Nobel Peace Prize 2022 for rights advocates in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus
Belarusian human rights activist Ales Byalyatski, Russian human rights organisation Memorial and Ukrainian human rights organisation Center for Civil Liberties won the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday. Here's what we know about them.
The 2022 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded on Friday to Belarusian human rights activist Ales Bialiatski, Russian human rights organisation Memorial, and Ukrainian human rights organisation Center for Civil Liberties.
"The Nobel Peace Prize laureates are representatives of civil society in their own countries.They have long supported the right to criticise power and preserve people' fundamental rights," the Norwegian Nobel Committee stated in its citation.
"They have made an excellent effort to record war crimes, human rights violations, and power abuse. They highlight the importance of civic society to peace and democracy," it added.
About Memorial:
Memorial was founded in 1987 by human rights advocates in the former Soviet Union who sought to guarantee that the victims of communist persecution were never forgotten. Memorial is based on the notion that confronting past crimes is essential in preventing new ones. The organisation has also been in the forefront of efforts to fight militarism and promote human rights and rule-of-law government.
About Ales Bialiatski:
Bialiatski was a key figure in the democratic movement that arose in Belarus in the mid-1980s. In his own nation, he has dedicated his life to fostering democracy and peaceful growth. In 1996, he formed the organisation Viasna. Viasna grew into a broad-based human rights organisation that recorded and denounced the use of torture against political detainees by the state. The government has often attempted to suppress Ales Bialiatski. He has been jailed without trial since 2020. Mr Bialiatski has not given up his campaign for human rights and democracy in Belarus, despite enormous personal hardship.
About The Center for Civil Liberties:
The Center for Civil Liberties was established to advance human rights and democracy in Ukraine. It has chosen a stance to boost Ukrainian civil society and put pressure on the authorities to transform Ukraine into a fully fledged democracy. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the institute has been working to detect and document Russian atrocities against the Ukrainian people. The centre is a trailblazer in bringing criminals accountable for their actions.