I am not sure if denying funding can be thought of as a punishment: could they have chosen another country? But going along with it, allowing the conference to

I am not sure if denying funding can be thought of as a punishment: could they have chosen another country? But going along with it, allowing the conference to happen should then be considered a punishment against the people who are by law prevented from attending. And now it's not so simple anymore since no matter what the PSF does they have to "punish" somebody.