International Free Expression Project

At IFEP, freedom is… courage to speak up, hope for a better tomorrow, truth in every action, choice to be who we are, justice for all, and power in our voices.

As May ends, let these words remind us that freedom is more than just a right—it’s something we must protect and uphold every day. Let’s continue pushing for the freedom to express, create, and stand for what’s right.

Since 2021, PEN America has documented nearly 16,000 book bans in public schools across the U.S., a number not seen since the Red Scare McCarthy era of the 1950s.

The targets? Books by or about people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, and stories that explore sexuality, violence, or trauma, especially those intended for older teen readers.

Among the most banned books:
— Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
— Looking for Alaska by John Green
— The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
— The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

These are not just stories, they’re opportunities for empathy, education, and critical thinking. When we ban books, we erase voices and limit understanding. Freedom to read is freedom to think. Stand with authors, educators, librarians, and students. Defend the right to read.

Learn more at pen.org/banned-books-list-2025

Change starts with courage. When we face what’s uncomfortable and speak what’s true, we open the door to real transformation.

Silence protects the status quo; our voices challenge it.

Today’s is Bellingcat, a nonprofit pioneering investigative journalism through open-source intelligence (OSINT) and digital forensics.

Based in the UK, Bellingcat has revolutionized the way we uncover global stories, from conflict zones to corruption. By using publicly available data like satellite imagery and social media posts, Bellingcat exposes hidden truths and holds power accountable, all while championing transparency and justice.

Follow their groundbreaking work at and support their mission to make investigative journalism more accessible and impactful for all. 📰

From protests to political unrest, governments are increasingly using internet shutdowns as a tool to suppress speech, hide human rights violations, and block access to information.

According to Access Now’s 2023 Report, there were at least 283 shutdowns in 39 countries last year. Each one cut off communities from the world and silenced critical voices.

These shutdowns often happen during moments of crisis, when people need information the most. They interrupt access to emergency services, restrict press coverage, and prevent activists from organizing or speaking out.

The right to connect, share, and be informed is essential to free expression. When the internet goes dark, so does transparency.

Last week, the Trump administration canceled hundreds of National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants, pulling essential funding from theaters, community art spaces, and nonprofits across the country with little warning. This isn’t just a line item in a budget, it’s a deliberate move to defund creativity, silence voices, and dismantle one of the few national institutions that invests in public art for everyone. The NEA’s priorities have shifted to align with Trump’s political agenda, leaving countless community arts programs behind.

This isn’t just about lost funding. It’s a warning.

When we defund the arts, we unravel the thread that connects communities, stifling the voices that help us see, feel, and understand one another.

But we know the truth: art matters. Artists reflect who we are, challenge what we accept, and imagine what we could become. The NEA isn’t just a grant maker it’s a reflection of our shared values and a commitment to cultural access for all.

Call your representatives. Share what’s at stake. Stand with your local arts organizations. Because if we stay silent, we don’t just lose funding, we lost part of our collective voice.

On Day, we honor the journalists who risk everything to uncover truth, challenge power, and give voice to the unheard.

A free press isn’t a luxury. It’s a lifeline to truth, accountability, and human rights. When journalists are censored, attacked, or silenced, the voices of entire communities are pushed into the shadows.

📢 Today and every day, we must defend the right to report freely and protect those who dare to speak truth to power.

Audre Lorde — a Black, q***r poet, writer, and activist — once said, “Your silence will not protect you.”

As we close out April, her words remind us that staying quiet in the face of injustice does not keep us safe. It only allows harmful systems to grow stronger.

Lorde dedicated her life to confronting oppression in all its forms. Her legacy calls on us to speak out, show up, and stand firm in our truth.

Let’s move into May louder, braver, and more committed to defending the right to speak, create, and be heard.

On April 18, Peru enacted a controversial law expanding government control over civil society organizations, raising serious concerns from Amnesty International and human rights groups. Though framed as a transparency measure, the law opens the door to censorship, political retaliation, and the silencing of critical voices.

This law allows the government to arbitrarily monitor NGOs, penalize dissent, and restrict access to justice for victims of human rights abuses. When civil society is threatened, so is the ability to expose injustice and advocate for the vulnerable.

Protecting civic space and defending the right to free expression and association is more important than ever. A healthy democracy depends on it.

🔗 Visit Amnesty.org to read the full story.

Freedom of expression is in crisis for more than half the global population. This alarming trend marks the 14th consecutive year of global decline, as more governments crack down on independent voices, control information, and silence dissent—both online and off.

We must never take our voices for granted. True freedom of expression is more than just the right to speak. It’s the right to be heard, to be seen, and to be safe.