Nominations Open for the Ossietzky Prize 2025
For over 30 years, PEN Norway has presented the Ossietzky Prize, our annual award for Freedom of Expression. From September 1st, we invite you to nominate your candidate.
Named after peace activist and journalist Carl von Ossietzky, Nobel Peace Prize laureate for his fearless stand against the rise of Nazism, the award honors those who carry forward his legacy of courage, truth, and resistance against oppression.
“At a time when access to information, facts, and free speech is actively restricted by those in power, it is more important than ever to defend free debate, criticism of power, and open exchange of opinions,” says Ann-Magrit Austenå, Chair of the Board of PEN Norway.
The Ossietzky Prize 2025 will be awarded at the International Literature Festival in Bergen in February 2026.
Award Criteria
- Open to a person, group, or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to freedom of expression.
- The recipient should have a connection to Norway, personally or through the case in question.
- The winner does not need to be a writer or a member of Norwegian PEN.
Nomination deadline: October 20, 2025
To nominate your favorite candidate, follow the link below:
Read more about the history of the award and former recipients: https://norskpen.no/ossietzkyprisen/
PEN Norway, Outside the Court house after the hearing on March 2025. The banner says ”Defence can never be silenced, we speak out!’. Photo: PEN NorwayPhoto: PEN Norway