On December 7, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya received the Bonn International Prize for Democracy and the Rule of Law for her contribution to the protection of democracy, the separation of powers, and the rule of law.
The ceremony took place in Bonn (Germany) within the annual program that honors individuals and organizations who courageously defend human rights, legality, and democratic values. The prize has been awarded annually since 2007 for significant contributions to democracy. Previous laureates include former Czech President Václav Havel (2009) and Reporters Without Borders (2014).
In her speech, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya emphasized that the award belongs to all Belarusians who continue to fight for freedom, justice, and peace. She called for supporting Ukraine and political prisoners in Belarus:
“I am grateful to the organizers of the Bonn International Democracy Award for their decision to give it to Belarusians. It is not mine – it belongs to all those who are fighting for freedom, including our political prisoners such as Maryia Kalesnikava and Ales Bialiatski.
We, Belarusians, are deeply grateful to the German people for your solidarity and support – not only for a free Belarus, but also for Ukraine.
Today, I want to ask you to support Belarus and our political prisoners. But also – to support Ukraine. Because Ukraine is fighting for the whole of Europe. The destinies of our countries are intertwined. If Ukraine is strong and Russia is weak, this will open a window of opportunity for Belarus as well.
Dictators may seem unbeatable – until suddenly they collapse. Just like the Berlin Wall, the Soviet Union, or recently in Syria. We do not know when or how this will happen, but it will happen. And we must be ready for it”.
The award ceremony was followed by a panel discussion. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and the Minister for Federal, European, and International Affairs of North Rhine–Westphalia, Nathanael Liminski, discussed the situation in Belarus, the current priorities of the democratic forces, and how Germany can support Belarusians.
