Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Belarusian democratic opposition and co-laureate of Sakharov Prize 2020 makes a statement in the European Parliament in Brussels on the meaning of the Sakharov Prize for Belorussian people and her fight for new elections. The democratic opposition in Belarus, represented by several laureates,receives the 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

Brussels

statement

EU - Belarus (T)

TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Sviatlana (BY)

Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought 2020 (T)

Belarusian Democratic Opposition

Statement by Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Belarusian Democratic Opposition leader, laureate of the Sakharov Prize 2020

Title: Sakharov Prize 2020 - Belarusian democratic opposition: statement by Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, laureate (I-200474)

SOUNDBITE (English), Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Belarus opposition candidate to presidential election, Sakharov Prize means a lot to Belarusian people because this is the Prize for the freedom of thought.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Belarus opposition candidate to presidential election, Their minds are free already and they know what they're fighting for, they're fighting for new democratic values. And it's important that the whole world have seen our courage, have seen they understand and why they are fighting and what we are fighting for. And this Prize shows that they are with us, that they understand that they support us in this not easy fight.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Belarus opposition candidate to presidential election, People are fighting now. They're fighting for, first of all, for new elections after which a new President will come and we will start to build this new country. And we are fighting for four months already. And we understand that people are tired.You know 32.000 people are being detained since August and more than 1000 are charged with criminal cases. One hundred fifty six political prisoners. It's a huge numbers. Just imagine every hour in Belarus twenty five people are being detained.

SOUNDBITE: (English) : Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Now thirty two thousand people are being detained and there are only eighty people on sanction list. Look, it sounds like a joke. You know, it's not even funny in this case when people, all the European countries have seen the atrocities, those injured people, those humiliation and, I don't know, rapes of our women and men and only about 80 people. Are you joking? You have to just stand you have to say your strong position on this case. You have to be louder. You have to be in your statements, in your position. You have to be as brave as Belarusian people now. And I'm talking not only about individual sanctions, but also also about targeted sanctions. And in any kind of help and assistance, because we are standing for values that are important to you, you just can't close your eyes on this unprecedented violence in our country, because people in Belarus, they were sure that the European Union is such great power on this piece of land that when they are united the same as Belarusian are united now, they can be a very strong voice towards Belarus.