Scottish PEN is very gravely concerned by the recent arrest and charges under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act of its vice-president, Lizzie Eldridge, for taking part in a silent protest against the proscription of Palestine Action in Edinburgh on September 6th (see attached photo). even though no arrests were made at the time.  It […]

Ken Loach and Paul Laverty standing in solidarity with activists at the Edinburgh Film Festival Today, 26 August, 2025, Scottish PEN released the statement below on the arrest of award-winning Scottish screenwriter Paul Laverty, giving its full support to him and other writers and citizens who would exercise their rights to freedom of expression and […]

Scottish PEN condemns the recent police raid on the Quaker Meeting House, central London, on Thursday 27th March 2025. This raid and the subsequent arrest of 6 young women is deplorable and constitutes a violation of human rights, freedom of expression, the right to protest and is, additionally, a violation of a place of worship.

On Saturday, 25 January, The Times published an article by senior news reporter Marc Horne, regarding the release of security service files that have recently been opened and placed in the UK National Archives at Kew. These documents disclosed that MI5 and the police monitored James Findlay (JF) Hendry, the poet, editor and writer for decades over […]

As the Edinburgh Festival Fringe comes to a close for another year, Scottish PEN finds itself in a position for a second year running where it must express regret regarding a continuing situation in Scotland and beyond.

At the request of Scottish PEN member Heather Kiernan, working with the Hands Up Project, Scottish PEN organised a call-out to Scottish poets to respond to ‘Moon Tell Me Truth’, illustrated poems by children in Gaza exhibited at the Scottish Poetry Library during June.

Scottish PEN is deeply concerned about reported police aggression towards peaceful protesters at Thales Arms Factory, Govan, on Wednesday 15 May 2024. The protest peacefully and successfully closed down Thales Arms Factory that day in an effort to draw attention to and disrupt the company’s production of components for Israeli military drones, used in Israel’s genocide in Palestine.

Scottish PEN is appalled by the news that Dr Ghassan Abu-Sitta was prevented from entering France on Saturday 4th May 2024. Dr Abu-Sitta is a renowned British-Palestinian plastic surgeon, rector of Glasgow University, and a witness to the genocide in Gaza.