Event

Protecting freedom fighters in Europe’s last dictatorship

Expert panel about Belarus and the situation of the democracy today.

Time: 20 Mar 2024 15:00 - 16:00 CEST
Place: Nobel Peace Center

During the 2020 Belarussian presidential election, the then 25 year old Marfa Rabkova organized peaceful protests against the anti-democratic forces in her country. She is now imprisoned on false charges without access to necessary medical help.

She is one of many activists and public voices in Belarus who have been unlawfully imprisoned and harassed by the government. Another grim example is the Nobel Peace Prize laureate of 2022, Ales Bjaljaktskij. The next presidential election in Belarus will be in 2025, and there is no sign that Lukashenko will give up his seat without a fight.

This event aims to shed light on the critical situation in Belarus, where students, activists, and citizens face severe consequences for merely exercising their fundamental human rights.

We have gathered a number of experts who will discuss how the international community can respond, and what steps can be taken to support political prisoners. The panel will discuss the retreat of democracy in the world today, the power dynamics of authoritarian regimes, and the practical implementation of human rights in countries like Belarus.

Join us in standing with the silenced voices of Belarus – because awareness is the first step towards change.

Speakers:

Ane Tusvik Bonde, Amnesty International Norway. Aliaksandra Safonava, Norwegian Helsinki Committee. Bård Anders Andreassen, Norwegian Centre for Human Rights. Darya Shut, Belarusisk Forening i Norge RAZAM. Agnes Nærland Viljugrein, Norwegian Parliament. Ola Elvestuen, Norwegian Parliament.

The museum will be open until 9:00 PM every Wednesday. We offer additional drop-in guided tours and events, so if you visit us on Wednesday evening, you can get a lot more out of your visit. Remember to buy entry ticket as well if you want to see exhibitions or join the guided tours.

This event is organized by master degree students from Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, working with Scholars at Risk (SAR) advocacy campaign. Thank you to our co-hosts PEN Norway, Changemaker, SAIH and Nobel Peace Center.