"We just heard from two incredible women who are doing an incredible thing for Belarus.
They deserve, like all women, to be represented," the US Embassy in Belarus quotes the words of the American president.
Opposition politician
Svetlana Tsikhanovskaya
and the wife of Nobel laureate and political prisoner Ales Bialiatski
Natalya Pinchuk
took turns speaking online at the Second Summit for Democracy, which is being held in Washington under the patronage of US President
Joe Biden
.
Svetlana Tsikhanovskaya
stated that she comes from Belarus, an unfree country that has lived under brutal tyranny for 28 years:
"A country where people are deprived of basic human rights.
A country ruled by fear, where even whispering the word "freedom" can land you in prison.
The hardest lesson we've learned over the years is that freedom is never free, it comes with demands.
And independence is also not guaranteed forever.
These values require courage, responsibility and self-sacrifice.
They need people who are ready to put the interests of others first."
Natalia Pinchuk
said in her speech that "Belarus was a dark spot for Europe for many years, but suddenly in 2020 the image of Belarus changed: "
To the surprise of many, a woman challenged the dictatorship.
Svetlana was not going to enter politics.
But when her husband decided to run for president and was arrested, she courageously took his place.
The authorities did not take her seriously and paid a heavy price:
Svetlana won the election.
The regime did not agree with the will of the people and, with Moscow's support, began to terrorize Belarusians.
Svetlana works for her people.
She became a real leader in the eyes of Belarusians and the whole world.
She creates the future of democratic Belarus, constantly experiencing fear and trauma."