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Ales Bialiatski is a writer and human rights activist from 
Belarus. Bialiatski has fought to protect the Belarusian 
language, identity and culture, and played an important part 
in the democracy movement that emerged in Belarus during the 1980s. 
Today he is imprisoned for the second time, and is one of more than 1,400 political prisoners in Belarus.

NOBODY PLANS TO GIVE UP

The Center for Civil Liberties (CCL) is a Ukrainian human rights 
organization founded in Kyiv in 2007. The Center aims to 
promote democracy, human rights and human dignity. It 
coordinates campaigns, helps to spread information and works 
alongside Ukrainian authorities to develop Ukraine as a fully-fledged
democracy under the rule of law.

M emorial is one of Russia’s oldest and most prominent human 
rights organizations. Memorial’s origins go back to 1987, during the Soviet era. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Andrei Sakharov was one of the initiators. Memorial is both a human rights center and a historical archive of repression in the Soviet period. 

In 2022, the Nobel Peace Prize was jointly awarded to the human rights activist Ales Bialiatski from Belarus, the Russian human rights organization Memorial and the Ukrainian human rights organization Center for Civil Liberties. 

This year’s peace prize laureates fight a tireless battle for democracy and human rights in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. The laureates are from three different countries and are faced with three unique and challenging situations. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the work of human rights organizations has become even more difficult — and even more important. 

This year’s peace prize exhibition shows how civil society is an important channel for criticism of power and a counterweight to anti­ democratic tendencies. The exhibition showcases the three peace prize laureates and their work. 

In collaboration with Magnum Photos, the exhibition also features images from civil protests of recent years. All over the world, people are coming together to stand up for their rights and express their disagreement with the authorities.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2022 to one individual and two organisations.

The Peace Prize laureates represent civil society in their home countries. They have for many years promoted the right to criticise power and protect the fundamental rights of citizens. They have made an outstanding effort to document war crimes, human right abuses and the abuse of power. Together they demonstrate the significance of civil society for peace and democracy.

This year’s Peace Prize is awarded to human rights advocate Ales Bialiatski from Belarus, the Russian human rights organisation Memorial and the Ukrainian human rights organisation Center for Civil Liberties.

Ales Bialiatski was one of the initiators of the democracy movement that emerged in Belarus in the mid-1980s. He has devoted his life to promoting democracy and peaceful development in his home country. Among other things, he founded the organisation Viasna (Spring) in 1996 in response to the controversial constitutional amendments that gave the president dictatorial powers and that triggered widespread demonstrations. Viasna provided support for the jailed demonstrators and their families. In the years that followed, Viasna evolved into a broad-based human rights organisation that documented and protested against the authorities’ use of torture against political prisoners.

Government authorities have repeatedly sought to silence Ales Bialiatski. He was imprisoned from 2011 to 2014. Following large-scale demonstrations against the regime in 2020, he was again arrested. He is still detained without trial. Despite tremendous personal hardship, Mr Bialiatski has not yielded an inch in his fight for human rights and democracy in Belarus.

The human rights organisation Memorial was established in 1987 by human rights activists in the former Soviet Union who wanted to ensure that the victims of the communist regime’s oppression would never be forgotten. Nobel Peace Prize laureate 

 and human rights advocate Svetlana Gannushkina were among the founders. Memorial is based on the notion that confronting past crimes is essential in preventing new ones.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Memorial grew to become the largest human rights organisation in Russia. In addition to establishing a centre of documentation on victims of the Stalinist era, Memorial compiled and systematised information on political oppression and human rights violations in Russia. Memorial became the most authoritative source of information on political prisoners in Russian detention facilities. The organisation has also been standing at the forefront of efforts to combat militarism and promote human rights and government based on rule of law.

When civil society must give way to autocracy and dictatorship, peace is often the next victim. During the Chechen wars, Memorial gathered and verified information on abuses and war crimes perpetrated on the civilian population by Russian and pro-Russian forces. In 2009, the head of Memorial’s branch in Chechnya, Natalia Estemirova, was killed because of this work.

