Ukraine loves peace, but it has not been achieved by laying down its arms

OSLO – Trio of three countries at the center of the war Ukraine receive the prize Nobel Peace Prize on Saturday. They also called for a relentless fight against Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s “crazy and criminal” invasion.

Imprisoned Belarusian human rights lawyer Ales Bialiatski, Memorial organization from Russia and Center for Civil Liberties of Ukraine (CCL) were honored by Nobel committee for their fight for human rights, democracy and peaceful coexistence in the face of authoritarianism.

“The Ukrainian people want peace more than anyone else in the world,” said CCL head Oleksandra Matviichuk.

“But peace cannot be achieved by a country that is attacked by laying down its arms,” ​​he added quoted by France 24Sunday (12/11/2022).

Founded in 2007, CCL has documented war crimes allegedly committed by Russian troops in Ukraine. This includes the bombing of residential buildings, churches, schools and hospitals, the bombing of evacuation corridors, the forcible displacement of people and torture.

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Due to Russia’s bombing of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, Matviichuk told AFP he had to write his Nobel acceptance speech by candlelight.

In the nine months since the Russian invasion began, CCL has documented more than 27,000 cases of alleged war crimes, which it says are “just the tip of the iceberg.”

“War turns people into numbers. We must reclaim the names of all victims of war crimes,” he said in his speech, his voice filled with emotion.

In the city hall of Oslo, Norway, decorated with Siberian red flowers, Matviichuk reiterated his call for an international tribunal to try Putin, allies of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and other war criminals.