PEN Norway Condemns the Classification of PEN Belarus Digital Platforms as “Extremist”
PEN Norway condemns the Belarusian authorities’ classification of PEN Belarus’s digital platforms as extremist and stands in full solidarity with PEN Belarus.
The labelling of PEN Belarus social media platforms as extremist materials will have a severe chilling effect on Belarusian culture, language, and freedom of expression in the country. This decision comes at a time when publishers, writers, and booksellers in Belarus face escalating state repression, including raids on bookstores and publishing houses. The classification of all PEN Belarus digital platforms as extremist further intensifies this pressure and poses a serious threat to freedom of expression, literature, and cultural life in the country.
The labeling of PEN Belarus social media platforms as extremists is part of a broader, ruthless campaign against independent cultural institutions and human rights organisations in Belarus.
Due to increasing state pressure and the ongoing crackdown on independent culture, free speech, and human rights organisations, PEN Belarus has been unable to operate from within the country since 2021. It has continued to operate in exile from Poland. The new classification of its digital platforms will have particularly grave consequences for social media users inside Belarus, who are at risk of facing prosecution, harassment, or other forms of repression simply for following, liking, or sharing PEN Belarus content.
PEN Norway is deeply concerned about these developments and remains in close contact with PEN Belarus, which is closely monitoring the situation.
Annual Report Documents Political Repression and Imprisonment
In its annual report for 2025, PEN Belarus said that despite several releases throughout the year, there are still no indications of a reduction in state-driven repression. The report highlights that while 30 cultural workers were pardoned, 34 new cultural workers were detained during the same period. The report further noted that by the end of 2025, a total of 1,131 political prisoners remained imprisoned in Belarus.
The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Nils Muižnieks, welcomed the releases with caution but stated in December that there were no signs that the Belarusian authorities were prepared to change their repressive policies.
