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Belarusian pro-democracy activists Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Veronika Zepkalo and Maria Kolesnikova have been awarded this 12 months’s Charlemagne Prize throughout a ceremony within the German metropolis of Aachen on Thursday.
Tsikhanouskaya and Zepkalo are at present dwelling in exile and have been capable of settle for their awards in particular person. However Kolesnikova has been sentenced to 11 years in jail in Belarus, so her award was collected by her sister.
The prize has been awarded since 1950 and is known as after medieval emperor Charlemagne, recognized traditionally because the “father of Europe.” The prize acknowledges work finished within the service of European unification.
German International Minister Annalena Baerbock attended the ceremony, praising the three ladies because the “bravest ladies in Europe.”
Belarus opposition supporters attended a rally exterior the corridor of the ceremony
Tsikhanouskaya: Belarus and Russia wish to divide the West
The three ladies have turn out to be the face of Belarus’ opposition motion. Tsikhanouskaya was a political novice and stay-at-home mom of two when her husband Siarhei Tsikhanouski, who had launched a presidential marketing campaign towards Lukashenko, was arrested.
She took his place within the presidential election and is broadly believed to have gained the August 2020 vote, which Lukashenko claimed as his personal victory.
In Aachen, Tsikhanouskaya known as for European unity in mild of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, accusing each Belarus and Russia of attempting to divide the West.
“With out free Belarus there shall be a continuing risk to Ukraine and to our western neighbors,” Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya advised DW in an unique interview.
She demanded that Russia withdraw all troops from Belarus. The Belarusian regime is collaborating with Russia, she mentioned, however the individuals of Belarus assist Ukraine with some combating on the facet of Kyiv.
Tsikhanouskaya additionally devoted her award to the Belarusian individuals engaged in a peaceable wrestle towards tyranny, in addition to “each baby ready for his or her mom or father to be launched from jail.”
Germany ‘won’t relaxation’ till repression ends
German International Minister Annalena Baerbock spoke on the ceremony, vowing that Germany “won’t relaxation” till Lukashenko’s regime ends its repression towards the Belarusian individuals.
“Lukashenko proceeds towards his critics with surprising severity”, Baerbock mentioned. “In doing so, the Russian and Belarusian regimes are cynically holding in contempt exactly the issues for which the three of you’re combating: Peace, freedom, democracy, and human rights.”
Baerbock acknowledged that Europe had been improper in the way it handled Lukashenko’s regime. “The idea that cooperation is feasible to a sure extent even with dictators like Lukashenko could have made us act too hesitantly towards the Belarusian regime,” she mentioned.
“For me as German international minister, it’s clear that sooner or later we’ve got to look extra critically, act extra decisively when our values and freedom are being attacked,” she added.
jcg/rt (dpa, AFP)
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