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The position of the PEN Belarus Board regarding the judicial process and the decision to liquidate PEN Belarus

Last update: 9 August 2021
The position of the PEN Belarus Board regarding the judicial process and the decision to liquidate PEN Belarus
9 жніўня 2021 года рашэннем Вярхоўнага суда быў ліквідаваны Беларускі ПЭН-цэнтр.  

Through the state media we hear the formulated threats to “put under the knife” all who criticise the government and the openly articulated positions that “sometimes we have no time for laws.”  Without any trials and investigations, authorities have accused 185 non-governmental organizations of being destructive and representing a threat to national security. 

All these facts openly demonstrate the existence of a political order to “clean up” the civil sector and it makes the plaintiffs the executors of this order. Our “fault” lies in our defense of the freedom of speech and the ideals of humanism and our disagreement with repression and violence. And if this is our “fault”, we are not ashamed. We are proud of our work and the work of our friends, partners, and volunteers.