Veteran human rights activist and co-chair of the rights group Memorial, Oleg Orlov, on Tuesday (Feb 27) was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for discrediting the Russian army.&nbsp;

The 70-year-old has served as one of the leaders of the rights group, Memorial, for more than two decades. The Russian rights group won a share of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022, a year after being banned and dissolved.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Russia-Ukraine war: Will France send its troops to Ukraine? Here's what Macron has to say

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<h2>What happened in the court?</h2>

A report by Reuters citing Memorial said Orlov was handcuffed after the verdict, and the court ordered him to be taken immediately into custody. In his closing remarks on Monday (Feb 26), the 70-year-old decried the “strangulation of freedom” in Russia.&nbsp;

Orlov was convicted of “repeatedly discrediting” the Russian army in an article he wrote in 2022 which opposed the Ukraine war. However, the 70-year-old had rejected the case against him and called it politically motivated.&nbsp;

The veteran human rights activist was initially just charged a fine of $1,628 by a district court in 2023 given his age and health, but a retrial was later ordered in the case. The prosecution, on Monday, sought a sentence of two years and 11 months in prison.&nbsp;

The charges against the 70-year-old rights activist stem from the article he wrote in 2022, in which he criticised the invasion of Ukraine and reportedly said Russia under President Vladimir Putin had descended into fascism.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nobel-peace-prize-2022-winners-who-are-the-human-rights-activists-in-belarus-russia-and-ukraine-523353">Nobel Peace Prize 2022 winners: Who are the human rights activists in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine?</a>

The prosecution had alleged that Orlov had published the article motivated by hostility “against traditional Russian spiritual, moral and patriotic values” and hatred of the Russian military, reported Russian news outlet Mediazona, on Tuesday.&nbsp;

<h2>Orlov calls Russia ‘fascist’ in court</h2>

The sentence comes a day after the veteran human rights activist in his closing arguments maintained that he had committed no crime and regretted nothing. He also went on to criticise the “totalitarian” and “fascist” Russian state.&nbsp;

“All these are links in the same chain: the death, or rather, the massacre of Alexei (Navalny), the judicial reprisals against other critics of the regime, including me, the strangulation of freedom in the country, the entry of Russian troops into Ukraine,” the 70-year-old told the court.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alexei-navalny-was-supposed-to-be-released-before-death-his-ally-claims-694125">Alexei Navalny was supposed to be ‘released’ in prisoner swap, his ally claims</a>

He added, “Isn’t it scary to watch what our country, which you probably also love, is turning into? Isn’t it scary that in this absurdity, in this dystopia, maybe not only you and your children will have to live, but also, God forbid, your grandchildren?”

Orlov’s remarks were broadcast on Memorial’s Telegram channel. The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Russia, Mariana Katzarova called the trial “an orchestrated attempt to silence the voices of human rights defenders in Russia.”

(With inputs from agencies)

Veteran human rights activist and co-chair of the rights group Memorial, Oleg Orlov, on Tuesday (Feb 27) was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for discrediting the Russian army.

