Oslo — Belarusian human rights campaigner Ales Bialiatski and two other human rights organizations, Memorial in Russia and the Ukraine Center for Civil Liberties, were revealed as the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize recipients on Friday at the Norwegian Nobel Institute.
All of the organizations have sought to draw attention to human rights violations in Ukraine, Russia, and Russia’s close ally Belarus in the context of President Vladimir Putin’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to present the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize to Belarusian human rights activist Ales Bialiatski, Russian human rights organization Memorial, and Ukrainian human rights organization Center for Civil Liberties. #NobelPrize photograph: 9YBdkJpDLU
— Nobel Prize announcement on October 7, 2022
The prize has frequently highlighted organizations and activists attempting to avert conflicts, alleviate suffering, and defend human rights.
Since obtaining the award, last year’s awardees have endured adversity. Dmitry Muratov of Russia and Maria Ressa of the Philippines have defied government efforts to muzzle them by battling for the survival of their journalistic enterprises.
Last year, they were awarded for “their efforts to protect freedom of expression, a prerequisite for democracy and sustainable peace.”
Monday marked the beginning of a week of Nobel Prize announcements, with the Swedish scientist Svante Paabo winning the prize in medicine for uncovering the mysteries of Neanderthal DNA, which provided crucial insights into our immune system.
Tuesday, three scientists earned the prize in physics jointly. Quantum entanglement is a phenomena demonstrated by the Frenchman Alain Aspect, the American John F. Clauser, and the Austrian Anton Zeilinger. This phenomenon can be utilized for specialized computing and information encryption.
The Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded to Americans Carolyn R. Bertozzi and K. Barry Sharpless, and the Danish scientist Morten Meldal on Wednesday for developing a method of “snapping molecules together” that can be used to explore cells, map DNA, and design drugs that can more precisely target diseases such as cancer.
Thursday, French author Annie Ernaux was awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in literature. The panel praised her for bravely mining her experiences as a working-class woman to analyze life in France since the 1940s in books that combine fiction and autobiography.
On Monday, the 2022 Nobel Prize in economics will be announced.
On December 10, 10 million Swedish kronor (about $900,000) in cash rewards will be awarded. The funds were provided by the prize’s originator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, in his will in 1895.