Open letter from Nobel laureates to EU leaders to take immediate measures for the release of political prisoners in Belarus
20.03.2024

Open letter from Nobel laureates to EU leaders to take immediate measures for the release of political prisoners in Belarus

Open Appeal from Nobel laureates to EU leaders to take immediate measures for the release of political prisoners in Belarus

Release Political Prisoners in Belarus

We, the undersigned Nobel Prize laureates, call for the immediate release of political prisoners in Belarus.
Over the past four years, more than 50,000 people have been subjected to political repression in Belarus, hundreds of thousands of citizens have been forced to leave the country, and thousands of people have been tortured. Among them are hundreds of journalists, professors, educators, doctors, musicians, workers, and students, public figures and human rights defenders, including the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Ales Bialiatski.
Entire families, mothers with multiple children, minors, the gravely ill, the elderly, and the disabled are currently held captive in horrible conditions. In recent decades, Europe has not seen a humanitarian catastrophe related to political repression on such a per capita scale as in Belarus.
We call on the governments of all EU countries, but addressing firstly the government of Poland, to take immediate measures to stop the brutal repression in Belarus and pressure for the release of all political prisoners. Poland, as a neighboring country to Belarus, has unique and effective leverage for such action. For example, the temporary suspension of regular rail freight shipments to the EU from Belarus, including transit from Russia and China, is one such effective leverage.
The commercial interests that European countries have cannot outweigh the issues of their national security and their duty to save innocent people being victimized in Belarus, and the protection of the rights of not only Belarusians, but also national minorities who are subjected to severe discrimination.
There are sufficient grounds for this action according to international law, in particular, based on the decisions of international human rights institutions, and inter alia the resolution of the International Labour Organization of June 12, 2023 (activation of the paragraph 33 ILO Constitution). This resolution encourages governments of all counties in the world to introduce any restrictive measures against Lukashenko's regime for systematic violations of labour and trade union rights.
We appeal to politicians, opinion leaders and all people of goodwill to support our civil campaign for the release of political prisoners in Belarus. The lives of thousands of innocent people depend on your position and, more importantly, your action.

March 20, 2024

Signatures:

Nobel Prize in Literature

  • Svetlana Alexievich, Nobel Prize in Literature (2015), Belarus. Awarded for her polyphonic writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time.
  • John Coetzee, Nobel Prize in Literature (2003), South Africa. Awarded for his well-crafted composition, characterized by analytical brilliance and engagement with the plight of the outsider.
  • Herta Müller, Nobel Prize in Literature (2009), Germany. Awarded for her work that, with the concentration of poetry and the frankness of prose, depicts the landscape of the dispossessed.

Nobel Peace Prize

  • Oscar Arias Sanchez, Nobel Peace Prize (1987), Costa Rica. Awarded for his work for peace in Central America, efforts which led to the Esquipulas II Accords.
  • Jose Ramos-Horta, Nobel Peace Prize (1996), Timor-Leste. Awarded for his work towards a just and peaceful solution to the conflict in East Timor.
  • Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize (1997), USA. Awarded for her work towards banning and clearing anti-personnel mines.
  • Dmitry Muratov, Nobel Peace Prize (2021), Russia. Awarded for his efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, a prerequisite for democracy and lasting peace.
  • Oleksandra Matviichuk, Nobel Peace Prize (2022), Ukraine. Awarded for her work in promoting civil liberties and human rights in Ukraine.

Nobel Prize in Economics

  • Oliver Hart, Nobel Prize in Economics (2016), United Kingdom. Awarded for his contributions to contract theory.
  • Guido Imbens, Nobel Prize in Economics (2021), USA. Awarded for his methodological contributions to the analysis of causal relationships.

Nobel Prize in Physics

  • Sheldon Lee Glashow, Nobel Prize in Physics (1979), USA. Awarded for contributions to the theory of the unified weak and electromagnetic interaction between elementary particles.
  • Gerard 't Hooft, Nobel Prize in Physics (1999), Netherlands. Awarded for elucidating the quantum structure of electroweak interactions in physics.
  • William D. Phillips, Nobel Prize in Physics (1997), USA. Awarded for development of methods to cool and trap atoms with laser light.
  • Daniel Tsui, Nobel Prize in Physics (1998), USA. Awarded for their discovery of a new form of quantum fluid with fractionally charged excitations.
  • Steven Chu, Nobel Prize in Physics (1997), USA. Awarded for development of methods to cool and trap atoms with laser light.
  • Michel Mayor, Nobel Prize in Physics (2019), Switzerland. Awarded for the discovery of an exoplanet orbiting a solar-type star.
  • Pierre Agostini, Nobel Prize in Physics (2023), France. Awarded for experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses of light for the study of electron dynamics in matter.
  • John C. Mather, Nobel Prize in Physics (2006), USA. Awarded for the discovery of the blackbody form and anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background radiation.