Veteran human rights activist and co-chair of the rights group Memorial, Oleg Orlov, on Tuesday (Feb 27) was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for discrediting the Russian army. The 70-year-old has served as one of the leaders of the rights group, Memorial, for more than two decades. The Russian rights group won a share of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022, a year after being banned and dissolved. WATCH | Russia-Ukraine war: Will France send its troops to Ukraine? Here's what Macron has to say What happened in the court? A report by Reuters citing Memorial said Orlov was handcuffed after the verdict, and the court ordered him to be taken immediately into custody. In his closing remarks on Monday (Feb 26), the 70-year-old decried the “strangulation of freedom” in Russia. Orlov was convicted of “repeatedly discrediting” the Russian army in an article he wrote in 2022 which opposed the Ukraine war. However, the 70-year-old had rejected the case against him and called it politically motivated. The veteran human rights activist was initially just charged a fine of $1,628 by a district court in 2023 given his age and health, but a retrial was later ordered in the case. The prosecution, on Monday, sought a sentence of two years and 11 months in prison. The charges against the 70-year-old rights activist stem from the article he wrote in 2022, in which he criticised the invasion of Ukraine and reportedly said Russia under President Vladimir Putin had descended into fascism. Also Read | Nobel Peace Prize 2022 winners: Who are the human rights activists in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine? The prosecution had alleged that Orlov had published the article motivated by hostility “against traditional Russian spiritual, moral and patriotic values” and hatred of the Russian military, reported Russian news outlet Mediazona, on Tuesday. Orlov calls Russia ‘fascist’ in court The sentence comes a day after the veteran human rights activist in his closing arguments maintained that he had committed no crime and regretted nothing. He also went on to criticise the “totalitarian” and “fascist” Russian state. “All these are links in the same chain: the death, or rather, the massacre of Alexei (Navalny), the judicial reprisals against other critics of the regime, including me, the strangulation of freedom in the country, the entry of Russian troops into Ukraine,” the 70-year-old told the court. Also Read | Alexei Navalny was supposed to be ‘released’ in prisoner swap, his ally claims He added, “Isn’t it scary to watch what our country, which you probably also love, is turning into? Isn’t it scary that in this absurdity, in this dystopia, maybe not only you and your children will have to live, but also, God forbid, your grandchildren?” Orlov’s remarks were broadcast on Memorial’s Telegram channel. The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Russia, Mariana Katzarova called the trial “an orchestrated attempt to silence the voices of human rights defenders in Russia.” (With inputs from agencies)

Nobel-winning rights group co-chair, Oleg Orlov, sentenced to 30 months in prison

Nobel Peace Prize 2022 has been awarded to one individual and two organisations. The Norwegian Nobel Committee named human rights advocate Ales Bialiatski from Belarus, Russia's Memorial group and Ukraine's Center for Civil Liberties as the joint winners.

"They have made an outstanding effort to document war crimes, human right abuses and the abuse of power. Together they demonstrate the significance of civil society for peace and democracy", the head of the Norwegian Nobel committee, Berit Reiss-Andersen, told reporters.

The committee called for the release of the Belarusian human rights advocate who is currently held in Belarus for tax evasion since 2021.

"Our message is an urge to the authorities in Belarus to release Mr. Bialiatski and we do hope this will happen and that he can come to Oslo and receive the honour bestowed upon him," the head of the Norwegian Nobel committee, Berit Reiss-Andersen, told reporters.

The committee insisted that the prize&nbsp;was not directed at Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"This prize is not addressing President Putin ... except that his government ... is representing an authoritarian government that is suppressing human rights activists," Reiss-Andersen said.

Asserting that its founder Alfred Nobel was "turning in his grave," Belarus criticised the Nobel Committee on Friday for awarding its famous peace prize to activist Ales Bialiatski, who is currently incarcerated.

"In recent years, a number of fundamental decisions of the Nobel Committee are so politicised that, excuse me, Alfred Nobel is tormented and turning in his grave," foreign ministry spokesman Anatoly Glaz said on Twitter.

The prize comes with a gold medal, a diploma and a prize sum of 10 million Swedish kronor (about $900,000). The award will be presented at a formal ceremony in Oslo on December 10.

The Nobel season winds up Monday with the Nobel Economics Prize.

(With inputs from agencies)

Nobel Peace Prize 2022 has been awarded to one individual and two organisations. The Norwegian Nobel Committee named human rights advocate Ales Bialiatski from Belarus, Russia's Memorial group and Ukraine's Center for Civil Liberties as the joint winners.

