Free Word Association – Human rights association of writers, journalists, bloggers

Resolution on Belarus

Assembly of Delegates of PEN International, meeting virtually at its 87th World Congress, 20 to 25 September 2021 Mass and largely peaceful protests have swept Belarus since the disputed presidential elections of 9 August 2020, which saw Aliaksandr Lukašenka [Alexander Lukashenko] return to a sixth term in office. [1] Protests have been – and continue to Read more about Resolution on Belarus[…]

PEN Moscow and Free Word Association Statement

On January 31, mass processions and meetings took place throughout Russia. People of different generations, views and political sympathies came out onto the streets. Among them were those who wanted, primarily, to support Alexei Navalny, and those who came out, first and foremost, against lawlessness and arbitrariness. These people – whatever differences in their views Read more about PEN Moscow and Free Word Association Statement[…]

Statement of PEN Moscow and The Free Word Association

A remarkable Belarusian poet, laureate of the Russian Prize Dmitry Strocev suddenly disappeared in Minsk yesterday. And today, twenty hours later, it turned out that he is being kept in detention on Akrestsin Street, in the same isolation centre, where the security forces beat, humiliated, intimidated peaceful protesters. Kidnapping, illegal detention, refusal to provide connection Read more about Statement of PEN Moscow and The Free Word Association[…]

Joint statement of PEN Moscow, The Free Word Association and St. Petersburg PEN Club

A neighboring country, to which we are blood-related, shouts in two languages: Belarusian and Russian. About the totally falsified election. About the exiled and imprisoned candidates. About thousands of Belarus residents, who have been beaten, humiliated, and thrown into detention centers. And, in fact, about the coup d’etat. We cannot but respond to this outcry. Read more about Joint statement of PEN Moscow, The Free Word Association and St. Petersburg PEN Club[…]

Groundless charges against journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva should be dropped

November 6, 2019 The Russian authorities should drop all charges against Svetlana Prokopyeva, PEN International and PEN Moscow said today, as the journalist is facing a lengthy prison sentence for ‘justifying terrorism’ following comments she made on a radio show. The organisations further call on the Russian authorities to stop harassing and intimidating journalists who Read more about Groundless charges against journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva should be dropped[…]

Fair trial must be guaranteed for Memorial historian and human rights activist Yuri Dmitriev

The Russian authorities must uphold Yuri Dmitriev’s right to a fair and impartial trial, PEN International and St Petersburg PEN said today, ahead of a verdict expected by the end of the year. Yuri Dmitriev, historian and head of the Karelian branch of the human rights centre Memorial, North-Western Russia, stands accused of sexual abuse Read more about Fair trial must be guaranteed for Memorial historian and human rights activist Yuri Dmitriev[…]

Is Russia waking up? Nadezhda Azhgikhina for The Nation.

Is Russia Waking Up? Protests in Yekaterinburg ended in a victory for civil society. Who’s next? By Nadezhda Azhgikhina The article has been published June 6, 2019 by The Nation. The residents of Yekaterinburg did not allow the authorities to build a new church on a square in the center of town. The result Read more about Is Russia waking up? Nadezhda Azhgikhina for The Nation.[…]

PEN International: Day of the Imprisoned Writer

Tom Stoppard to Oleg Sentsov Dear Oleg, I’ve been in New York rehearsing a play in which a businessman banishes a journalist from his good graces with the words “You wrote yourself into Siberia!”. What an easy metaphor for an English writer! I came home a couple of days ago and caught up with the Read more about PEN International: Day of the Imprisoned Writer[…]

PEN International welcomes five new PEN Centres

2 November 2018 – PEN International, the global association of writers dedicated to promoting literature and defending freedom of expression, is proud to welcome five new Centres to the PEN community. PEN Iraq, PEN Perth, PEN Moscow, PEN Cape Verde and PEN Guinea-Bissau were elected on 27 September 2018 at the 84th PEN International Congress Read more about PEN International welcomes five new PEN Centres[…]

“Russia’s Strident Stifling of Free Speech” by PEN International

Please follow the link to find the report: Russia’s Strident Stifling of Free Speech. Presented October 10, 2018

The letter sent by The Free Word Association to Oleg Sentsov as part of the International PEN Club action devoted to the 100th day of his hunger strike “Marathon of Letters in Support of Oleg Sentsov”

The letter #1992311 was received by the censors of the IK-8 Labytnangi institution for processing on August 20, 2018. Dear Oleg, We keep thinking about your struggle with awe and sympathize with it. All throughout these one hundred days, members of “The Free Word Association” has been trying to support your demands by individual and Read more about The letter sent by *The Free Word Association* to Oleg Sentsov as part of the *International PEN Club* action devoted to the 100th day of his hunger strike “Marathon of Letters in Support of Oleg Sentsov”[…]

