☄️ New report out! ☄️ In early 2026, politically motivated persecution of Belarusian cultural figures persisted. Cultural activity, particularly literary work, continued to be criminalised. Help us spread the word! Share this report to keep the voices of Belarusian culture alive.

Day 73 / Poem 73: беларускі / Belarusian Taciana Niadbaj: Mama, all my friends are criminals @penbelarus.bsky.social Belarus is one of the few states that actively undermines its own language: education in Belarusian is discouraged, and only a minority study in it youtu.be/qu76EfpmmzE?...

Andrzej Poczobut is free!

We call on human rights defenders and civil society organizations in different countries to show solidarity with the Belarusian human rights movement.

#Belarus: PEN members have actively campaigned for the release of Kaciaryna Andrejeva and Valeryja Kaściuhova. While we rejoice at their freedom, we condemn the authorities’ relentless campaign of repression. #FreeThemAll Read the full statement ⬇️ www.pen-international.org/news/belarus...

#Belarus: We vehemently condemn the authorities’ decision to criminalise the activities of @penbelarus.bsky.social and scores of publishers amid an ever-growing crackdown on the cultural sector. #StandWithBelarus Read our statement ⬇️ www.pen-international.org/news/belarus...

PEN America strongly condemns the Belarusian authorities’ designation of @penbelarus.bsky.social as an “extremist organization.” The move is a dangerous escalation in the government’s ongoing assault on free expression and Belarusian culture independent of state control. pen.org/press-releas...

#InternationalWomenDay: Imagine being behind bars just for being a woman who writes and speaks out. The Belarusian authorities must release #ValeryjaKaściuhova immediately and unconditionally and ensure she has access to medical care while detained. Stand with her today. #IWD26

#Belarus: PEN International condemns the authorities’ decision to declare PEN Belarus an ‘extremist formation’, which carries the risk of criminal prosecution. We stand in full solidarity with colleagues in their mission to uphold free expression and cultural rights. penbelarus.org/en/2026/03/0...

March 3 – World Writers’ Day. On this day, we want to draw attention to the systematic practice of confiscating and destroying the literary manuscripts and letters of those imprisoned on politically motivated grounds. ❤️‍🩹 Share our statement!

#Belarus: 1435 instances of human rights violations against cultural figures documented by @penbelarus.bsky.social in 2025. We continue to urge accountability and unfettered support for Belarusian culture. Read and share widely: penbelarus.org/en/2026/02/1...

52 new books have been banned in Belarus. The list also included the book by Darota Michaluk “The Belarusian People’s Republic, 1918–1920: At the Origins of Belarusian Statehood.” Books on Belarusian history whose content does not align with the regime’s Russia-oriented policy are often banned.

A new analytical report dedicated to artistic freedom and the protection of cultural diversity has been published on the PEN Belarus website. We have gathered several examples of how artistic and cultural activities can become central elements in criminal charges.

As the human rights record of Belarus comes under review at the UN on 3 November 2025, PEN Belarus, @peninternational.bsky.social and @penamerica.bsky.social reiterate grave concerns over the Belarusian authorities’ brutal clampdown on freedom of expression, cultural rights and linguistic rights.

Andrzej Poczobut has become a laureate of the 2025 Sakharov Prize! You can learn more about him here: penbelarus.org/en/2024/06/2...

