2 hours ago
Photo author, EPA
—
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya showed portraits of protesters during her speech at the European Parliament
–
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the main rival of Alexander Lukashenko in the elections in Belarus, received the Andrei Sakharov Prize. The laureate of the award annually awarded by the European Parliament for the protection of human rights is the Belarusian opposition, which has been challenging the results of the presidential elections in the country since August.
–
On Wednesday, Tikhanovskaya accepted the award at a meeting of the European Parliament in Brussels. The decision to award it was made on October 22 by the Presidium of the European Parliament on the initiative of the four largest factions.
–
Tikhanovskaya emphasized that the award rightfully belongs to all Belarusians who are peacefully fighting for democracy and against violence.
–
The award was shared with her by her husband, blogger Sergei Tikhanovsky, Nobel Prize laureate in literature Svetlana Aleksievich, activists Maria Kolesnikova, Veronika Tsepkalo and Olga Kovalkova, chairman of the human rights center “Vesna” Ales Bialiatsky, member of the strike committee of the Minsk Tractor Plant Sergei Dylevsky, Belarus candidate in 2010, Nikolai Statkevich and the founder of the Nexta Telegram channel Stepan Putilo.
–
One of the factions, “European Conservatives and Reformists”, offered to personally award Tikhanovskaya, but they decided to expand the list.
–
The Andrei Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought was established by the European Parliament in 1988 and is awarded to people or public organizations “for their exceptional contribution to the struggle for freedom of thought and human rights throughout the world.”
–
Tikhanovskaya asked for help from Europe
In her address to the European Parliament on December 16, Tikhanovskaya called on Europe to support the Belarusian opposition not in words, but in deeds.
–
“We ask Europe and the whole world to stand next to Belarus. We call on Europe to be bolder in decisions and support the people of Belarus not tomorrow or someday, but now. Supporting human rights and democracy is not an intervention, but the duty of every self-respecting country. solidarity, your voice is important, but deeds are more important. Please be with Belarusians. And do not doubt that Belarusians will do the same for you, “she said.
–
On Wednesday, Tikhanovskaya and the head of EU foreign policy, Josep Borrell, discussed new sanctions and assistance to Belarus, in particular, the possibility of economic measures against Belarusian enterprises and businessmen who fire workers for participating in opposition protests.
–
At the same time, it was announced about the further expansion of the EU sanctions list by another 29 individuals and seven legal entities. The first list included 40 people, according to Brussels, involved in the rigging of the presidential election and atrocities against peaceful demonstrators, in the second 15, including Alexander Lukashenko personally.
–
“In him [третий список] included 29 people and seven legal entities. The next package will be discussed in Europe early next year, “Tikhanovskaya wrote in her Telegram channel.
–
While communicating via videoconference with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, she said that “Belarusians will peacefully protest in new ways – in the form of partisanism”.
–
Recently, opposition rallies in the country have moved from the central streets of cities to the courtyards of residential buildings.
–
In a conversation with De Croo, Tihanovskaya also spoke about solidarity and support.
–
“I am not asking for Europe’s help, but the whole people. We hear many promises, but behind them we want to see concrete actions,” the opposition politician said.
–
Experts express the opinion that the EU refrains from more radical measures against Minsk out of fear that they will push Lukashenka into the Kremlin’s arms even more.
–
“Online revolution”
After being awarded the prize in October, Lithuanian MEP Andrius Kubilius said that Sakharov himself would be pleased today. “We admire the courage of the Belarusian people. This is a peaceful revolution of a new type, I would say – an online revolution, which the dictatorship is unable to crush with brutal police force and state propaganda,” he said.
–
Photo author, Reuters
—
Demonstrations in Belarus have not stopped since August
–
“Large-scale protests in the squares of Belarus shocked the world. Violence will never defeat the truth. Stay strong and do not stop your fight. Know that we will support you,” European Parliament President David Sassoli said when announcing the award of the Belarusian opposition prize.
–
“She [премия] means that the Belarusian people are not alone in opposing the dictatorial regime, “unregistered presidential candidate of Belarus Valery Tsepkalo said in an interview with DW. Another unregistered candidate, Viktor Babariko, called the Sakharov Prize” an award for all of us who fight every day in legal and peaceful ways. for freedom, your rights and a better future for Belarus. “
–
Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the international affairs committee of the Russian State Duma, called the awarding Western interference in the affairs of a sovereign state and “one of the elements of the Venezuelan scenario for regime change in the republic.”
–
In addition to the Belarusian opposition, Archbishop of Mosul Najib Michael Moussa was nominated for the Sakharov Prize in 2020, who during the attack on the city by the Islamic State (banned in Russia) in 2014 helped local Christians to evacuate to Iraqi Kurdistan and saved more than 800 ancient manuscripts ; Honduran conservationist Bertha Caceres, who was killed in 2016, and eight other local environmentalists arrested in 2018 for protests against iron ore mining in the Colon department, and Polish LGBT activists.
–
What is happening in Belarus
On August 9, presidential elections were held in the country, in which Alexander Lukashenko, who has been ruling the country for 26 years, received 80% of the votes, according to official data. The opposition claims that the voting results were falsified, and Tikhanovskaya became the real winner.
–
Photo author, Reuters
—
–
Three main opposition candidates were not registered, two ended up in jail, and the third in exile.
–
Since the announcement of the election results, mass protests have not stopped in Belarus, suppressed by the police with the use of water cannons, stun grenades and pepper spray. Thousands of people were detained, hundreds were beaten.
–
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who registered to run in the elections instead of her arrested husband, famous blogger Sergei Tikhanovsky, was forced to leave the country, as did all the members of the Coordination Council of the Belarusian opposition.
–
Lukashenko says that he will no longer run for president after the adoption of the new constitution of Belarus, initiated by him, but does not name any terms, and the drafting of the constitution has not yet begun.
–
On October 10, he talked to the opposition in the remand prison. Two of them were released on recognizance not to leave, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, for the first time since May, was allowed to speak on the phone with her husband, who was imprisoned in the same pre-trial detention center.
–
Some observers saw this as a sign of Lukashenka’s readiness for dialogue, but the very next day the March of Dignity in Minsk was dispersed especially brutally, and Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Gennady Kazakevich said that the security forces were ready to shoot at demonstrators “if necessary”.
–
The West does not recognize the results of the elections in Belarus. On November 6, the European Union imposed personal sanctions against Alexander Lukashenko and 14 people from his entourage.
—
