Right Livelihood Laureates from Russia and around the world have worked for decades on strengthening civil society, abolishing nuclear and chemical weapons and ensuring peace.
The following Russian activists and other international experts are available for comment on the consequences and risks of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Contact us for interviews!
Russian Laureates:
Vladimir Slivyak is one of Russia’s most committed and knowledgeable environmentalists, who has been spearheading important grassroots campaigns against environmentally damaging practices for decades. He has been an outspoken proponent of civil society activism, especially in the face of an increasing crackdown on activists in Russia.
Vladimir Slivyak received the 2021 Right Livelihood Award “for his defence of the environment and for helping to ignite grassroots opposition to the coal and nuclear industries in Russia.”
Read our stories:
- Putin laid groundwork for Ukraine attack by eliminating civil society at home
- Vladimir Slivyak warns of “high risk” of a Chernobyl-style nuclear accident in Ukraine
Recent interviews in Democracy Now! and BBC
Svetlana Gannushkina is one of the most accomplished leaders of the human rights movement in Russia today. She has advocated for the rights of refugees and minorities.
Svetlana Gannushkina received the 2016 Right Livelihood Award “for her decades-long commitment to promoting human rights and justice for refugees and forced migrants, and tolerance among different ethnic groups.
The Committee of Soldiers’ Mothers of Russia (CSMR) was founded in 1989 to campaign for their sons’ return home early from military service. It has since advocated for Russia’s demilitarisation, speaking out against Russia’s wars.
CSMR received the 1996 Right Livelihood Award “for their courage in upholding the common humanity of Russians and Chechens and opposing the militarism and violence in Chechnya.”
Read on our website:
Memorial is a civil society organisation in Russia founded in 1989 and recently liquidated by Russia’s Supreme Court on trumped-up charges. One of Memorial’s central missions is to promote the revelation of the truth about the historical past and perpetuate the memory of the victims of political repression exercised by totalitarian regimes.
Read on our website:
Recent news feature on Democracy Now!
UN Side Event with Russian civil society
Read about and watch a panel discussion with Russian civil society activists we organised on March 3 as a side event of the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council.
The conversation highlighted the link between the crackdown on civil society at home, especially through the use of Russia’s “Foreign Agents Law,” and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ambitions in Ukraine.
Belarusian Laureate:
Human Rights Center “Viasna” is Belarus’ leading non-governmental organisation contributing to the development of civil society through documenting human rights abuses and monitoring elections. Viasna was founded in 1996 by human rights activist Ales Bialiatski in 1996 to provide support for political prisoners. Bialiatski was arrested in July 2021 amidst the increasing crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Belarus.
Viasna and Bialiatski received the 2020 Right Livelihood Award jointly “for their resolute struggle for the realisation of democracy and human rights in Belarus.”
Recent interview with Democracy Now!
Laureates with expertise on nuclear and chemical weapons and disarmament:
Mycle Schneider is an independent analyst and consultant on energy and nuclear policy based in Paris.
He received the Right Livelihood Award in 1997 “for serving to alert the world to the unparalleled dangers of plutonium to human life.”
Alyn Ware is one of the world’s most effective peace workers, who has led key initiatives for peace education and nuclear abolition in New Zealand and internationally over the past decades.
He received the 2009 Right Livelihood Award “for his effective and creative advocacy and initiatives over two decades to further peace education and to rid the world of nuclear weapons.”
Recent news:
Paul Walker is one of the most effective advocates for the abolition of chemical weapons. His leadership has helped to safely and verifiably eliminate about 98.6 per cent of the world’s declared stockpiles. Walker has also been key to leveraging billions of US dollars for effective programmes for arms control, disarmament, threat reduction and non-proliferation.
Paul Walker received the Right Livelihood Award in 2013 “for working tirelessly to rid the world of chemical weapons.”
