaporean artist, writer and filmmaker.

Read now ⬇️

penopp.org/articles/aga...

Don’t miss this important discussion! PEN Malaysia, PEN Philippines, and PEN International are hosting a panel ahead of Myanmar’s December elections, exploring the links between the electoral process, violence & restrictions on free expression. Oct 5, 3–4 pm (MYT). meet.google.com/dbh-tngp-fnr

At our 91st PEN International Congress, we gathered in Kraków as a global community of writers to exchange ideas and strengthen solidarity. More than just an Annual General Meeting, Congress provide... At our 91st PEN International Congress, we gathered in Kraków as a global community of writers to exchange ideas and strengthen solidarity. More than just an Annual General Meeting, Congress...

At our 91st PEN International Congress, we gathered in Krakow as a global community of writers to exchange ideas and strengthen solidarity.

Watch back to see moments from inside the Assembly ⬇️

www.facebook.com/reel/6836280...

Türkiye: Top Court Upholds Rights Defender’s Life Term — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression Worldwide Conviction of Osman Kavala and Four Others Needs Urgent International Response 10 October: The prosecution of the rights defender and businessman Osman Kavala and four codefendants in connection ...

#Türkiye: Honorary PEN member and publisher #OsmanKavala should be celebrating his birthday with his family, not behind bars.

The global PEN community continues to stand with Kavala and to urge his immediate release.

Read more about his case ⬇️

www.pen-international.org/news/trkiye-...

#USA: PEN International joins over 100 others to call on the Department of Homeland Security and Customs Enforcement to immediately release Mario Guevara.

Read our joint letter ⬇️

@penamericas.bsky.social

China-Hong Kong: PEN International joins urgent UN letter from 52 Rights Groups on systemic abuses in Hong Kong’s Prisons — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression W... 30 September : Today, PEN International joined the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (CFHK) Foundation, PEN America and dozens of other organisations in a joint letter to UN officials drawing urgent...

#China #HongKong: Today, PEN International joined 50+ organisations in a joint letter to the UN exposing systematic abuse in Hong Kong’s prisons.

Read the full letter ⬇️

www.pen-international.org/news/china-h...

23,000 Book Bans Since 2021: PEN America Releases Its Latest Report on the State of Literary Censorship PEN America's latest report shows nearly 23,000 book bans in US public schools since 2021 and nearly 7,000 in the 2024-2025 year.

PEN America has released their latest report on the state of school book bans in 2024-2025.

They've found nearly 23,000 book bans since 2021, and there were 6,870 in 2024-2025.

This report is crucial reading for understanding the state of book censorship right now.

bookriot.com/pen-america-...

Afghanistan: Taliban imposes nationwide communications blackout, cutting off millions from the outside world — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression Worldwide ‘ The ongoing internet shutdown is a grave escalation of the Taliban’s longstanding efforts to silence any form of expression it disagrees with. By isolating Afghanistan from the outside world and den...

#Afghanistan: The Taliban’s nationwide internet blackout is an alarming escalation in its assault on free expression.

PEN International calls for the immediate reversal of the shutdown.

Read our full statement ⬇️

www.pen-international.org/news/afghani...

📚 PEN Recommends!
Our next recommendation under the theme 'Words for Our Planet' is La Mucama de Omicunlé by Rita Indiana.With visions of the future, Indiana asks us to imagine new ways of living with the Earth and its possible tomorrows. An inventive call to rethink our place on a fragile planet.

Egypt: Writer and investigative journalist Ismail Alexandrani arrested and detained for speaking up on social media  — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression Worldw... “We are shocked to see Ismail being arrested again for speaking up against human rights abuses in Egypt. He endured more than seven years of unjust imprisonment for his work, and it's unacceptable to ...

#Egypt: PEN International strongly condemns the arrest of award-winning writer & journalist Ismail Alexandrani, detained once again simply for his online expression.

Read our statement @penmena.bsky.social ⬇️

www.pen-international.org/news/egypt-w...

China: Joint Statement from Civil Society Groups on the Chinese Government’s Arbitrary Detention of Journalist Zhang Zhan — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression W... 14 May 2025: We, the undersigned press freedom and human rights organisations, strongly condemn the Chinese government's ongoing arbitrary detention of journalist, human rights defender and former law...

#China: Journalist Zhang Zhan’s new sentence under the nebulous charge of 'picking quarrels and provoking trouble' “picking quarrels” shows how the country's legal system is misused as a tool to silence free expression.

Read more about the case ⬇️

www.pen-international.org/news/china-j...

Cartoon by @andertoon.bsky.social.

Türkiye: PEN member Joakim Medin to be tried in absentia  — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression Worldwide Update 25 September 2025: Joakim Medin’s hearing has been postponed to 8 January 2026. He continues to face years in prison on preposterous terrorism grounds. PEN International, PEN Sweden and PEN N...

#Türkiye: The hearing of @pensweden.bsky.social member Joakim Medin has been postponed to 8 January 2026. He continues to face years in prison on preposterous terrorism grounds.

All charges against him must be dropped.

