Belarus opposition wins EU parliament rights award
The European Parliament yesterday awarded the Sakharov Prize for human rights to the movement opposing President Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus, led by the exiled Svetlana Tikhanovskaya. "It is an honour to announce that the women and men of the democratic opposition in Belarus are the 2020 Sakharov Prize laureates," tweeted European Parliament President David Sassoli. "They have on their side something that brute force can never defeat: the truth. Do not give up on your fight. We are by your side." Belarus has been gripped by unprecedented protests since Lukashenko claimed victory in an August election over Tikhanovskaya. Every Sunday, tens of thousands of Belarusians, despite the risk of arrest and the threat of live ammunition, take to the streets to oppose Europe's longest serving leader.
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