IMPORTANT! Dossier BIELORÚSSIA @penbelarus.bsky.social @peninternational.bsky.social

On September 26 the Ministry of Information updated the list of “extremist materials” and added three new books. Among these books is a finalist of the largest Belarusian literary award, the Jerzy Giedroyc Prize, for 2023: Valer Hapiejeŭ with his book "Volniery. The Harbinger". #BannedBooksBelarus

On September 26 the Ministry of Information updated the list of “extremist materials” and added three new books. Among these books is the winner of the largest Belarusian literary award, the Jerzy Giedroyc Prize, for 2023: One Must Imagine Sisyphus Happy, Valancin Akudovič. #BannedBooksBelarus

On September 30, 2025, 32 new books were added to the list of printed publications that, according to the authorities, “may harm the national interests of the Republic of Belarus,” including two books by PEN Belarus member Sasha Filipenko. #BannedBooksBelarus

Manuscripts are being confiscated from imprisoned writers... Both people and books must be freed! 👉 You can learn more about the current state of Belarusian books here: bannedbooks.penbelarus.org/en

While we welcome the release of writers after immense suffering, we utterly condemn their forced exile and call for their rights to be upheld. Read our joint statement with @peninternational.bsky.social

During our 91st Congress Opening Ceremony in Kraków we brought together Burhan Sönmez, Olga Tokarczuk & Margaret Atwood. They each spoke out against repression in literature & the growing tide of censorship. @penbelarus.bsky.social honoured Andrzej Poczobut as the Empty Chair.

Today it became known that three more books have been banned in Belarus. The banning of books is not only an act of censorship, but also a violation of the right to freedom of expression and access to information, as enshrined in international treaties.

Des del PEN Català celebrem l’alliberament de 52 presos polítics a Bielorússia. Però més de 1.000 persones continuen empresonades, entre elles 33 escriptors, i 222 llibres estan prohibits. @peninternational.bsky.social @penbelarus.bsky.social

Six Imprisoned Writers Have Been Released! On 11 September, 52 political prisoners were freed and forcibly taken out of Belarus. Among those freed are some of our imprisoned writers: Uładzimir Mackievič, Mikoła Dziadok, Zmicier Daškievič, Łarysa Ščyrakova, Pavieł Mažejka, Pavieł Vinahradaŭ.

Freedom of expression. #HappyBirthday #FreeMaksimZnak @penbelarus.bsky.social @peninternational.bsky.social www.suomenpen.fi/en/valkovena...

Tercer dia del #congresspen Comencem amb una nova cadira buida. Advocat de molts represaliats pel govern Bielorússia, porta dos anys incomunicat, fa dos anys que ningú l'ha vist. @penbelarus.bsky.social @peninternational.bsky.social penbelarus.org/en/2024/03/1...

PEN Belarus has launched the website: bannedbooks.penbelarus.org/en/ There you can find all the information about books banned in Belarus. Join us in spreading the word about banned books in Belarus and standing up for the right to read. #bannedbooksbelarus

Torture and discrimination against women in Belarus — “Legal Initiative” and other human rights organizations have appealed to CEDAW, demanding the initiation of an international investigation. Sign our open appeal: forms.gle/ACmPQ8Rsoun3... #JusticeForBelarusWomen

Belarusian lawyer & writer Maksim Znak, jailed since 2020 on spurious charges, has been awarded the 2025 Disturbing the Peace Award. We call for his immediate release & stand with all writers risking their freedom for truth. havelcenter.org/2025/08/08/v...

☄️ New report out! ☄️ Read our latest monitoring report to see the full picture. Help us spread the word! Share this report to keep the voices of Belarusian culture alive. Support the work of PEN Belarus experts on Patreon: www.patreon.com/penbelarus #penbelarus #culturalrights #imprisonedwriters

#Belarus: We warmly welcome PEN Català’s decision to elect Kaciaryna Andrejeva (Bachvałava) as an Honorary PEN member, and we reiterate our call for her immediate and unconditional release.

Today marks four years since PEN member and Nobel Laureate Ales Bialiatski was arrested on spurious grounds.

The 113th Session of the @ilo.org International Labour Conference is currently taking place in @ungeneva.bsky.social We call on the participants of the Conference to show solidarity with the illegally dismissed and imprisoned workers of Belarus!

Our warmest congratulations to Nadia Kandrusevich and Dmitri Strotsev, who were awarded the 2025 IPA Prix Voltaire for their commitment to publishing despite threats and harassment. #StandWithBelarus internationalpublishers.org/2025-ipa-pri...

