News

As PEN Belarus has learned, on 31 July 2026 the Kastryčnicki District Court of Minsk designated three printed publications as “extremist materials”: Alaksandr Bal’s collections The Merciless Little Waltz and Night. And You…; Oleg Kashin’s book Finish Off the Survivors: The Origins and Meaning of Russian Trumpism. All three books were published in 2026. Alaksandr

It has become known that on 2 July 2026, the Zavodski District Court of Minsk added nine new books to Belarus’s official list of “extremist materials.” Svetlana Alexievich, 100 Quotes on Radio Liberty (Radio Svaboda, 2019) White Is the Frozen Expanse. A Collection of Songs Set to Poems by Larysa Hienijuš and Piotra Rusaŭ (Tekhnaprint, 2003) Minsk Spring

Today it became known that on April 2, 2026 four new books were added to the list of “extremist materials.” Makar, The Last Generation Kamiła Cień, Next Stop – Death Maks Ščur, Where We Are Not Alaksandr Cvikievič, Historical Works. Volume 1 We remind you that the inclusion in the “National List of Extremist Materials”

Today it became known that on March 13, 2026 two new books were added to the list of “extremist materials.” Pavel Antipov, To Arrive Somewhere, Do Something, and Leave (Miane Niama, 2025) Yuri Felshtinsky, Natalia Radina’s Belarus. A Journalist Against the Dictator (ISIA Media Verlag, 2025) We remind you that the inclusion in the “National List

Today it became known that on March 6, 2026, by the decision of the Partyzanski District Court of Minsk, a new book was added to the list of “extremist materials.” Diaries of an NKVD Officer: A Documentary Exposure of Stalinism, comp., ed., and comment. by A. Zelenkova We remind you that the inclusion in the

On February 26, 2026, 16 new books were added to the list of printed publications that, according to the authorities, “may harm the national interests of the Republic of Belarus”: A Smile – A Pilgrim of the Soul: Poems, Translations — Vladimir Khoroshko (Belarus) BDSM. Infinite Kindness, Compassion and Mercy — Alexander Chashchin (Russia) Your Mari

Today it became known that on February 18, 2026, by the decision of the Partyzanski District Court of Minsk, a new book was added to the list of “extremist materials.” Eliash Bart, Dzha: The Legend of the Stolen Heart (Technałohija, 2023) This is a children’s story about a dinosaur named Dzha who collected curious treasures: feathers, shells,

The banning of books is not only an act of censorship, but also a violation of the right to freedom of expression and access to information, as enshrined in international treaties. PEN Belarus documents every case to ensure that the truth about cultural repression is preserved and heard. In the film, we talk about the

Why are books banned in Belarus, who assesses their “harmfulness,” and how does the censorship mechanism work overall? We do not have clear answers to these questions. A distinctive feature of the Belarusian situation is the absence of any coherent explanation from the repressive authorities. Books are removed from libraries, bookshops, and school curricula —

On December 29, 2025, 52 new books were added to the list of printed publications that, according to the authorities, “may harm the national interests of the Republic of Belarus”: Our Neighbours on the Planet: Stories about Wild Animals — Jan Bouvin Jansen, Lotte Stegmann Daddy — Hélène Delforge, Quentin Gréban Where Do Babies Come