As Governments Silence Critics During War, Writers Are Among the First to Pay the Price

Governments often suppress critics during wars, with writers facing imprisonment for challenging official narratives. The article highlights Russia, Iran, Israel, and the U.S. as leading jailers of writers in 2025, citing cases like Russia’s 18 detained writers for anti-war expression, Iran’s 53 imprisoned writers, and the U.S. detaining British commentator Sami Hamdi. Wartime also destroys cultural institutions, as seen in Gaza and Ukraine.