Nobel Peace Prize 2022 has been awarded to one individual and two organisations. The Norwegian Nobel Committee named human rights advocate Ales Bialiatski from Belarus, Russia's Memorial group and Ukraine's Center for Civil Liberties as the joint winners. "They have made an outstanding effort to document war crimes, human right abuses and the abuse of power. Together they demonstrate the significance of civil society for peace and democracy", the head of the Norwegian Nobel committee, Berit Reiss-Andersen, told reporters. The committee called for the release of the Belarusian human rights advocate who is currently held in Belarus for tax evasion since 2021. "Our message is an urge to the authorities in Belarus to release Mr. Bialiatski and we do hope this will happen and that he can come to Oslo and receive the honour bestowed upon him," the head of the Norwegian Nobel committee, Berit Reiss-Andersen, told reporters. The committee insisted that the prize was not directed at Russian President Vladimir Putin. "This prize is not addressing President Putin ... except that his government ... is representing an authoritarian government that is suppressing human rights activists," Reiss-Andersen said. Asserting that its founder Alfred Nobel was "turning in his grave," Belarus criticised the Nobel Committee on Friday for awarding its famous peace prize to activist Ales Bialiatski, who is currently incarcerated. "In recent years, a number of fundamental decisions of the Nobel Committee are so politicised that, excuse me, Alfred Nobel is tormented and turning in his grave," foreign ministry spokesman Anatoly Glaz said on Twitter. The prize comes with a gold medal, a diploma and a prize sum of 10 million Swedish kronor (about $900,000). The award will be presented at a formal ceremony in Oslo on December 10. The Nobel season winds up Monday with the Nobel Economics Prize. (With inputs from agencies)

Nobel Peace Prize 2022 jointly awarded to human rights champions in Belarus, Ukraine and Russia

On Friday, Berit Reiss-Andersen, Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, announced the winners of the Nobel Peace Prize 2022, which was awarded to one individual and two organisations that “represent civil society in their home countries.” This honour was bestowed upon Ales Bialiatski from Belarus, the Russian human rights organisation Memorial and the Ukrainian human rights organisation Center for Civil Liberties.&nbsp;

“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, human rights abuses and the abuse of power. Together they demonstrate the significance of civil society for peace and democracy,” said the Norwegian Academy.&nbsp;

Belarusian human rights activist: Ales Bialiatski

Reiss-Andersen then went on to address the press about the jailed Belarusian human rights activist Ales Bialiatski. He was one of the initiators of the democracy movement that emerged in Belarus in the mid-1980s and devoted his life to promoting democracy and peaceful development in Belarus, she said.&nbsp;

In 1996, Bialiatski founded the organisation Viasna which means Spring, with time they had evolved into a broad-based human rights organisation. According to the academy, the group has “documented and protested against authorities’ use of torture against political prisoners”.&nbsp;

Notably, his win comes at a time when the country has been facing historic crackdowns, this led to Reiss-Andersen also calling for his release from prison so that he can visit Oslo for the award ceremony that will take place on December 10, later this year. 
 
She added, “Government authorities have repeatedly sought to silence Ales Bialiatski. Since 2020, he is detained without trial.”

However, despite these hardships, Bialiatski has not “yielded an inch in his fight for human rights and democracy” in the ex-Soviet nation, said the academy. This is also not the first time Ales Bialiatski has been arrested, he was once detained for three years between 2011 and 2014 and again in 2020.

Subsequently, in 2021 he was jailed yet again and was charged with tax evasion. According to several critics of the Belarusian government, these charges are a veiled tactic used by the government to silence dissent in the country. Bialiatski has also helped many jailed demonstrators and their families.&nbsp; 
 
The sweeping crackdown has been by the country’s longtime authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, after huge anti-government demonstrations, last year. This makes Bialiatski the fourth person to receive a Nobel peace prize while in jail or detention, including Liu Xiaobo of China (2010), Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar (1991) and Carl von Ossietzky of Germany (1935).&nbsp; 
 
ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nobel-peace-prize-2022-jointly-awarded-to-human-rights-advocate-ales-bialiatski-and-two-organisations-523277">Nobel Peace Prize 2022 jointly awarded to human rights champions in Belarus, Ukraine and Russia</a> 
 
Russian human rights group: Memorial &nbsp;

One of the two organisations that were given this honour was the Russian human rights group, Memorial. The organisation was founded in 1987 by activists in the former Soviet Union, “who wanted to ensure that the victims of the communist regime’s oppression would never be forgotten,” said Reiss-Andersen. She added that the organisation was based on the notion that, “confronting past crimes is essential in preventing new ones”.&nbsp;

The Russian human rights organisation was dissolved by the Kremlin last year in December, prior to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. According to reports, they allegedly broke a law which requires certain civil society groups to register as foreign agents. Notably, the founders of the organisation also included a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, a dissent, and physicist, Andrei Sakharov who died in 1989.&nbsp;

