The Nobel Peace Prize on Friday was awarded to human rights advocate Ales Bialiatski of Belarus, Russian human rights group Memorial and the Ukrainian human rights organization Center for Civil Liberties, with the Norwegian Nobel Committee saying they “represent civil society in their home countries” and have “promoted the right to criticize power and protect the fundamental rights of citizens.”
“They have made an outstanding effort to document war crimes, human rights abuses and the abuse of power,” the committee said in a statement. “Together they demonstrate the significance of civil society for peace and democracy.”
Bialiatski “devoted his life to promoting democracy” in Belarus, the committee said, adding the government has repeatedly attempted to silence him. He was jailed from 2011 to 2014, and was arrested again during anti-government demonstrations in 2020. He remains imprisoned.
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