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

  • Edvard I. Moser, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2014), Norway. Awarded for their discoveries of cells that constitute a positioning system in the brain.
  • May-Britt Moser, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2014), Norway. Awarded for their discoveries of cells that constitute a positioning system in the brain.
  • Sir Richard J. Roberts, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1993), United Kingdom. Awarded for their discoveries of split genes.
  • Louis J. Ignarro, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1998), USA. Awarded for their discoveries concerning nitric oxide as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system.
  • Jack W. Szostak, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2009), USA. Awarded for the discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase.
  • Charles M. Rice, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2020), USA. Awarded for the discovery of Hepatitis C virus.
  • Harvey J. Alter, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2020), USA. Awarded for the discovery of Hepatitis C virus.
  • Eric Wieschaus, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1995), USA. Awarded for their discoveries concerning the genetic control of early embryonic development.
  • Mario R. Capecchi, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2007), USA. Awarded for their discoveries of principles for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells.
  • Jules Hoffmann, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2011), France. Awarded for their discoveries concerning the activation of innate immunity.
  • Randy Schekman, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2013), USA. Awarded for their discoveries of machinery regulating vesicle traffic, a major transport system in our cells.

Nobel Prize in Chemistry

  • Elias James Corey, Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1990), USA. Awarded for his development of the theory and methodology of organic synthesis.
  • Roald Hoffmann, Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1981), USA. Awarded for their theories concerning the course of chemical reactions.
  • Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2016), France. Awarded for the design and synthesis of molecular machines.
  • Yuan T. Lee, Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1986), Taiwan. Awarded for his contributions concerning the dynamics of chemical elementary processes.
  • George P. Smith, Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2018), USA. Awarded for the phage display of peptides and antibodies.
  • Brian Kobilka, Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2012), USA. Awarded for studies of G-protein-coupled receptors.
  • John Polanyi, Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1986), Canada. Awarded for his contributions concerning the dynamics of chemical elementary processes.
  • Roger Kornberg, Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2006), USA. Awarded for his studies of the molecular basis of eukaryotic transcription.
  • Arieh Warshel, Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2013), Israel. Awarded for the development of multiscale models for complex chemical systems.
  • Jean-Marie Lehn, Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1987), France. Awarded for the development and use of molecules with structure-specific interactions of high selectivity.

Сharlemagne Prize laureate

  • Pinchas Goldschmidt, Сharlemagne Prize laureate (2024), President of the European Rabbinical Conference and Jewish communities in Europe 

The letter was signed by 39 Nobel Prize winners and a Charlemagne Prize laureate.

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The initiative group working on the issue of the release of political prisoners in Belarus and demanding that the EU issue an ultimatum to Lukashenka thanks all laureates for their solidarity.

For comments, please get in touch via facebook or telegram or info@bolkunets.org

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Открытое обращение от лауреатов Нобелевской премии к лидерам ЕС с призывом принять незамедлительные меры для освобождения политических заключённых в Беларуси

Освободите политзаключенных в Беларуси

Мы, нижеподписавшиеся лауреаты Нобелевской премии, призываем к немедленному освобождению политзаключенных в Беларуси.
За последние четыре года в Беларуси политическим репрессиям подверглись более 50 тысяч человек, сотни тысяч граждан были вынуждены покинуть страну, тысячи подверглись пыткам. Среди них сотни журналистов, профессоров, педагогов, врачей, музыкантов, рабочих и студентов, общественных деятелей и правозащитников, в том числе лауреата Нобелевской премии мира Алеся Беляцкого.
Целые семьи, многодетные матери, несовершеннолетние, тяжелобольные, старики и инвалиды в настоящее время содержатся в плену в ужасных условиях. В последние десятилетия в Европе не было гуманитарной катастрофы, связанной с политическими репрессиями в таком масштабе на душу населения, как в Беларуси.
Мы призываем правительства всех стран ЕС, но обращаемся в первую очередь к правительству Польши, принять немедленные меры для прекращения жестоких репрессий в Беларуси и давления с целью освобождения всех политзаключенных. Польша, как соседняя с Беларусью страна, обладает уникальными и эффективными рычагами для таких действий. Например, одним из таких действенных рычагов является временная приостановка регулярных железнодорожных перевозок грузов в ЕС из Беларуси, в том числе транзита из России и Китая.
Коммерческие интересы европейских стран не могут перевесить вопросы их национальной безопасности и их долга по спасению невинных людей, ставших жертвами в Беларуси, а также защиты прав не только белорусов, но и национальных меньшинств, подвергающихся жесткой дискриминации.

