National Prize For Human Rights In 2019

• 31.12.2019, 9:00

Charter97.org announces the winners of the 2019 National Human Rights Prize.

This year's National Prize for Human Rights Protection named after Viktar Ivashkevich is awarded to:

The Belarusian National Memory Association

The Belarusian National Memory Association has become one of the organizers of the solemn reburial of Kastus Kalinouski and his comrades-in-arms in Vilnius. Thousands of Belarusians took part in the ceremony under the national flags, showing to the world the strength of the nation and its aspiration for independence and freedom. It was one of the most inspiring events in 2019. We witnessed in Vilnius the image of the country that Belarus should be and will certainly become. The association is awarded for its long-term activity in preserving the Belarusian historical memory.

Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk

Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, an activist of the European Belarus civil campaign, is one of the most prominent and striking participants in the "parliamentary campaign" held in 2019. Her pickets were the most massive in Brest and gathered a large number of supporters of changes. Her courageous performance on the Belarusian TV demanding the resignation of dictator Lukashenka became a real sensation and was on the top of discussions on independent websites and social networks. Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk burned her identity card of a candidate for deputy in one of the main squares of Minsk in protest against election fraud, expressing her intention to seek free expression of will of the Belarusian people. The European Belarus activist is awarded in the category "For Personal Courage" for defending the right to fair elections.

Deutsche Welle reporters Natalia Makushina and Vladimir Dorokhov

Deutsche Welle correspondents Natalia Makushina and Vladimir Dorokhov are the authors of the sensational interview with Yury Harauski, former SOBR special police unit fighter. His testimony about the involvement of Lukashenka and his entourage in abducting and killing of opposition leaders has shocked Belarus and the world. New and detailed evidence of the the dictatorial regime 's terrible crimes has been added to the previously known facts, which is the basis for the international investigation. Deutsche Welle journalists are awarded for defending the right to freedom of speech and receiving socially important information.

Hanna Tolchykava

The emotional video of Minsk resident Hanna Tolchykava immediately became one of the most popular on the Internet. The young IT girl was an observer at the so-called "parliamentary elections" in Belarus and recorded impudent falsifying of turnout and misrepresenting of voting results at two polling stations in the capital. The girl was so outraged by the election commissions' ' actions that she openly told the falsifiers that they were committing a crime and stealing the future from the country, and then publicly disclosed the facts of fraud. The sincerity of the observer allowed nobody to stay indifferent, thousands of Belarusians expressed their support and solidarity with her. Hanna Tolchykava is awarded in the category "For Personal Courage" for defending the right to fair and free elections.

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The National Prize for Human Rights was established by Charter'97 in 1998. In different years, the prize was awarded to the defenders of the tent camp on Kastrychnitskaya Square in Minsk in March 2006, political prisoners Ales Bialiatski, Mikalai Statkevich, Aliaksandr Kazulin, Ihar Alinevich, Zmitser Dashkevich, Mikhail Marynich, Pavel Seviarynets, Andrei Kim, Siarhei Parsiukevich and Uladzimir Yaromenak, Eduard Lobau, Vasil Parfiankovu, the first head of independent Belarus Stanislau Shushkevich, athlete, world champion in muay tai Vital Hurkou, activist of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union Alena Zakhozhaya, the believers who participated in a hunger strike in defense of the Protestant church "New Life", Chairman of the committee of St. Joseph's parish in Minsk Ivonna Matsukevich, human rights activists Valeryj Shchukin and Halina Yubko, spouses of abducted opposition leaders and journalist Iryna Krasouskaya, Zinaida Hanchar, Sviatlana Zavadskaya, wife of former political prisoner Tatsiana Klimava-Leanovich, People's Artist of Belarus Zinaida Bandarenka, opposition activist Uladzimir Plashchanka, defenders of Kurapaty, the creative association "Pahonia," the Belarusian Free Theater, the bands "Krambambulia," "Liapis Trubetskoy," and its leader Siarhei Mikhalok, "N.R.M.", Novaye Neba", the Yakub Kolas Belarusian Humanitarian Lyceum closed down by the authorities, journalists Sviatlana Kalinkina, Andrzej Poczobut, Pavel Mazheika, Mikola Markevich, Viktar Ivashkevich, Lubou Luniova, Yury Karmanau, Maryna Koktysh, Hennadz Barbarych, Yuliya Darashkevich, human rights activists Yana Paliakova and Tatsiana Novikava, trade union leader Hennadz Fiadynich, director Anton Tsialezhnikau, Swedish pilots Thomas Mazetti, Per Cromwell and Hanna Frey, political prisoners in the "case of December 19," the initiative "Liberation," the initiative "Students Against," the leader of the legendary Belarusian rock band "Krama" Ihar Varashkevich, economist Leanid Zlotnikau, former Belarusian political prisoner, one of the founders of the movement "Zubr" and the organization "Krai" Vadzim Kabanchuk, journalist Ryhor Martsinovich, human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka, Belsat journalist Volha Chaichyts, founder of "Art-Siadziba" Pavel Belavus, director Volha Nikalaichyk, activists of the European Belarus civil campaign Yauhen Afnahel and Leanid Kulakou, bloggers Stsiapan Sviatlou (NEXTA), Aliaksandr Kabanau and Siarhei Piatrukhin, mother of the deceased soldier Aliaksandr Korzhych Sviatlana Korzhych and other well-known public figures, politicians and journalists.