Civil society actors in Russia have been subjected to threats, imprisonment, disappearance and murder for many years. As part of the government’s harassment of Memorial, the organisation was stamped early on as a “foreign agent”. In December 2021, the authorities decided that Memorial was to be forcibly liquidated and the documentation centre was to be closed permanently. The closures became effective in the following months, but the people behind Memorial refuse to be shut down. In a comment on the forced dissolution, chairman Yan Rachinsky stated, “Nobody plans to give up.”

The Center for Civil Liberties was founded in Kyiv in 2007 for the purpose of advancing human rights and democracy in Ukraine. The center has taken a stand to strengthen Ukrainian civil society and pressure the authorities to make Ukraine a full-fledged democracy. To develop Ukraine into a state governed by rule of law, Center for Civil Liberties has actively advocated that Ukraine become affiliated with the International Criminal Court.

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Center for Civil Liberties has engaged in efforts to identify and document Russian war crimes against the Ukrainian civilian population. In collaboration with international partners, the center is playing a pioneering role with a view to holding the guilty parties accountable for their crimes.

By awarding the Nobel Peace Prize for 2022 to Ales Bialiatski, Memorial and the Center for Civil Liberties, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to honour three outstanding champions of human rights, democracy and peaceful co-existence in the neighbour countries Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. Through their consistent efforts in favour of humanist values, anti-militarism and principles of law, this year’s laureates have revitalised and honoured Alfred Nobel’s vision of peace and fraternity between nations – a vision most needed in the world today.

Announcement of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize

Watch the announcement of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize +

WHAT DOES A HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION DO?

WHAT DOES A HUMAN RIGHTS|ORGANIZATION DO?

What does it mean to fight for human rights? All over the world, activists are working to defend freedom and dignity, and to strengthen democracy and peace.

This year’s peace prize laureates come from countries with different forms of government. Ukraine is a democracy, and the Center for Civil Liberties supports democratic free­doms. The center organizes volunteers who monitor peaceful protests. In yellow vests, they ensure that the population can express their opinions and criticize the authorities. 

Ales Bialiatski’s home country Belarus is considered to be an authoritarian regime. Viasna organizes volunteer observers for the elections in Belarus. In 2020, several hundred people volunteered to help. Viasna was finally allowed to deploy a hundred volunteers. There was extensive electoral fraud, and several sources claim that the opposition candidate, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, received the most votes.

Human rights defenders monitor situations around the world. This human rights work, which is carried out by lawyers, activists, journalists and volunteers, results in piles of reports. The findings they contain are used to influence authorities and inform the international community.

Memorial’s Human Rights Center and the Center for Civil Liberties have both monitored Russian military operations and abuses against the civilian populations in several countries. In addition to monitoring Russia’s warfare, the Center for Civil Liberties works to strengthen democracy in Ukraine. It pressures the country to join international conventions and follow international obligations. Among other things, the Center urges Ukraine to join the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Ales Bialiatski’s organization Viasna reports on the situation of political prisoners in Belarus, on systematic violations of freedom of expression, and on the death penalty and torture

Human rights defenders work to ensure that other people can express themselves. At the same time, they are also activists who organize campaigns to put pressure on the authorities when this is necessary.

DEMONSTRATIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE

 See the photo story about the human rights defender who became a Nobel Peace Prize laureate

THE STORY OF ALES BIALIATSKI

A HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER IS BORN

Accurate documentation of abuses of power enables society to seek justice for victims, to hold perpetrators accountable, and to deter future abuse.

The Center for Civil Liberties documents the ongoing war crimes and abuses against the civilian population in Ukraine. Together with other Ukrainian organizations and international partners, it collects evidence from all over the country. The initiative is called the Tribunal for Putin.

As long as those in power and military leaders can commit violence without consequences, the Center for Civil Liberties believes they will not stop. Therefore, those who violate international law during conflicts must be held accountable. Impunity for war criminals must end.

