Svetlana and Sergei Tikhanovsky receive the Magnitsky Prize
14 November 14:02
The leader of the democratic forces of Belarus, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, and her husband, former political prisoner Sergei Tikhanovsky, received the Sergei Magnitsky Prize, which is awarded to journalists, politicians and human rights activists. The couple dedicated the award to Belarusian political prisoners, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports citing DW.
“We dedicate this award to all 1300 political prisoners. They have become hostages of their love for their homeland and freedom,” Tikhanovskaya said at a ceremony held in London the day before, drawing parallels between lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died in a Russian prison, and Belarusian politicians and activists in prison.
The prize was dedicated to Bialiatski, Kolesnikava and other political prisoners
Among others, she named Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, who, according to her, “even in prison dreams of a free, European Belarus.” In addition, the Magnitsky Prize is dedicated to journalist Yekaterina Andreeva, who “continued to broadcast live even after her arrest,” and Maria Kolesnikova, who in 2020, along with Tikhanovskaya, became one of the key figures in the protests in Belarus and “tore up her passport, refusing to leave the country under pressure.”
Receiving the award, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya also mentioned the Polish-Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut, who refused to kneel and ask for forgiveness from the dictator, and oppositionist Nikolai Statkevich, who refused to be illegally deported and was kidnapped by the authorities.
Sergei Tikhanovsky did not attend the ceremony, as he was unable to obtain a British visa in Vilnius in a short time. The award was presented to Svetlana Tikhanovskaya by Russian activist Vladimir Kara-Murza.