Since then the organisation has been at the forefront of “efforts to combat militarism and promote human rights and government based on rule of law,” said the academy. In the early 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union, an International Memorial was created in the former soviet countries, they reportedly documented political repressions and rehabilitated those repressed under communism. Subsequently, they built a database of victims of Joseph Stalin's (1937-38) Great Terror and Gulag camps.&nbsp;

The academy also cited the Chechen wars when the Memorial “gathered and verified information on abuses and war crimes perpetrated on the population by Russian and pro-Russian forces.” Reiss-Andersen also spoke about Natalia Estemirova, the head of Memorial’s branch in Chechnya, who was killed in 2009 because of this work.&nbsp;

However, they refused to be suppressed and went on to work, till last year’s shutdown reacting to the announcement, the group’s board member Anke Giesen said, “It encourages us in our resolve to support our Russian colleagues to continue their work at a new location, despite the forced dissolution of Memorial International in Moscow.”&nbsp;

‘Advancing human rights and democracy in Ukraine’: The Center for Civil Liberties&nbsp;

Founded in 2007, The Center for Civil Liberties in Ukraine was established for the “purpose of advancing human rights and democracy…It has taken a stand to strengthen Ukrainian civil society and pressure the authorities to make Ukraine a full-fledged democracy,” said the academy.&nbsp;

The centre’s role has been pivotal in holding those accountable for their crimes since the Russian invasion began earlier this year as they are working to “identify and document Russian war crimes against the Ukrainian population.” &nbsp; 
 
ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nobel-prize-winner-2022-for-literature-who-is-french-author-annie-ernaux-523044">Nobel Prize winner 2022 for Literature: Who is French author Annie Ernaux?</a>

What the head of the Nobel committee had to say about the announcement coinciding with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s birthday? 
 
Berit Reiss-Andersen, the head of the Nobel committee went on to say that this prize is “not addressing President Putin not for his birthday, or in any other sense.” Except that his government and the government in Belarus are “representing an authoritarian government that is suppressing human rights activists,” she added.&nbsp;This comes amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and the alleged human rights violations that Moscow has been accused of in relation to this conflict and otherwise.&nbsp;

“The attention that Mr Putin has drawn on himself that is relevant in this context is the way civil society and human rights advocates are being suppressed. And that is what we would like to address with this prize,” said the head of the Nobel committee. Reiss-Andersen also concluded by saying that they give prizes for “something and to somebody and not against anyone.”&nbsp;

Notable reactions&nbsp;

After the announcement, the official page of the Nobel Committee on Twitter posted what they described as the “emotional reaction” when the Center for Civil Liberties in Ukraine were informed about their win prior to the announcement:&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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Before the public announcement of the 2022 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NobelPeacePrize?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NobelPeacePrize</a> Olav Njølstad from the Norwegian Nobel Committee, informed the Center for Civil Liberties, that their organisation was one of the recipients of the peace prize. 
 
Listen to the emotional reaction upon hearing the news. <a href="https://t.co/A7U9bHWg2o">pic.twitter.com/A7U9bHWg2o</a>
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) <a href="https://twitter.com/NobelPrize/status/1578334175576350723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Former executive director of Human Rights Watch, Kenneth Roth, took to Twitter to say the following after the announcement of the winners:&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
On Putin's 70th birthday, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to a Russian human rights group that he shut down, a Ukrainian human rights group that is documenting his war crimes, and a Belarusian human rights activist whom his ally Lukashenko has imprisoned. <a href="https://t.co/5Yozif0Qis">https://t.co/5Yozif0Qis</a>
— Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) <a href="https://twitter.com/KenRoth/status/1578316670103322624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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(With inputs from agencies)

On Friday, Berit Reiss-Andersen, Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, announced the winners of the Nobel Peace Prize 2022, which was awarded to one individual and two organisations that “represent civil society in their home countries.

