Nobel Peace Prize 2022 to Ales Bialiatsky of Belarus and two organizations

The Nobel Peace Prize winners for 2022 are Belarusian opposition activist Ales Byaliatskyi, the Russian Memorial Society and the Center for Ukrainian Civil Rights, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on Friday. This year’s winners are representatives of civil society in their home countries. The group justifies its choice by saying that over the years they have supported the right to criticize the authorities and protect the basic rights of citizens.

“They have made an extraordinary effort to document war crimes, violations Human rights and abuse of power. Together they show the importance of civil society for peace and democracy,” it wrote.

While announcing the winners, it was mentioned that Bialiatsky was one of the founders of the democratic movement. Belarus. – He has dedicated his life to promoting democracy and peace in his homeland – it is reported.

Ales Bialiatsky is a Belarusian human rights activist and former political prisoner. He is the founder of the Vyasna organization, which is considered illegal by the Belarusian government. Authorities stripped him of his legal status in 2003 and have since refused to re-register him.

Memory was founded in the 1980s as an association of independent organisations. It is made up of independent structures, 10 of which operate across borders Russia. For 30 years, the organization has been researching political repression in the Soviet Union against Poles.

The Ukrainian Center for Civil Rights was established in 2007 to promote human rights, democracy and solidarity.

343 candidates including 251 individuals and 92 organizations were nominated for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. This is the second highest number of nominations in history. In 2016 alone there were more applicants when 376 applications were approved.

Nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize can be submitted by January 31 each year. Nominations will be handed over to the Nobel Committee in mid-February. The committee reviews the nominations and prepares a short list for further selection. Later, the group’s permanent advisers and experts – z Norway or international – they report on candidates. The committee meets regularly from mid-February to September to discuss and narrow the field of candidates. The winner is announced on the first Friday of October.

“As a rule, the committee takes a decision only at its last meeting before announcing the winner(s) of a given year in early October,” we read on the Nobel Committee’s website. “The Committee requires unanimity in selecting the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. In the rare event that this is not possible, the decision will be made by a simple majority.”