Founded in 1989, PEN Belarus is one of the longest-running human rights organisations. It defends the freedom of expression, challenges acts of hatred, and seeks to draw international focus to human rights violations in Belarus, particularly those affecting cultural rights.
PEN Belarus unites writers, advocates for their rights during imprisonment, and keeps a record of works labelled as extremist materials. The term “writers” can be understood broadly to include Belarusian literary figures, translators, scholars of literature, publicists, intellectuals, and anyone who engages in cultural creation and promotion, champions the written word, and supports its authors.
Both Belarusian Nobel laureates, writer Sviatłana Aleksijevič and imprisoned human rights defender Aleś Bialacki, are members of PEN Belarus.
We view literature and culture as the essential pillars of a sustainable democratic system, applying a human rights–oriented approach. PEN Belarus members follow its Charter, endorse the tenets and values of the PEN International Charter, and recognise the Principles of Human Rights Defenders as articulated by the Belarusian human rights community.
Our mission is to defend writers and other creators, protect cultural and civil liberties, advocate for humanistic values, and preserve identity – while facilitating the evolution of Belarusian culture, creativity, and intercultural dialogue.
The two core pursuits of PEN Belarus include the defence of human rights and the support of artistic expression
Human rights defence
Human rights work is a fundamental part of our activities. We engage in systematic tracking of violations related to the cultural rights and human rights of cultural figures, as well as broader issues in the cultural field. Every two weeks, we publish chronicles of human rights violations, and quarterly, we release in-depth analytical reports. In addition, we carry out dedicated research on critical topics, such as the aspects of self-censorship and the implications of Russification.
We regularly conduct solidarity campaigns for imprisoned writers and repressed cultural figures, engage in advocacy at the international level, and offer various types of support to creators affected by repression.
As part of the Belarusian human rights community, we are co-founders of the Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House and members of a coalition that unites several Belarusian human rights organisations.
We work diligently to advocate for cultural rights and human rights in the cultural field in Belarus, raising awareness among creators and representatives of cultural entities and conducting educational campaigns and training focused on the protection of cultural rights.
Support of artistic expression
As part of our artistic mission, we create a space that allows artists to explore their capabilities, access support, draw inspiration, and be part of a community that encourages cultural development.
This area of our work includes literary awards (named after Aleś Adamovič, Francišak Bahuševič, Jerzy Giedroyc, Natalla Arsiennieva, Michał Aniempadystaŭ, Francišak Alachnovič, Carlos Sherman, Maksim Bahdanovič Début, and other), festivals (Uładzimir Karatkievič Traveling Festival, literary stage at Hučna Fest, and other), audioteque, artist residences and educational projects (for example, Translation Workshop, webinars for independent publishers, and other).
We are part of international organisations
We are at PEN International
Established in 1989, PEN Belarus is a member of PEN International.
P.E.N. originally stood for “Poets, Essayists, Novelists”. The first letters of these words coincide in many European languages and together form the word PEN – a pen. Now it stands for “Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists, Novelists” and includes writers of any form of literature, such as journalists, historians, critics, translators, scriptwriters, bloggers, and publishers regardless of ethnicity, language, skin colour, sex and religion.
PEN International is a global association of professional writers, founded in London on 5 October 1921, at the initiative of Catherine Amy Dawson Scott and John Galsworthy, with the goal of promoting cooperation among creative professionals and defending their rights. Today, it operates across five continents in over 90 countries, with 130 Centres supporting the unhampered transmission of thought within each nation and between all nations.
PEN Belarus is guided by the ideals of the PEN Charter as well declarations and manifestos.
We are part of the Network of Human Rights Houses
PEN Belarus is a member of the Network of Human Rights Houses.
The Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House (BHRH) was founded in 2006 by Belarusian human rights organisations, including PEN Belarus and the Foundation for Human Rights Houses (Norway).
Today, 80 civil society organisations (CSOs) are united in the Network of Human Rights Houses, which is active across Eastern and Western Europe, the Balkans, and the Caucasus. The mandate of the Network of Human Rights Houses is to defend, strengthen and support human rights organisations on the ground and integrate them into an international network. BHRH cooperates with numerous Houses and organisations that founded them, as well as with Belarusian and foreign human rights organisations and other public entities, to improve the human rights situation in Belarus and worldwide. BHRH supports Belarusian human rights defenders and strengthens their organisations.
History
PEN Belarus was founded in 1989 by a committee that included 20 Belarusian writers. It was admitted to PEN International in May 1990 at the 55 Congress on Madeira Island. The Justice Ministry of the Republic of Belarus registered PEN Belarus on 16 November 1990 on the grounds of the Statute and the 1 November 1990 Council of Ministers Resolution №274 and re-registered on 31 October 1999. PEN International holds Special Consultative Status at the UN and Associate Status at UNESCO.
In 1994, PEN Belarus established two annual literary awards presented to outstanding writers to encourage their work and recognise their achievements: the Aleś Adamovič Award and Francišak Bahuševič Award. In 2012, PEN Belarus became one of the founders of the Jerzy Giedroyc Literary Award. These awards continue to this day, alongside the new emerging literary prizes and projects.
Since 1996, PEN Belarus has been a member of the Writers in Prison Committee, established in 1960 by the Assembly of Delegates of PEN International.
PEN Belarus was dissolved by a Supreme Court ruling on 9 August 2021, which fell on the anniversary of the 2020 presidential election. From 2020 through 2022, we experienced Ministry of Justice inspections, searches, legal liquidation, and website blocking and had to move our team to Warsaw, but we never paused our work even for a single day.
Today, PEN Belarus is registered in Poland and continues its activities as an association (stowarzyszenie).
You can read more about the history of PEN Belarus in our article.
PEN Belarus Presidents
What you can do for us
- Support us financially. PEN Belarus operates thanks to donations. Together, we can do more to support writers, defend human rights, and preserve Belarusian culture.
- Support and join our statements addressed to the Belarus authorities and international community, and share them on your social media pages or in the media
- Become a member of PEN Belarus to help promote literature and culture and defend freedom of expression together.
- Support the Imprisoned Writers — read their stories and share them wherever you can.
- Subscribe to our social media pages, read our news and analytical reports, and share them on your social media.