“mama, all my friends are criminals… smugglers of liberty traitors to the dictatorship agents of dignity” We share this powerful poem on political prisoners in #Belarus by Taciana Niadbaj, poet, writer and #humanrights defender. #PrisonersDayBelarus youtu.be/8_Zn5uspE68 @penbelarus.bsky.social

PEN Sweden (@pensweden.bsky.social) member Joakim Medin stands trial in Ankara tomorrow on spurious ‘insult to the president’ grounds. We urge #Türkiye to drop all charges and to release him immediately. Read more ➡️ www.pen-international.org/news/trkiye-... @etc.se

PEN Belarus took part in the preparation of a report to the United Nations on Belarus’s compliance with its human rights obligations. Out of the 266 recommendations received by Belarus, 155 were accepted in some form. Of these, only 2 (1.3%) have been fully implemented, and 24 (15.5%) — partially.

Arrested for live streaming a protest, Belarusian journalist and writer Kaciaryna Andrejeva has been imprisoned since 2020. Her case, featured in our 2025 Case List, reflects the brutal repression of independent voices in Belarus. Learn more ➡️ www.pen-international.org/identity-on-...

Members of the Network of #HumanRightsHouses condemn the recent actions of the Georgian authorities against Human Rights House Tbilisi and call for the immediate stop of the investigation and reversal of the decision to freeze all of the organisation's bank accounts. 👉 bit.ly/4je6Kq2

Yesterday, we gathered outside the Embassy of #Belarus with a clear demand for #Lukashenka’s regime: ▪️Release all political prisoners ▪️End state violence ▪️Restore democracy in Belarus We paid tribute to those who continue to pay the price for simply demanding freedom. Thanks to all who joined us.

PEN Belarus stands in solidarity with the Human Rights House Tbilisi. We respond to the investigation initiated by the General Prosecutor’s Office of “Georgian Dream,” within the framework of which the bank accounts of the Human Rights House Tbilisi, have been frozen. @humanrightshouse.bsky.social

International day of poetry. Maksim Znak has been held incommunicado for 771 day. Read his poems today on penopp.org. #teawithmaksim #temedmaksim #maksimznak @penbelarus.bsky.social #svenskapen

On #WorldPoetryDay, friends and former colleagues of #Belarus journalist and human rights defender #AndreiAliaksandrau read a poem he wrote while in detention. Andrei was detained in January 2021 & sentenced to 14 years. We continue to call for his immediate release: youtu.be/bnhEKh7fwUo?...

@peninternational.bsky.social has today published its in-depth monitoring report — Identity on Trial: Persecution and Resistance – Case List 2025. The list includes the names of seven Belarusian literary figures. Please read it and share it.

📢 Stand with Belarusian political prisoners! Join us outside the Embassy of #Belarus on Tuesday 25 March, 1-2pm to demand freedom for those unjustly detained by Lukashenka’s regime. Join us and spread the word! www.indexoncensorship.org/events/stand...

Repression against Belarusian culture continues in 2024: Nobel laureate Aleś Bialacki remains behind bars, along with at least 103 other political prisoners from the cultural field. Read our monitoring report to see the full picture. Share this report to keep the voices of Belarusian culture alive.

“Culture is a fundamental base for sustainable democratic change” - Taciana Niadbaj poet, HRD and President of PEN Belarus speaking today on the importance role of culture in #Belarus.

Today is International Writers' Day! A perfect moment to celebrate the power of words and the writers who bring stories to life. What book are you reading right now? Drop it in the comments! ⬇️✨ #InternationalWritersDay #Iamreading

Defending the Belarusian Language on International Mother Language Day! We call on the international community to stand with us in defending the fundamental right to speak and live in our native language. Here’s how you can help: penbelarus.org/en/2025/02/2...