Для такого действия имеются достаточные основания согласно международному праву, в частности, на основании решений международных правозащитных институтов, в том числе резолюции Международной организации труда от 12 июня 2023 года (вступление в силу пункта 33 Конституции МОТ). Эта резолюция призывает правительства всех стран мира ввести любые ограничительные меры против режима Лукашенко за систематические нарушения трудовых и профсоюзных прав.

Мы обращаемся к политикам, лидерам общественного мнения и всем людям доброй воли поддержать нашу гражданскую кампанию за освобождение политзаключенных в Беларуси. От вашей позиции и, что еще важнее, ваших действий зависят жизни тысяч невинных людей.

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Адкрыты ліст ад лаўрэатаў Нобелеўскай прэміі да лідараў ЕС з заклікам прыняць неадкладныя меры для вызвалення палітычных зняволеных у Беларусі

Вызваліце палітвязняў у Беларусі

Мы, ніжэйпадпісаныя лаўрэаты Нобелеўскай прэміі, заклікаем да неадкладнага вызвалення палітвязняў у Беларусі.

За апошнія чатыры гады ў Беларусі палітычным рэпрэсіям падвергліся больш за 50 тысяч чалавек, сотні тысяч грамадзян былі вымушаныя пакінуць краіну, тысячы падвергліся катаванням. Сярод іх сотні журналістаў, прафесараў, педагогаў, лекараў, музыкаў, рабочых і студэнтаў, грамадскіх дзеячаў і праваабаронцаў, у тым ліку лаўрэат Нобелеўскай прэміі міру Алесь Бяляцкі.

Цэлыя сем'і, шматдзетныя маці, непаўналетнія, цяжкахворыя, старыя і інваліды ў цяперашні час утрымліваюцца ў палоне ў жахлівых умовах. У апошнія дзесяцігоддзі ў Еўропе не было гуманітарнай катастрофы, звязанай з палітычнымі рэпрэсіямі ў такім маштабе на душу насельніцтва, як у Беларусі.

Мы заклікаем урады ўсіх краін ЕС, але звяртаемся ў першую чаргу да ўрада Польшчы, прыняць неадкладныя меры для спынення жорсткіх рэпрэсій у Беларусі і ціску з мэтай вызвалення ўсіх палітвязняў. Польшча, як суседняя з Беларуссю краіна, валодае унікальнымі і эфектыўнымі рычагамі для такіх дзеянняў. Напрыклад, адным з такіх дзейсных рычагоў з'яўляецца часовае прыпыненне рэгулярных чыгуначных перавозак грузаў у ЕС з Беларусі, у тым ліку транзіту з Расіі і Кітая.

Камерцыйныя інтарэсы еўрапейскіх краін не могуць перавешваць пытанні іх нацыянальнай бяспекі і іх доўгу па выратаванні нявінных людзей, якія сталі ахвярамі ў Беларусі, а таксама абароны правоў не толькі беларусаў, але і нацыянальных меншасцей, якія падвяргаюцца жорсткай дыскрымінацыі.

Для такога дзеяння маюцца дастатковыя падставы згодна з міжнародным правам, у прыватнасці, на падставе рашэнняў міжнародных праваабарончых інстытутаў, у тым ліку рэзалюцыі Міжнароднай арганізацыі працы ад 12 чэрвеня 2023 года (уступленне ў сілу пункта 33 Канстытуцыі МОП). Гэта рэзалюцыя заклікае ўрады ўсіх краін свету ўвесці любыя абмежавальныя меры супраць рэжыму Лукашэнкі за сістэматычныя парушэнні працоўных і прафсаюзных правоў.

Мы звяртаемся да палітыкаў, лідараў грамадскай думкі і ўсіх людзей добрай волі падтрымаць нашу грамадзянскую кампанію за вызваленне палітвязняў у Беларусі. Ад вашай пазіцыі і, што яшчэ важней, вашых дзеянняў залежаць жыцці тысяч нявінных людзей.