The Belarusian authorities continue the systematic destruction of the independent cultural space.
On 16 February 2026, the website of PEN Belarus and all of our social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube and others) were designated as “extremist materials.” On 27 February 2026, the KGB of Belarus decided to designate PEN Belarus as an “extremist formation.”
We emphasize: the use of “anti-extremism” legislation against cultural figures contradicts the norms of international law and constitutes an act of transnational repression.
However, under the current law-enforcement practice in Belarus, these designations carry direct legal risks for you. Please review this memo for your personal safety.
What do these designations mean from the perspective of Belarusian “law”?
The authorities can now classify any interaction with us either as an administrative offense or as a criminal offense.
- Administrative liability (Article 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offenses)
Distributing or storing “extremist materials” (our website and social media) may result in a fine or administrative arrest of up to 15 days.What may be considered distribution or storage:
– Reposting our materials on social media or forwarding links in private messages or group chats.
– Including hyperlinks to our website in your own publications.
– Keeping screenshots of our texts in your phone’s gallery or in a browser cache. - Criminal liability (Articles 361-1, 361-2, 361-4 of the Criminal Code)
The designation of an “extremist formation” is significantly more dangerous. Any assistance to us may be interpreted as facilitating “extremist activity.”
Important: In Belarus, these articles are often applied retroactively.
You may be prosecuted for a repost or a donation made several years ago, when PEN Belarus had not yet been given any such designations.
How can you protect yourself?
If you are in Belarus or planning to travel there, please take the following steps:
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Delete all reposts of our publications from your social media pages and remove any links to them from your message histories.
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Delete screenshots of our materials. Do not forget to clear the “Recently Deleted” folder and your cloud storage (Google Photos, iCloud).
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Use a VPN and your browser’s incognito mode when visiting our website.
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Do not save our website in your bookmarks.
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Regularly clear your browsing history and browser cache.
PEN Belarus continues its work. Despite the forced liquidation in 2021 and the current attempts to intimidate our community, we remain a voice for Belarusian writers and cultural figures. We will continue documenting violations of cultural rights and supporting the Belarusian word wherever we are.
Your safety is our priority. We remain in contact, but we urge you to exercise maximum caution.
If you are safe and would like to support us:
🔖 Subscribe to our Patreon
🔖 Donate 1.5% of your taxes to PEN Belarus (in Poland)
🔖 Make a one-time donation