Growing Repression and Persecution of Writers and Artists in Belarus, Ahead of Third Anniversary of Illegitimate Presidential Election
“Belarusians are enduring profound restrictions of their fundamental rights and their cultural heritage is under serious threat and the world is not doing enough to preserve it. If we… More
PEN America Condemns “Egregious” Sentences Against Blogger and Journalists in Belarus
Since the 2020 presidential election in Belarus, internationally regarded as neither free nor fair, Lukashenka’s government has jailed journalists, writers, and other cultural figures on politically-motivated charges for expressing… More
Sharp Criticism of Decision Designating Journalists Group in Belarus “Extremist”
The designation underscores the Belarusian authorities’ escalating attacks on independent journalism and free expression since Aleksander Lukashenka’s 2020 reelection, internationally regarded as “fraudulent.” More
Two Years After the Rigged Belarus Election, the United States Can Do More to Call Out Aleksandr Lukashenka’s Abuses
By Polina Sadovskaya The fraudulent election of Aleksandr Lukashenka as president of Belarus on August 9, 2020 surprised no one. Everyone expected him to ‘win,’ but very few wanted him… More
Detailing Severe Human Rights Abuses in Belarus, Leaders Call on the UN Human Rights Council to Extend the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Belarus
In Taped Reading, Author Margaret Atwood Reads Letter from her Belarusian Translator About the Arrests and Jailing of Writers, Journalists and Publishers By Suzanne Trimel (NEW YORK)-- The severe deterioration of… More
PEN America Condemns Ihar Losik’s Politically Motivated Sentencing
“Ihar Losik is guilty of nothing more than exercising his fundamental right to freedom of expression,” said PEN America’s Eurasia Director Polina Sadovskaya. More
PEN America Condemns Continuous and Unjust Persecution of the Popular Rappers in Russia
Targeting rappers for their music part of ongoing assault on dissidents, artists, and human rights organizations. More
PEN America Welcomes PEN Belarus Report Detailing Persecution of Cultural Workers
PEN Belarus’s report documents the persecution of writers, artists, poets, and other cultural figures between January and September 2021. More
PEN America Welcomes Congressional Resolution Condemning Repression in Belarus
Representatives Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Joe Wilson (R-SC) introduced a resolution in the U.S. House decrying the Belarusian regime and its brutal suppression of the pro-democracy movement over the… More
PEN American Condemns Guilty Verdict in Sham Trial of Belarusian Activists
A court in Belarus’ capital Minsk this week convicted two opposition activists on politically-motivated charges of conspiracy to usurp state power. More
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