The triple Nobel Peace Prize draws enthusiastic reactions in the West
Two human rights organizations, one Russian, the other Ukrainian and Belarusian activist Ales Bialiatski honored by 2022 Nobel Peace Prize AP - Sergei Grits
Text by: RFI Follow
4 mins
It is not a Nobel Peace Prize that was awarded this Friday, October 7, but three.
The Norwegian committee therefore rewarded a Ukrainian, Russian and Belarusian trio and called on the Russian regime to stop repressing human rights activists.
This choice was welcomed by many Western leaders, but drew criticism in Ukraine.
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The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Belarusian activist Ales Bialiatski, the Russian NGO Memorial and the Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties.
The first is in prison in Belarus, the third works in a country at war.
The Memorial organization was dissolved by the Russian authorities.
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To read also: Nobel Peace Prize 2022: the Belarusian Alès Bialiatski, the Russian NGO Memorial and the Ukrainian organization Center for Liberties
All document war crimes and human rights abuses in their countries.
In the line of fire, the same culprit, never named, but all designated by the Nobel Peace Prize committee: the Russian regime and its regional supporters.
A Nobel Peace Prize awarded by the Norwegian committee as war rages in Ukraine and Vladimir Putin, master of the Kremlin, celebrates his 70th birthday.
Clear in its choice, the Nobel Peace Prize committee made up of Norwegians was, however, cautious in its words.
“
This prize is not for Vladimir Putin, neither for his birthday nor in any other sense, except that his government, like the Belarusian government, constitutes an authoritarian government which represses human rights activists
,” said its president Berit Reiss. -Andersen.
A caution that has characterized the Nordic countries in recent times, clearly out of their non-aligned posture, but not yet all members of NATO.
In Ukraine, the announcement of the Nobel Prize awarded to three organizations or individuals defending human rights in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, was greeted with a mixture of satisfaction and unease, even distrust of the committee Norwegian Nobel, reports
our correspondent in Kiev,
Stéphane Siohan.
Although several personalities, such as Stanislav Aseiev, a former prisoner tortured in Russian jails in Donetsk, hailed this historic decision, many did not hide their incomprehension at seeing Ukrainian human rights defenders systematically associated with a representative of the Russia and Belarus...
Any equalization of Ukrainians and Russians denies the two nations the singularity of their tragedy, diminishes the importance of their experience, comments Olga Rudenko, editor-in-chief of the Kyiv Independent newspaper.
The journalist believes, like many people in Ukraine, that this prize pushes the false narrative behind this war, as well as the narrative of Russia and Ukraine as one and the same nation.
Political reactions
The UN Secretary-General hailed the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to a trio of civil society representatives in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, which "
highlights the power of civil society to advance peace
”.
“
Civil society groups are the oxygen of democracy, catalysts for peace, social progress and economic growth,
” Antonio Guterres said in a statement, noting that the space for these groups is “
shrinking around the world
" while human rights defenders, environmental activists and journalists are victims of "
arbitrary arrests, harsh prison sentences, smear campaigns, fines paralyzing their work and violent attacks
".
French President Emmanuel Macron hailed the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to "
unwavering defenders of human rights in Europe
".
"
Artisans of peace, they know they can count on the support of France
," he wrote on his Twitter account.
In Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen applauded an award that “
recognizes the exceptional courage of women and men who oppose autocracy
” and “
shows the real power of civil society in the fight for democracy
”.
Germany hailed the "
outstanding"
commitment of the three laureates over "
the past years and decades
": "
They stand against oppression and action against peaceful forces of civil society
", said one of the German government spokespersons, Wolfgang Büchner.
The UK said it supported "
all those who stand up to authoritarianism and tyranny
".
In Belarus, the opponent and former diplomat Pavel Latushka welcomed a "
symbolic gesture
" which allows "
to draw attention to the 1,334 political prisoners currently in prisons in Belarus
".
“
It gives us faith
,” he said.
"
The award is an important recognition for all Belarusians fighting for freedom and democracy
," opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya said on Twitter.
Congratulations to Belarusian human rights defender & political prisoner Ales Bialiatski for receiving the 2022 #NobelPeacePrize.
The prize is an important recognition for all Belarusians fighting for freedom & democracy.
All political prisoners must be released without delay.
pic.twitter.com/szxmB5YG5g
— Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) October 7, 2022
An opinion not shared by the spokesperson for Belarusian diplomacy who, on the contrary, criticized the decisions of the Nobel committee, "
so politicized in recent years that Alfred Nobel can no longer turn in his grave
".
The Ukrainian presidency considered that the people of Ukraine were “
today the main makers of peace
”.
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