Watch the video where Center for CIvil Liberties talk about Tribunal for Putin.

Memorial began as a network of volunteers with a desire to preserve the collective memories of historical abuses committed in the Soviet Union. When the country opened up to the outside world at the end of the 1980s, its population learned about the abuses committed during the Soviet period. The founders of Memorial wanted to establish a research center to reveal the dark history of the Soviet Union. They wanted to establish memorials for the victims.

See more pictures from the school competition +

See the Memorial press conference held in connection with the shutdown +

From the trials

Told through photos and video

THE STORY OF MEMORIAL

FROM MEMORIALS TO HUMAN RIGHTS

Information and education are central to human rights work. When communities know their rights, they are more resilient to abuse of power.

For Ales Bialiatski, the written word has always been a way to express political resistance. It is a method for spreading information about human rights violations and abuse. This photo shows Bialiatski on the street handing out campaign leaflets against the death penalty.

Three front pages from the Belarusian opposition newspaper "The right to freedom". Ales was one of the founders of the newspaper. 

1. Fourth edition 1998: Picture from a trial, with the headline “Heroes of our time” about the activists who are willing to risk prison for what they believe in. 2. Fifth edition 1998: Caricature of an executioner painting over the red and white flag, which symbolizes Belarusian identity and opposition to the current government. 3. Seventh edition 1998: The front page shows a drawing of the current president Alexander Lukashenko, with the headline “Don’t criticize the president, he rules as well as he is able to…"

Human rights organizations also function as hubs for collaboration and coordination. The organizations hold, among others, social events, human rights education, demonstrations, conferences, film screenings, historical walks, lectures and discussion groups.

In Ukraine, democracy education is part of the school curriculum. In societies where human rights are not part of the school curriculum, civil society is responsible for human rights education. In this way, the population, and especially youth, gain knowledge about their rights and how they can defend them in the future.

For the peace prize laureates, communication is more than words. These organizations use drawings and visual material in their work. They work closely with cartoonists to produce material used both for campaigning and as information in social media.

For the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate organizations, communication is more than words. The organizations use drawings and visual material in their work.

Instagram post, 21 February 2020 - The organization Ozon publishes a 50-page report on national monitoring of illegal police violence in Ukraine from the period 2004-2018.

Instagram post, 17 April 2020 - Due to the corona pandemic, Ukrainian laws changed quickly and the organization Ozon offers an article with an overview of how the police broke these administrative protocols.

Instagram post, 28 March 2020: The organization Ozon calls on civilians to document evidence of illegal use of force such as unjustified imprisonment and deprivation of liberty in the absence of a crime.

Instagram post, 26 September 2022 - 'Incriminating' videos of arrestees are being published, despite them pleading not guilty.

Instagram post, 17 February 2022 - Information about a live stream where independent journalists spoke about the important work of Memorial after 
the liquidation of the organization. 

Instagram post, 28 December 2021 - The liquidation of the Memorial was decided, but the organization did not give up and appealed the case in the Moscow City Court.

Instagram post, 11 March 2022 - Memorial criticizes the Russian Foreign Ministry's statement to withdraw Russia from the Council of Europe.

Instagram post, 14 October 2022 - "Diaries from World War II are a priceless reminder of the reality of the times of struggle, death and loss. Pages of a diary, dated from October 1941 to August 1943, shows the destruction of the civilian population, the corruption of the occupation authorities, and falsifying science to justify war crimes".

Instagram post, 14 October 2022 - Page from diary dated August 17, 1942: "Today I performed the first revolutionary act of my life: I supported the anti-fascist proclamations".

Instagram post, 14 October 2022 - Page from diary dated 17 November 1941 about the famine disaster of World War II: "I thought of committing suicide and thus freeing my family from an extra".

Instagram post, 3 August 2022 - Illustration by Lily Matveeva in connection with the commemoration of the Great Terror in the Soviet Union, 5 August. On this day in 1937, the punitive campaign began by order 00447: "To suppress criminals and other anti-Soviet elements".

