censorship Archives - Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann

Here is a link to Margaret Atwood’s own statement on this shocking development, where she says (on her Substack):

“Everyone and their pet canary wants me to comment. But I can’t comment when I don’t know why it’s been banned. For describing what an American theological dictatorship could look like? Because it portrays evil? Is it evil to portray evil? If so, bye-bye Bible and Shakespeare. Because, as part of a power play, it perverts Christianity and rewrites the Bible , unlike anyone else, ever? Because lots of other places have banned this book and Alberta didn’t want to be left out? Because it has sex in it, even though it’s not sexy sex and anyone in Gilead of sane mind would run a mile before having any actual enjoyable sex? Because it has head coverings? Why?”

Opening address to the 91st PEN International Congress

Atwood’s text goes on to include her opening address to the 91st PEN International Congress, held in Krakow 24-27 September, 2025.

The arrest yesterday in the UK of dozens of peaceful protestors, including the world renowned poet Alice Oswald, seems excessive and heavy-handed. While noting that Palestine Action is currently a proscribed organisation in the UK – although that proscription is itself the subject of a forthcoming legal challenge – it is clear from the signs carried by the protestors that their primary objective was to state their opposition to the genocide of Palestinians which is currently taking place in Gaza, and any reference to Palestine Action must surely be seen only in that context. To arrest and charge with terrorist offences those expressing their opposition to genocide seems like an unnecessary and unwelcome form of censorship.

Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann

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Tag Archives: censorship

Margaret Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale banned in Edmonton Schools (Canada)

Statement on arrests following Palestine peaceful protest in London

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