(NEW YORK) – Masha Gessen has been sentenced in absentia to eight years in prison for “spreading false information about the military.” A long-time critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the well-known Russian-American writer and reporter has been vocal about the suppression of free speech, LGBTQ rights, and the war in Ukraine, among other issues.
“Unfortunately, this conviction comes as little surprise given Gessen’s well-established record of bravely speaking out against the suppression of human rights in Russia. Gessen has long been a champion of free speech and has used their writing to hold the Russian government to account,” said Liesl Gerntholtz, managing director of the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Center. “Through their work, individual writers like Gessen challenge orthodoxies and hold the powerful to account in ways few others can. With this conviction, the court is sending a strong message that the Russian government will continue to impose its repressive authority unchecked, punishing any critics who speak against it, no matter where they are.”
“The persecution of writers for exercising their right to free speech in Russia, demands a robust response by members of the international community who value the basic human right of free expression,” continued Gerntholtz. “We urge the Russian government to overturn Gessen’s conviction and to release all those convicted of similar charges. We also call on the international community to recognize the vital role writers play in the open exchange of knowledge and information, which are critical to developing and maintaining healthy societies.”
Gessen was reportedly convicted for comments they made in an interview with a popular Russian blogger about atrocities committed by Russian soldiers in Ukraine. In December 2023, Russia placed Gessen on a Most Wanted list. Gessen is a dual U.S.-Russian citizen who left Moscow in 2013 due to the Russian government’s implementation of legislation banning “gay propaganda.”
Mariana Katzarova, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation for human rights in Russia, warned that the Russian government has persecuted cultural figures for political dissent. Gessen joins other writers and artists on Russia’s wanted list, including Boris Akunin and Dmitry Glukhovsky. Earlier this month, playwright Svetlana Petriychuk and theater director Zhenya Berkovich were sentenced to six years in prison on the charge of “justifying terrorism” for their award-winning play. According to PEN America’s 2023 Freedom to Write Index, Russia ranked as the world’s sixth-largest jailer of writers, tied with Belarus. 2023 marked Russia’s first appearance in the Index’s top ten jailers, highlighting the impact of war and conflict on free expression. Eleven out of 16 writers imprisoned in Russia last year were targeted for their anti-war expressions.
Masha Gessen is an advisor to the Russian Independent Media Archive (RIMA), a project of PEN America in partnership with The Gagarin Center at Bard College established to safeguard the work of Russian independent news outlets. Gessen previously served as a trustee of PEN America’s board for nine years, most recently as Vice President.
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect open expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write and recognize the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at PEN.org.
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