December 7, Pozirk. Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja has been awarded the Bonn International Prize for Democracy and the Rule of Law for her commitment to a free and democratic Belarus.
“Her work is representative of the many people who are doing everything in their power to put an end to the arbitrary political rule by the Belarusian state apparatus,” said the Bonn International Democracy Award Association. “Her resistance is directed at a regime that is willingly participating in the Russian Federation’s aggression against the European security and peace order.”
The politician stressed the need to stand up for freedom and peace in her acceptance speech, calling for solidarity with jailed Belarusian dissidents, including Nobel Prize winner Aleś Bialacki.
Support of Ukraine is crucial, she added, noting that it is fighting for all of Europe. “The fates of our countries are intertwined. If Ukraine is strong and Russia is weak, it will open the window of opportunity for Belarus as well,” she said.
“If we want real and lasting peace in Europe, we must make sure that tyranny never has a place on our continent,” Cichanoŭskaja noted.
