PEN Norway Denounces Designation of PEN Belarus as an “Extremist Organisation”
The Belarusian authorities’ labeling of PEN Belarus as an “extremist organisation” is a serious escalation in repressing independent voices and civil society in Belarus.
This move comes after authorities already labeled PEN Belarus’s digital and social media as “extremist materials,” restricting access and exposing anyone who interacts with them to prosecution.
The legacy of Vasil Bykau, Sviatlana Aleksievich, and other prominent figures who helped establish the organisation mirrors a long tradition of intellectual courage and commitment to democratic values. Branding such a community of writers and independent thinkers as “extremist” demonstrates how accusations of extremism are increasingly being misused to silence criticism and intimidate civil society.
We strongly condemn this decision and call on the authorities in Belarus to immediately reverse it. Writers, journalists, and cultural figures must be able to work freely and safely, without fear of criminalization for exercising their rights to expression.