Read our latest statement ⬇️
www.pen-international.org/news/trkiye-...

Over 100 Nobel Laureates join PEN International in support of Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression Worldwide 21 May: PEN International, the literary and free expression organisation, has released a letter signed by 103 Nobel Laureates, expressing solidarity with writer, human rights defender, Nobel Peace Pri...

#Belarus: Nobel Peace Prize winner and penbelarus.bsky.social member Ales Bialiatski turns 63 today – the 5th birthday he spends behind bars.

The PEN International community continues to stand with Ales and to urge his immediate release.

#FreeViasna

www.pen-international.org/news/nobel-l...

At the African Book Fair in Nairobi, writers and advocates came together to celebrate literary freedom.

Thank you to Soma Nami Books for hosting Nduko o’Matigere, Natasha Omokhodion, and Dr. Njuki Githethwa for a vital panel discussion on censorship and expression.

Today, PEN International President Burhan Sonmez reaffirmed our association’s commitment to writers everywhere.

Built on the defence of free expression, PEN International continues to stand firm against threats that silence voices around the world.

Nobel Laureate Olga Tokarczuk joins PEN International leadership as Vice President  — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression Worldwide “We are honoured to welcome Olga Tokarczuk as Vice President of PEN International. Through her powerful voice and works that have captivated readers across the globe, she has shown how storytelling ca...

PEN International is delighted to announce the appointment of literary giant and Nobel Prize-winning Polish writer and activist Olga Tokarczuk as Vice President of PEN International.

Read more ⬇️

www.pen-international.org/news/nobel-l...

🎉 Congratulations! Delegates at PEN’s 91st Congress voted with overwhelming support to welcome new Centres:

🟥 PEN Languages of Russia
🟥 PEN Syria
🟥 The Low German & Frisian PEN
🟥 PEN Spain

We look forward to their contributions as they bring their voices into our global network!

Banned Books Week UK - Index on Censorship Banned Books Week UK returns from 5–11 October 2025. It’s a week to celebrate the books that have been challenged, removed or silenced

What links The Satanic Verses, The Well of Loneliness & This Book is Gay? They’ve all been banned. 📚 As #BannedBooksWeekUK nears, we’ve pulled together our top 10 banned books to read and share.

Discover the list ⬇️
www.indexoncensorship.org/bannedbooksw...

PEN International’s resolutions to defend free expression, gender diversity, human rights, and climate justice  — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression Worldwide “At this 91st Congress we affirmed that freedom of expression cannot be atomized —whether in defending peace against authoritarianism, protecting our planet, standing with trans and gender-diverse peo...

At the end of every Congress, PEN Centres adopt resolutions on the greatest threats to freedom of expression today. Together, these commitments reaffirm PEN’s mission.

Read the resolutions from the 91st Congress in Kraków ⬇️

www.pen-international.org/news/pen-int...

Freedom of Words – Words of the Free: Highlights from PEN International’s 91st Congress in Kraków, Poland — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression Worldwide “At this Congress in Kraków we saw the importance of our shared mission. Writers from across the world came together to defend freedom of expression, to stand with those silenced by war, censorship, a...

From urgent resolutions to welcoming Nobel Laureate Olga Tokarczuk as Vice President, our 91st Congress reaffirmed literature’s power to resist repression and imagine alternatives in times of crisis.

Read more about our highlights ⬇️

www.pen-international.org/news/freedom...

Serbia: EU must urgently address alarming crisis  — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression Worldwide 12 September 2025 – In an open letter to President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Council António Costa, and Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, PEN Cen...

#Serbia: PEN International & PEN Centres from the former Yugoslav region urge EU leaders to address alarming rights crisis.

Read our open letter ⬇️

www.pen-international.org/news/serbia-...

@vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu @martakos.ec.europa.eu @eucopresident.consilium.europa.eu

Étienne Fakaba SISSOKO — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression Worldwide Author, academic and political activist Étienne Fakaba Sissoko was serving a one-year prison term in Kéniéroba Central Prison at the end of the year. Arrested on…

#Mali: We are deeply concerned that writer Étienne Fakaba Sissoko, one of our emblematic cases, has been forced into exile after years of harassment and unjust imprisonment. We stand in solidarity and urge the authorities to safeguard freedom of expression.

www.pen-international.org/cases/tienne...

📚 PEN Recommends!

This September, our theme is Words for Our Planet, highlighting literature that reflects on climate, environment, and our shared responsibility to the Earth.

Our first recommendation: There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak.

Belarus: Writers released and forced into exile   — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression Worldwide ‘While we rejoice at the sight of Belarusian writers walking free after experiencing immense suffering, we utterly condemn their forced exile. The PEN community will continue to tirelessly campaign fo...

#Belarus: While we welcome the release of writers after immense suffering, we utterly condemn their forced exile and call for their rights to be upheld.

Read our joint statement with penbelarus.bsky.social ⬇️

www.pen-international.org/news/belarus...

#USA: PEN International joins PEN America in condemning President Trump’s defamation lawsuit against Penguin Random House and The New York Times.

bsky.app/profile/pena...