Testament. Dog. By Oleg Sentsov

Oleg Sentsov TESTAMENT We are all going to die. And I, unfortunately, am no exception. We’d all like to live a bit longer, and here I, fortunately, am also no exception. No, I don’t want to extend my life in order to live to a hundred and spend the last quarter of it dragging out Read more about Testament. Dog. By Oleg Sentsov[…]

Autobiography. By Oleg Sentsov

I was born on Monday the 13th. I guess that’s why I’ve had such a fun life. My childhood was like any childhood, a happy time. I grew up in a village, in a semi-educated family: my mother was a nursery school teacher, my father a driver. We didn’t have much money, but I only Read more about Autobiography. By Oleg Sentsov[…]

PEN America demands Oleg Sentsov’s immediate release

IN LIGHT OF HUNGER STRIKE, PEN AMERICA DEMANDS OLEG SENTSOV’S IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 1, 2018 Vladimir Putin President of Russia 23, Ulitsa Ilyinka Moscow 103132 Russia Cc: Gianni Infantino, President, FIFA Dear President Putin, We, the undersigned artists, writers, filmmakers, and activists, join PEN America to call for the immediate and unconditional release Read more about PEN America demands Oleg Sentsov’s immediate release[…]

UN Human Rights Council oral statement on freedom of association and peaceful assembly in Russia

UN Human Rights Council 38th Special Session Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Mr President, PEN International, ARTICLE 19 and Reporters Without Borders are deeply concerned by continuous restrictions on peaceful assembly in Russia, the operating environment for nongovernmental organisations Read more about UN Human Rights Council oral statement on freedom of association and peaceful assembly in Russia[…]

PEN International: Keeping Score at the 2018 World Cup

Keeping Score at the 2018 World Cup: Reporting on the dark side of Russia Since 1992, 58 journalists have been murdered in Russia, the majority with total impunity. Today, football teams from around the world will congregate in Russia for the 2018 World Cup. To mark the start of the tournament, PEN International is launching Read more about PEN International: Keeping Score at the 2018 World Cup[…]

PEN International about Oleg Sentsov

PEN International publishes Case List, documenting the increasing threats to freedom of expression worldwide The PEN International Case List, published today by the global writers association, documents egregious violations of freedom of expression worldwide. From cases of harassment, arrests, attacks, imprisonments and killings of writers and journalists around the world – it is clear that Read more about PEN International about Oleg Sentsov[…]

Save Oleg Sentsov!

Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov sentenced to 20 years in Russian prison and seen as a political prisoner by Memorial organization, holds an infinite hunger strike demanding to free all Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia. People who know him are sure that he will stand to the end. We demand that Sentsov be sent to his Read more about Save Oleg Sentsov![…]

On the blocking of Telegram

The Free Word Association is among 52 international and Russian NGOs, which jointly condemned the blocking of the messaging service Telegram and a large-scale attack on freedom of expression on the Internet undertaken by Russian authorities. For more details, see here.

Statement of the ‘Free Word’ Association
On applying violence against demonstrators and journalists during protests on May 5

“Free Word” Association is outraged by the dispersal of peaceful street protests, the right to which is guaranteed by Article 31 of the Russian Constitution. In many cities across the country, unjustified violence was applied to demonstrators, including youngsters; the data on injuries and fractures keep coming. Among the victims are our colleagues, the journalists Read more about Statement of the ‘Free Word’ Association <br>On applying violence against demonstrators and journalists during protests on May 5[…]

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Prison is a meat grinder of human destinies, in which you cease to believe in justice, but you do not stop fighting for it. Here everything is different, here you try to live and survive, although you feel that your real life has stayed somewhere beyond the fence. And that the real you stayed also at liberty, it was planted someone else. That all this is temporary, that soon everything will be resolved and will change. But nothing changes and is not allowed.

Oleg Sentcov

Natalia Sharina has been under house arrest for a year and a half already. Until October 2016, that is a whole year, she was forbidden even to go for a walk (and rightly, after all, not Eugenia Vasilyeva after all, in fact), now she is allowed to walk in the courtyard. Some time ago, the judge was dissatisfied even with the fact that Sharina went to the clinic – it was supposed to her was only a doctor at home. Natalia Grigorievna Sharina can not receive guests, except the closest relatives, use the Internet and telephone, talk to anyone else who is outside – neither on the street, nor in the elevator, nor in court.

Victoria Ivleva from the courtroom

It is quite obvious that Sokolovsky’s online publications expressing his personal worldview position do not have any provocative appeals and they do not constitute an action “expressing disrespect to the society” or anything that threatens public order.

From the statement of the members of the Free Word Association

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