Belarusian human rights activist Ales Bialiatski receives Nobel Peace Prize (AFP image alliance/Alamy/PA)
The 2022 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to imprisoned Belarusian human rights activist Ales Bialiatski, Russian human rights organization Memorial and Ukrainian organization Center for Civil Liberties.
The winners were announced in Oslo on Friday by Berit Reiss-Andersen, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
“The Norwegian Nobel Committee will honor 3 notable defenders of human rights, democracy and nonviolent coexistence in neighboring Belarus, Russia and Ukraine,” Reiss-Andersen said.
Later in his speech, Reiss-Anderson called Byalyatski to Belarus from prison.
Bialiatski, one of the leaders of the pro-democracy movement in Belarus in the mid-1980s, continued his crusade for human rights and civil liberties in the authoritarian country.
“Peace Prize winners constitute civil society in their home countries,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said in its quote.
“They have for many years promoted the right to criticize the government and the basic rights of citizens. “
A week of Nobel Prize announcements began Monday with the medical prize honoring a scientist who cracked the secrets of Neanderthal DNA.
Three scientists jointly won the physics prize on Tuesday for demonstrating that tiny debris can connect to each other, even when separated.
The chemistry prize was awarded Wednesday to 3 scientists who have developed tactics to join molecules that can be used to design more specific drugs.
France’s Annie Ernaux won the Nobel Prize for Literature on Thursday.
The 2022 Nobel Prize in Economics will be on Monday.
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