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It was the first international document in history to universally recognize that all people have the same rights and freedoms from birth (the law has been translated into 360 languages). Initiative on December 10. to remember the 1950s raised by the United Nations.
However, it must be said that authoritarianism is once again raising its ugly head in the world, and with it the increase in human rights violations. Human rights violations in neighboring Belarus are increasing by the day. The Lithuanian journalistic community is watching with anxiety the crackdown on the last islands of free media in Belarus. Journalists are being jailed and Lithuanian journalists suffer. Therefore, in solidarity with the journalists locked up in Belarusian prisons, the Lithuanian community of journalists decided to award them the Freedom of Hope Award.
December is the month when it’s time to look at next year. This year will undoubtedly be remembered around the world as a terrible pandemic year. The fight against the Covid pandemic in our societies will be written and discussed for a long time. Another fight, which took place just half a kilometer from Vilnius, became another symbol of the coming year.
Many have unexpectedly rebelled against the injustices of the Gudians and many continue to fight unexpectedly despite Lukashenko’s brutal repression. And on the front lines of this front are Belarusian journalists. Belarusian colleagues who have suffered in the performance of their professional duties will henceforth receive an award, the Freedom of Hope Award. The initiator and sponsor of this idea is a farmer, MP Kazys Starkevičius and his family and two Lithuanian journalists’ organizations.
To award this award, the Lithuanian Union of Journalists and the Lithuanian Society of Journalists formed a commission headed by Vaiva Žukienė. The President of the Commission said: ‘This award is a symbol of solidarity, a show of respect for colleagues who are persecuted for carrying out their work professionally, complying with the journalist’s primary duty to exercise the right of citizens to impartial information. and independent. It is important to send the message that the journalistic community is monitoring, evaluating the events in Belarus and supporting colleagues who are fighting for the public’s right to know. ”
The representatives of the Commission, by majority vote, awarded the Freedom of Hope Prize to Belarusian journalists: Ekaterina Borisevich, Jelena Tolkachova, Tatiana Korovenkova, Ekaterina Andreev, Darya Čiulcova. This group was appointed to the commission by Belarusian journalists’ organizations.
Journalists Jekaterina Borisevič and Jelena Tolkačiova work for the TUT.BY news portal, Tatjana Korovenkova works for IA BelaPAN, and Jekaterina Andrejeva and Darya Čiulcova work for the BelSat television channel. These journalists are joined by various events. They work for independent media and have been arrested and imprisoned in the performance of their journalistic duties. They will be presented with 5 Freedom of Hope statues and EUR 1000. These statues symbolize the determination of Lithuanian journalists to support Belarusian independent journalists. As patron Kazys Starkevičius rightly observed: “No chain will break our quest for freedom …”
It is still difficult for Lithuanian journalists to believe that the brutal arrests of journalists are taking place so close to us. It is even sadder that these repressions are only intensifying. As the president of the Lithuanian Union of Journalists, Dainius Radzevičius, pointed out: “Working in Belarus today is like a heroic feat. How to be an active citizen or defender of human rights. Colleagues are the true guardians of democracy every day, telling the people of their country the truth. And this is the greatest value that has no borders and Lithuanian journalists stand in solidarity with their counterparts in Belarus. The voucher is a clear symbol ”.
We are glad that this award was given to brave women, because it is brave and determined women who symbolize this revolution in Belarus. The opinion of the patron, Kazys Starkevičius: “With this award I speak once again for Freedom, Hope, Faith, Love. This is an advantage for anyone who has made the facts public. For those who told me what is happening in Minsk or Brest now. For those who fight for the present and the future. Like those who fought in 1991, like they fought later in Maidan, Tbilisi. Let’s remember, after all, that we were behind everything in Kaunas, Vilnius, Klaipeda, Medininkai and everywhere else. It is the memory of all those who have shown, told and are telling the truth about everything from all corners of the world. Despite the deadly threats. It is an award for journalism and freedom of expression. ”
Human Rights Day is a great day to announce the winners of this award. The fight for human rights is also a fight for freedom of expression. Do not give up, dear feather brothers and sisters in Belarus. The Lithuanian journalistic community will always support freedom of expression in Belarus and support you!
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