Instagram post, 19 April 2022 - Memorial posts pages of Irina Khoroshunova's diary from World War II: "It's like everything peaceful never existed".

Memorial is calling on supporters to show up and show solidarity at the hearing of the case where state prosecutors want to transfer the organization's premises to the Russian Federation.

Instagram post, 14 October 2022 - Diary page dated 9 November 1941: "Some people don't have to feel their hunger".

Instagram post, 9 May 2022 - Every year at the end of April, Memorial selects the winner of the school competition "Man in History", where teenagers are encouraged to explore the history of their relatives, ancestors and about their cities - to understand what the twentieth century was like in Russia. The 2022 competition was canceled due to the liquidation of Memorial.

Instagram post, 22 February 2022 - Memorial invites press to conference on the appeal against their liquidation decided by the Supreme Court in Moscow.

Instagram post, 5 April 2022 - Announcement that the Memorial human rights center was to be liquidated.

Facebook post, 24 August 2022 - "Tribunal for Putin" documents war crimes committed in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The initiative works with the UN, the Council of Europe, the EU, the OSCE and the International Court of Justice to stop the brutality of these crimes.

Instagram post, 18 November 2022 - "Support the six human rights defenders in Viasna. Six of our colleagues are still in prison for their principled position and disagreement with the actions of the authorities".

Instagram post, 13 October 2022 - Artist Olga Yakubovskaya dedicated her work to Ales Bialiatski: "The sun will look into our window too. Freedom for all political prisoners!"

Instagram post, 14 October 2022 - Human rights activists call for Mother's Day greetings for female political prisoners who were separated from their children. At the time, there were 163 female political prisoners in Belarus, and a further 234 women who had been sentenced to house arrest.

Instagram post, 8 September 2022 - Activist Marfa Rabkova, who was sentenced to 15 years, says her last word: "When we express solidarity - we are approaching the arrival of Belarus".

Instagram post, 13 October 2022 - According to Viasna's data, Belarusian judges issued at least 40 fines and 85 arrests against protesters in September. 

Voluntary work is key to civil society. Particularly in times of crisis, voluntary organizations play a vital role in supporting the public.

The Memorial Human Rights Center has operated as a logistics center in situations where the Russian population has needed support. It documents human rights violations in both Russia and abroad. 

Memorial is an aid channel for immigrants and asylum seekers and provides legal assistance to groups that are oppressed by the authorities.

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the Center for Civil Liberties restarted Euromaidan SOS. Hundreds of volunteers are building a network for legal assistance and information about the war. 

CENTER FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES

Human Rights Defenders in War

Center for Civil Liberties

OUTSTANDING EFFORT IN TIMES OF WAR

A political prisoner is someone imprisoned for their political or ideological convictions or activities. The three 2022 peace prize laureates keep records of political prisoners and are fighting for their release. Ales Bialiatski is himself a political prisoner in Belarus.

Ales Bialiatski is one of more than 1,400 political prisoners held in Belarus. He is kept in a damp prison cell in a basement in Minsk. His family and friends send him letters, but receive no reply and know little about how he is.

In March, 2023, he was sentenced to ten years in prison for smuggling and financing "actions grossly violating public order". The Norwegian Nobel Committee has clearly stated that the court case and accusations against him are politically motivated.

An important part of Viasna's work is documenting the abuse and torture of prisoners in Belarus. It monitors the situation of everyone imprisoned in the country, not just those whose convictions are politically motivated. Viasna has documented many abuses in prisons in Belarus. Among these are suffocation with a plastic bag and use of tear gas as punishment, as well as removal of skin from inmates' feet. When the Nobel Peace Prize Exhibition opened, six of Viasna's employees were in prison. You can read more about their campaigns here

Marfa Rabkova, coordinator of Viasna's volunteer network. August 2022. Marfa Rabkova is sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The Memorial Human Rights Center had 420 political prisoners on its lists when it was forcibly closed. The list was not complete. Although the center has been closed by the Russian authorities, its website is still online. Before it was shut down, Memorial played an important role in highlighting and providing information about political prisoners.

