Belarus
Following an illegitimate 2020 presidential election, which sparked international condemnation and widespread protests in Belarus, threats against writers, artists, and other dissenting voices have increased. Writers are commonly accused of “extremism” for their free expression. Jailed writers and political prisoners have been subject to ill-treatment, including incommunicado detention and torture.
The Belarusian government has targeted writers in exile and their families, subjecting relatives to arbitrary searches, detentions, and other forms of harassment. Many writers released from prison have been forcibly deported from Belarus, pushing them into the limbo of an uncertain and indefinite exile.
What You Need to Know
The Belarusian government suppresses dissent—by arrest, judicial harassment, and exile—resulting in 17 writers jailed during 2025 according to the Freedom to Write Index.
PEN Belarus found, as of December 31, 2025, there were at least 1,435 cultural rights violations and human rights violations against cultural figures in Belarus.
While Belarusian is one of the official languages of the country, Belarusian speakers experience discrimination in sectors including publishing and higher education.
News
Individual Cases
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Uladzimir Matskevich
Status: Displaced/In ExileMatskevich is a philosopher who was arrested in a home raid on August 4, 2021 and detained in restrictive conditions,… More
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Ales Bialacki
Status: Displaced/In ExileBialacki, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, is a writer, literary critic, and head of human rights group Viasna. In July… More
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Katsiaryna Andreyeva
Status: Displaced/In ExileReporter and writer Andreyeva was detained on November 15, 2020 for “organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order,”… More