On Friday, Berit Reiss-Andersen, Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, announced the winners of the Nobel Peace Prize 2022, which was awarded to one individual and two organisations that “represent civil society in their home countries.” This honour was bestowed upon Ales Bialiatski from Belarus, the Russian human rights organisation Memorial and the Ukrainian human rights organisation Center for Civil Liberties. “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, human rights abuses and the abuse of power. Together they demonstrate the significance of civil society for peace and democracy,” said the Norwegian Academy. Belarusian human rights activist: Ales Bialiatski Reiss-Andersen then went on to address the press about the jailed Belarusian human rights activist Ales Bialiatski. He was one of the initiators of the democracy movement that emerged in Belarus in the mid-1980s and devoted his life to promoting democracy and peaceful development in Belarus, she said. In 1996, Bialiatski founded the organisation Viasna which means Spring, with time they had evolved into a broad-based human rights organisation. According to the academy, the group has “documented and protested against authorities’ use of torture against political prisoners”. Notably, his win comes at a time when the country has been facing historic crackdowns, this led to Reiss-Andersen also calling for his release from prison so that he can visit Oslo for the award ceremony that will take place on December 10, later this year. She added, “Government authorities have repeatedly sought to silence Ales Bialiatski. Since 2020, he is detained without trial.” However, despite these hardships, Bialiatski has not “yielded an inch in his fight for human rights and democracy” in the ex-Soviet nation, said the academy. This is also not the first time Ales Bialiatski has been arrested, he was once detained for three years between 2011 and 2014 and again in 2020. Subsequently, in 2021 he was jailed yet again and was charged with tax evasion. According to several critics of the Belarusian government, these charges are a veiled tactic used by the government to silence dissent in the country. Bialiatski has also helped many jailed demonstrators and their families. The sweeping crackdown has been by the country’s longtime authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, after huge anti-government demonstrations, last year. This makes Bialiatski the fourth person to receive a Nobel peace prize while in jail or detention, including Liu Xiaobo of China (2010), Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar (1991) and Carl von Ossietzky of Germany (1935). ALSO READ: Nobel Peace Prize 2022 jointly awarded to human rights champions in Belarus, Ukraine and Russia Russian human rights group: Memorial One of the two organisations that were given this honour was the Russian human rights group, Memorial. The organisation was founded in 1987 by activists in the former Soviet Union, “who wanted to ensure that the victims of the communist regime’s oppression would never be forgotten,” said Reiss-Andersen. She added that the organisation was based on the notion that, “confronting past crimes is essential in preventing new ones”. The Russian human rights organisation was dissolved by the Kremlin last year in December, prior to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. According to reports, they allegedly broke a law which requires certain civil society groups to register as foreign agents. Notably, the founders of the organisation also included a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, a dissent, and physicist, Andrei Sakharov who died in 1989. Since then the organisation has been at the forefront of “efforts to combat militarism and promote human rights and government based on rule of law,” said the academy. In the early 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union, an International Memorial was created in the former soviet countries, they reportedly documented political repressions and rehabilitated those repressed under communism. Subsequently, they built a database of victims of Joseph Stalin's (1937-38) Great Terror and Gulag camps. The academy also cited the Chechen wars when the Memorial “gathered and verified information on abuses and war crimes perpetrated on the population by Russian and pro-Russian forces.” Reiss-Andersen also spoke about Natalia Estemirova, the head of Memorial’s branch in Chechnya, who was killed in 2009 because of this work. However, they refused to be suppressed and went on to work, till last year’s shutdown reacting to the announcement, the group’s board member Anke Giesen said, “It encourages us in our resolve to support our Russian colleagues to continue their work at a new location, despite the forced dissolution of Memorial International in Moscow.” ‘Advancing human rights and democracy in Ukraine’: The Center for Civil Liberties Founded in 2007, The Center for Civil Liberties in Ukraine was established for the “purpose of advancing human rights and democracy…It has taken a stand to strengthen Ukrainian civil society and pressure the authorities to make Ukraine a full-fledged democracy,” said the academy. The centre’s role has been pivotal in holding those accountable for their crimes since the Russian invasion began earlier this year as they are working to “identify and document Russian war crimes against the Ukrainian population.” ALSO READ: Nobel Prize winner 2022 for Literature: Who is French author Annie Ernaux? What the head of the Nobel committee had to say about the announcement coinciding with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s birthday? Berit Reiss-Andersen, the head of the Nobel committee went on to say that this prize is “not addressing President Putin not for his birthday, or in any other sense.” Except that his government and the government in Belarus are “representing an authoritarian government that is suppressing human rights activists,” she added. This comes amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and the alleged human rights violations that Moscow has been accused of in relation to this conflict and otherwise. “The attention that Mr Putin has drawn on himself that is relevant in this context is the way civil society and human rights advocates are being suppressed. And that is what we would like to address with this prize,” said the head of the Nobel committee. Reiss-Andersen also concluded by saying that they give prizes for “something and to somebody and not against anyone.” Notable reactions After the announcement, the official page of the Nobel Committee on Twitter posted what they described as the “emotional reaction” when the Center for Civil Liberties in Ukraine were informed about their win prior to the announcement: Before the public announcement of the 2022 #NobelPeacePrize Olav Njølstad from the Norwegian Nobel Committee, informed the Center for Civil Liberties, that their organisation was one of the recipients of the peace prize. Listen to the emotional reaction upon hearing the news. pic.twitter.com/A7U9bHWg2o — The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 7, 2022 × Former executive director of Human Rights Watch, Kenneth Roth, took to Twitter to say the following after the announcement of the winners: On Putin's 70th birthday, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to a Russian human rights group that he shut down, a Ukrainian human rights group that is documenting his war crimes, and a Belarusian human rights activist whom his ally Lukashenko has imprisoned. https://t.co/5Yozif0Qis — Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) October 7, 2022 × (With inputs from agencies)