Read more about the laureates' work for political prisoners +

In Belarus there are more than 1,400 political prisoners. The international community and Viasna are collaborating on the FreeViasna campaign. Its aim is to release Bialiatski and other members of Viasna from prison, and to inform the international community of the activists the Belarusian government tries to silence. 

Bialiatski created Viasna to help political prisoners in Belarus himself. Now he is one of them. Viasna’s reports state that the prisoners are being subjected to torture and abuse.

WRITE A LETTER TO A POLITICAL PRISONER IN BELARUS

Do you have a greeting for Ales Bialiatski?

WRITE A LETTER TO A POLITICAL PRISONER

When does freedom of expression become activism? How do ordinary people react to tyranny and oppression? Defending our rights can range from writing a letter, spraying a slogan, or joining a protest, to throwing a Molotov cocktail.

The right to freedom of political expression is essential to a healthy democracy. Under authoritarian rule, protest against those in power can lead to imprisonment or death.

The Nobel Peace Prize 2022 celebrates the bravery of ordinary people. We welcome you to explore this photo series and encourage you to reflect on what made these people take action. What would you do in their place? 

When do ordinary people become activists?

Anti-war demonstrations against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked fierce, widespread outrage and condemnation around the world. Putin’s military aggression has also created dissent in Russia, where publicly protesting against Kremlin policy can lead to serious repercussions, including imprisonment.

Demonstration against Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine, outside Downing Street, London. Hundreds of people demonstrated their support for Ukraine, revulsion at Russia’s invasion and demanded stronger action from the West.

Pro-Navalny protest in the city center of Moscow, Russia.  21 April 2021.  Between January and April 2021, protests against the detention of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny were held in 198 towns and cities across Russia. The 2021 protests were the largest anti-government demonstrations since 2012. The protests were met with police crackdowns. More than 1,600 people taking part in the April 21 countrywide protest were detained.

PRO-NAVALNY PROTEST

“We were all together on Friday night and on Saturday, after university hours we joined people on the street. After the beginning of the arrests and the pressure from the police, the protests ended, and we didn't go to the streets anymore. Some of our friends were arrested, we are worried for them. There are many conflicts and differences among the university students. So, you can't exactly say what you want. 

Our main concern is to support people, mostly the lower class and workers. For us it is important to add women's rights to these protests. We think that we will see the results of these protests clearly in the next elections; how many of the people will vote? We voted for President Rouhani because we believed in reform, but now we see this is not a possible way to make changes. We need to find new alternatives.”

An Extinction Rebellion protest for climate justice. Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of central London in a non-violent campaign calling for climate justice. Bridges and roads were blocked by activists, attempting to force politicians to heed their warning. Several hundred people were arrested.

Windsor, Ontario, Canada. 16 January 2013.

Idle No More, a native rights protest at the US/Canadian border blocking traffic at Ambassador Bridge. In support of Chief Theresa Spence's six-week-long hunger strike for better housing for indigenous people. 

A 10-year-old girl with a banner saying “STOP CALLING ME MURZYN”  during the protest against racism and police brutality, a few days after the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. This photograph went viral and initiated a nationwide discussion about racism in Poland. The debate led to an official statement from the Polish Language Committee to declare the word murzyn (the Polish word for "negro") as offensive.

Midtown Manhattan, New York, the USA. 21 January 2017. 

Prompted by Donald Trump's misogynistic policy positions, the 2017 Women's March took place the day after Trump was inaugurated as President. The Women’s March was the largest single-day protest in American history. Crowds of demonstrators convened in cities nationwide for peaceful marches. No arrests were made.

Protesters during the Women's March in Washington DC, 2017. The worldwide protest prompted by Donald Trump's misogynistic policy positions has now become an annual event that advocates for progressive legislation and policy regarding human rights: women's rights, immigration reform, the environment, racial equality, LGBTQ+ rights and more.