countries. they have for many years promoted the right to criticise power and protect the fundamental rights of citizens. they have made an outstanding effort to document war crimes, an outstanding effort to document warcrimes, human an outstanding effort to document war crimes, human rights abuses and the abuse of power. together, they demonstrate the significance of civil society for peace and democracy. this year s peace prize is awarded to human rights advocate from belarus. the russian human rights organisation and the ukrainian human rights organisation centre for civil liberties. ales bialiatski was one of the initiators of the democracy movement which emerged in belarus in the 19805. which emerged in belarus in the 1980s. he has devoted his life to promoting democracy and peace will development in his home country. he founded the organisation meaning spring in 1996 in response to the controversial constitutional amendments that gave the president dictatorial, there s
has not won one inch in his fight for human rights and democracy in belarus. the human rights organisation memorial was established in 1987. by human rights activists in the former soviet union who wanted to ensure that the victims of the oppression from the commonest regime would never be forgotten. nobel peace prize laureate andrej sekera of and human rights activist svetlana kanoute s, were among the founders. memorial is based on the notion that confronting past crimes is essential in preventing new ones. after the