According to PEN, attacks on press freedom have intensified while the rules-based world order has weakened. The organization highlights the imprisonment of Swedish journalist Joakim Medin in Turkey, along with detained Swedish citizens Dawit Isaak and Gui Minhai. Elisabeth Löfgren, chair of the Swedish PEN Committee for Imprisoned Writers, said these cases are clear examples of how fundamental human rights are questioned by governments worldwide. She added that the report is an important reminder of the need to protect writers from persecution.
Armed conflicts have devastated cultural life in Myanmar, Palestine, Sudan, and Ukraine. In Sudan, up to 90 percent of media houses have been destroyed and 27 newspapers forced to close. In Ukraine, PEN reports that Russian forces have killed at least 255 cultural workers, including writers, artists, and historians.
PEN also warns that AI is being used on a large scale to spread disinformation and create polarization. Censorship and book bans are increasing in many countries, particularly regarding books addressing gender, racism, and LGBTQI topics.