The Norwegian Nobel Committee on Friday, 7 October, awarded the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize to human rights advocate Ales Bialiatski from Belarus, the Russian human rights organisation Memorial, and the Ukrainian human rights organisation Center for Civil Liberties.
As per a press release by the committee,
"The Peace Prize laureates represent civil society in their home countries. They have for many years promoted the right to criticise power and protect the fundamental rights of citizens. They have made an outstanding effort to document war crimes, human right abuses and the abuse of power. Together they demonstrate the significance of civil society for peace and democracy."The Norwegian Nobel Committee
Notably, Indian author and activist Harsh Mander, and the co-founders of Alt News Mohammed Zubair and Pratik Sinha, were named by Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) in its yearly shortlist for the Nobel Peace Prize.
More About the Laureates
The laureate, Ales Bialiatski, was imprisoned by Belarus authorities from 2011 to 2014. Following large-scale demonstrations against the regime in 2020, he was again arrested, and still remains under detention without trial.
Further, the human rights organisation Memorial was established in 1987 by activists in the former Soviet Union, who advocated for the victims of the communist regime’s oppression.
Meanwhile, the Center for Civil Liberties was founded in Kyiv in 200, and worked towards advancing human rights and democracy in Ukraine.
"The center has taken a stand to strengthen Ukrainian civil society and pressure the authorities to make Ukraine a full-fledged democracy," the Nobel committee said in its statement.
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