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.

Chair of the Scottish PEN Writers at Risk Committee, Lizzie Eldridge, spoke at two of the recent protests in Glasgow.

Scottish PEN is extremely alarmed by reports of recent events in Scotland. On 18 October, The National reported that the Scottish author, human rights campaigner and former diplomat Craig Murray had been detained by members of Police Scotland’s Border Policing Command unit under the UK’s draconian anti-terror laws.

This film by writer, Lizzie Eldridge and director, John Quinn was made in collaboration with Scottish PEN, with music by Mick MacNeil. It is their contribution to the exhibition of commemorative artworks at the Catholic Institute in Floriana, marking the six-year anniversary of her death.

Scottish PEN is extremely alarmed by recent events taking place in Malta. On Tuesday, 3 October, Robert Aquilina, the President of the anti-corruption NGO Repubblika, was abruptly called in for police questioning in relation to a press conference he gave the previous Friday, accusing the public broadcaster, PBS, of censorship. 

Scottish PEN expresses our deepest concerns over the decision by the UK High Court to reject the appeal of Wikileaks founder and publisher Julian Assange against his extradition order to the United States, where he faces up to 175 years in prison for his role in obtaining and publishing classified military and diplomatic documents

Scottish PEN joins PEN International in calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Wai Moe Naing, and for all charges against him to be dropped.

[RESCHEDULED] – Due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, events at the Scottish Parliament have been cancelled until after the funeral. Please note the change in date for this event below. Scottish PEN are holding a vigil for Daphne Caruana Galizia, a journalist assassinated in Malta on 16th October 2017. 5 years on, those who […]