Nobel Peace Prize 2022 winners: Who are the human rights activists in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine?

Dhondup Wangchen, a Tibetan filmmaker and former political prisoner, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.

Rasmus Hansson, a Green Party spokesperson and a biologist, nominated Wangchen, saying he represents "the memory of the Tibetans' obvious demands for human rights."

Wangchen met the Norwegian environmentalist in January during his campaign, during which he encouraged authorities to boycott the Beijing 2022 Olympics, which begin on Friday, according to Phayul.com.

In 2008, Chinese authorities imprisoned the 47-year-old Tibetan activist in Tibet for six years on charges of "subversion" for his documentary "Leaving Fear Behind," which he co-directed with Golog Jigme.

The film included interviews with regular Tibetans who expressed their perspectives on China's Summer Olympics and the CCP government's suppression of Tibetans.

After his release in 2014, Wangchen escaped Tibet and was granted refuge in the United States, where he has lived with his family since.&nbsp;

The self-taught filmmaker received the International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in New York in 2012 for his brave portrayal of Tibetans suffering within Tibet.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Dhondup Wangchen, a Tibetan filmmaker and former political prisoner, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. Rasmus Hansson, a Green Party spokesperson and a biologist, nominated Wangchen, saying he represents "the memory of the Tibetans' obvious demands for human rights.

Dhondup Wangchen, a Tibetan filmmaker and former political prisoner, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. Rasmus Hansson, a Green Party spokesperson and a biologist, nominated Wangchen, saying he represents "the memory of the Tibetans' obvious demands for human rights." Wangchen met the Norwegian environmentalist in January during his campaign, during which he encouraged authorities to boycott the Beijing 2022 Olympics, which begin on Friday, according to Phayul.com. In 2008, Chinese authorities imprisoned the 47-year-old Tibetan activist in Tibet for six years on charges of "subversion" for his documentary "Leaving Fear Behind," which he co-directed with Golog Jigme. The film included interviews with regular Tibetans who expressed their perspectives on China's Summer Olympics and the CCP government's suppression of Tibetans. After his release in 2014, Wangchen escaped Tibet and was granted refuge in the United States, where he has lived with his family since. The self-taught filmmaker received the International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in New York in 2012 for his brave portrayal of Tibetans suffering within Tibet. (With inputs from agencies)

Tibetan filmmaker who took on Chinese repression nominated for Nobel Peace Prize 2022

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Nobel-winning rights group co-chair, Oleg Orlov, sentenced to 30 months in prison

Nobel Peace Prize 2022 jointly awarded to human rights champions in Belarus, Ukraine and Russia

Nobel Peace Prize 2022 winners: Who are the human rights activists in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine?

Tibetan filmmaker who took on Chinese repression nominated for Nobel Peace Prize 2022