The Peoples of Belarus and Lithuania Become Laureates of the John Mccain Prize for Freedom

The Russians were also encouraged to fight for democracy.

The annual John McCain Freedom Awards were held in Washington on Tuesday. Established in 1995, the award, founded by the International Republican Institute (IRI), recognizes activists around the world fighting for freedom and democracy.

Among the laureates of this year's award, the people of Belarus were recognized, on whose behalf the award was received by Tatstsiana Khomich - the sister of the Belarusian activist Maryja Kalesnikava, who was kidnapped by the special services of Belarus a year earlier and was sentenced to 11 years in prison a month ago. The award ceremony concluded with Khomich's visit to the United States, where she spoke about the situation with political prisoners in Belarus.

“The main purpose of my trip is to draw attention to political prisoners,” Khomich said in an interview with the Voice of America correspondent. “During my meetings with politicians, representatives of the Friends of Belarus caucus in the Congress, I discussed the possibility of supporting political prisoners on their part.”

According to Khomich, American politicians were offered to become the voice of the Belarusian “prisoners of conscience.”

“They can write letters, talk in the media about what is happening with political prisoners, support their families,” says the interlocutor of the Voice of America.

Residents of Lithuania also received the award for their active position in supporting democracy in Belarus. During the ceremony, it was noted that many political emigrants from Belarus have found political asylum in Lithuania. The award was received on behalf of the Lithuanian people by the deputy of the Lithuanian Seimas Žygimantas Pavilionis.

In his speech, he urged the West not to forget about the fighters for democracy in Russia, recalling that the Russian government once again rigged parliamentary elections. In an interview with Voice of America, he stressed that a free and democratic Russia is essential for stability in Europe.

“Democracy in Belarus, like democracy in Russia, is the best guarantor of normal good-neighborly relations in Europe,” Pavilionis said in an interview with the Voice of America. "In Russia, I think, there will also come a time when people will just take to the streets and say: we are all Europeans. We got out of this (Soviet - editor's note) hell after fifty years, but the Russians still remained there."

The International Republican Institute (IRI) is an American nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of democracy around the world.

Over the years, award winners have included prominent human rights activists and politicians such as Nathan Sharansky, as well as President Ronald Reagan, known for his role in promoting democracy in the former Soviet Union.

“Freedom is a fragile thing, and no more than a generation separates us from its disappearance,” Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, chairman of the International Republican Institute, quoted Reagan as saying.

"I believe that the path to freedom is not a distinctive feature of America or the West, it is a global phenomenon. And I think that Russians and Belarusians will agree with this," said Sullivan in an interview with the Voice of America. "The dictators who rule these countries and suppress freedom are guided by the main thing - their fear. They are afraid of their own citizens. This is their main weakness, and that is exactly why events like today's award ceremony are a reminder to those who are fighting (for freedom - GA) that they are not forgotten."

After the award ceremony, President of the International Republican Institute Daniel Twining called on the peoples of Russia and Belarus to continue their struggle for freedom and democracy. According to Twining, autocracy will not succeed in the modern world.

“I don’t think the Lukashenka regime would exist without Russian support - it is isolated. The regime has support - and this is not the Belarusian society, which has clearly made its choice in favor of change, but support from the government of another country,” Twining said in an interview with the Voice of America. "Autocracy cannot be natural in the modern world, dictatorship is an unnatural form of government. People have moved forward, they have access to the latest technologies, they want to freely communicate and interact with each other, as well as have leverage over the authorities. For example, in a rich country like Russia, significant wealth has been stolen by the regime. Keep fighting! People around the world support you - not because of geopolitics, but because we know that a free and open Russia will be a reliable partner."

Let us remind you that US Senator John McCain, after whom the award is named, died of cancer in 2018. He was known for his criticism of authoritarian regimes and the Kremlin in particular.