“I accept this award not for myself, but for all heroes who continue their fight.” Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya received the Lantos Human Rights Prize

During her visit to United Statesthe Belarusian leader received the Lantos Human Rights Prizewhich honors people's contribution to combating human rights violations around the world.

The 2024 prize went to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Evgenia Kara-Murza for their courage and determination in resisting dictatorships in the post-Soviet space. Previous recipients include such prominent figures as the Dalai Lama, Hillary Clintonand Shimon Peres.

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya gave a speech:

Thank you, Speaker Emerita Pelosi, for your kind words. And for being a true friend of the Belarusian people. I admire your leadership, your wisdom and your empathy.

Dear President Katrina Lantos Swett,

Dear Tomicah Tillemann,

Dear Excellencies, friends and freedom fighters present in this room.

It is a great honor and a great joy to receive the Lantos Human Rights Prize, especially alongside dear Evgenia Kara-Murza.

Evgenia, your courage knows no bounds. I admire how tirelessly you fought for your husband's freedom. Your courage is a source of inspiration for me and many others.

Dear Vladimir, it is so wonderful to see you here today, free and reunited with your beloved wife. Their release is a glimmer of hope. It shows us all that freedom is never unattainable, no matter how dark the days may be.

As you know, I never expected to become a political leader. Four years ago, I was an ordinary woman – just a wife and mother of two children. But sometimes life puts us in circumstances – where we have to Step up and do what is right.

When my husband Siarhei went to prison for standing up to a dictator, I knew I had to stand up too. I stood for him, I stood for our children. And I stood for the millions of Belarusians who have been silenced for far too long.

Apparently the dictator didn't take me seriously. “Belarusians will never vote for a woman,” he said.

And he was wrong! Because it wasn't just about me, but about a nation's call for freedom, justice and change…

We won not just an election back then, but the hearts of millions of Belarusians.

And four years of repression have not forced Belarusians to change their minds or accept the dictatorship.

Belarusians continue to demonstrate bravery and courage and pay a high price for their freedom.

Dear friends,

Today I accept This award is not for myself, but for all the heroes who continue their fight.

For our journalists who were forced into exile and continue to bring the truth to the people of the country. And for those behind bars. Like Ihar Losik from Radio Free Europe, who cut his own veins in protest against the cruelty of his prison guards. Or Katsia Andreyeva, who was sentenced to eight years in prison for broadcasting the protests live.

For all our fearless women, like Maryia Kalesnikava, who tore her passport to pieces to avoid being deported from Belarus and who is now slowly being killed by the regime.

For Iryna and Volha Takarchuk, mother and daughter, who were both sent to prison: first the daughter for protesting against election fraud, and then her mother for… Solidarity: She sent food packages to her daughter and her cellmates.

I accept this prize for human rights defenders, like our Nobel laureate Ales Bialiatski. He was sentenced to ten years in prison for helping the oppressed and calling for national dialogue. Yesterday he celebrated his 62nd birthday in prison.

Or for Marfa Rabkova, who was declared a “terrorist” and sentenced to 14 years in prison for collecting evidence of the regime’s crimes. Her life is in danger, but her spirit remains unbroken.

For activists like Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, mother of two sons, who renounced her Belarusian citizenship in protest against her unfair trial and is currently being tortured in prison.

I also accept this award on behalf of my husband Siarhei, who is incommunicado for 500 days while serving his 19-year prison sentence. My children have not seen their father in over four years.

They ask me every day, “When is dad coming home?”

And every day I have no answer. I don't know if Siarhei is safe. I don't even know if he's alive.

But I know that the Belarusian people will never stop fighting for the freedom we dream of. And no oppression. No threats. will stop us on our way.

I know we will continue the revolution our people started in 2020 until we win.

I know that all people who have been unjustly imprisoned, tortured, intimidated or forced into exile will return home. Each of them will be rehabilitated and given back their rights.

I know all the perpetrators who kidnapped journalists and raped women in prison. Anyone who has imposed draconian sentences on pensioners or lied in court proceedings will be punished.

I also know that one day we will hold free and fair elections to elect our democratic leaders, and Belarus will become a respected country in the world, a provider of peace and stability, and not a constant threat.

And yes, I also know that the road to freedom can be long. It can be challenging. That it's not a sprint, but a marathon. We don't know when it will end, but sometimes we just have to do the right thing and history will put everything in its place.

The fight for freedom, for people, for what is just, for every man and woman, for every child and every elderly person – that is the right thing.

And I also know that no freedom fight can be won without allies. Many of them are in this room today. Like Evgenia or Vladimir. Like Nancy Pelosi, who makes dictators around the world tremble.

We need allies like the United States of America. Many nations around the world consider you a global leader in the fight for democracy and human rights. Don't stop standing up for what's right. Don't stop supporting Ukraine or Belarus. It is our common fight for freedom.

We must continue to put pressure on the Lukashenko regime and Putin. For every crime, for every broken life, they must pay the price. While sanctions are not a panacea, they are the justice-restoring tool we all need.

We must reject the very idea that dictators can be appeased or re-educated. Dictators can only be fought. Any hesitation is viewed by dictators as weakness.

We also need freedom fighters like Congressman Tom Lantos, whose legacy we honor today. As a Holocaust survivor, he knew what tyranny was and where it would lead if left unchecked. Tyranny spreads like cancer if not dealt with in time.

Young Lantos, along with thousands of Hungarian Jews, was rescued by Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, who was later killed by Stalin.

Sometimes it occurs to me that we need a new Raoul Wallenberg to save thousands of Belarusian political prisoners who are slowly dying in Lukashenka's cells.

In the last years of his life, Tom Lantos spoke about Belarus and fought for our people. He knew well that the fight for freedom and human rights is not just a local but a global matter.

He knew that dictatorships seem invincible until they suddenly collapse. But it is a moral duty of powerful nations like the United States to stand by those in need.

Today I would like to applaud the Lantos Foundation for carrying forward the torch of Lantos' fight for freedom and justice. I would like to thank you for this recognition that sheds light on the struggles of my people.

This prize, this moment reminds us that we are not alone. That the world is on our side. When you're in a cold prison chamber with a small checkerboard-sized window, the only thing keeping you alive is the solidarity you feel from outside. You know someone is fighting for you.

Today I have come to call on you to support all freedom-loving people in the world. Your support gives us strength to keep going. It keeps our hope alive: the hope that Belarus will one day be free.

Until that day comes, we will continue to fight. We will continue to believe. And we will win.

Thank you very much. Long live Belarus.