Author resigns from PEN America board amid row over Russian writers panel

Masha Gessen stepped down as vice-president as the group acknowledged a ‘misunderstanding’ at an international festival

The author and journalist Masha Gessen has resigned as vice-president of the board of PEN America, in a row over the literary organization’s cancellation of an event with Russian panelists.

Last week, PEN hosted dozens of events for its annual World Voices Festival, an international gathering of writers and other public figures. One conversation was supposed to include two Russian dissident writers, with Gessen serving as moderator. A separate panel was to feature the Ukrainian writers Artem Chapeye and Artem Chekh, active members of the Ukrainian military.