Global Front Against Dictatorships: “Tyrants cooperate with each other, now we will”

Faced with threats to global democracy, more than a hundred activists, protesters and leaders from 40 countries are building a freedom coalition in Lithuania this week.

• Activism Lithuania hosts Conference on Freedom of Dissidents from World Dictatorship
• Summit of the Americas Protesters and activists in Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua unequivocally support the exclusion of all three dictatorships.

Union is strength. Or, in the words of Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López, “Before the oppressor, our attitude, our spirit, cannot be the victim”. Opponents of the dictatorship conspired in Vilnius, the capital of the country Lithuania With a hopeful but above all fighting message.

During this year, activists from Hong Kong, VenezuelaCuba, IranRussia, Belarus and others have staged violent pro-democracy protests. But these dissidents and independence movements are often isolated and unable to universally articulate their challenge to authoritarian governments. The World Freedom Congress What is happening in Vilnius these days is focused on the struggle against dictatorships The biggest challenges facing democracy today. “The physical border between democracy and dictatorship could not be more appropriate in time and space,” Lithuania’s Deputy Minister Mantas Adomenas said in his welcome speech. He was heard by enthusiasts from Africa, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East and Europe. Some of them have traveled secretly.

Authoritarian regimes collaborate, commit crimes and attack neighboring states and their own societies. and undermines the rules-based international order. Vilnius has become a haven for people fighting for freedom.said the chess champion and Russian opponent in the opening speech Garry Kasparov, who decided to go into exile after several clashes with Russian police at demonstrations. He wore a lapel pin with a Russian flag on it. Red without lower bandThe rest of the white is blue and white: “This is a new flag, unfortunately without the blood of my comrades UkraineAnd hopefully one day they will see it as the official flag”.

“We live in an interesting moment, and it’s not just about us people from oppressive countries. Democracies are also affected by these threats Kasparov said. “Any nation whose freedom is in danger must be our common cause, for now we know each other, but we are divided, and when dictators work among themselves, when one falls, they will know. And the rest… I want us to do the same.” .

One of the main issues that the forum participants wanted answered How to help human rights activists, as well as independent media operating in autonomous countries. “Like Iran’s women and young students Lead their revolutionWe have to lead ourselves, we are here to support each other, Because we are good people, fighting to remove dictators“, Areng Masih Alinejad, a well-known Iranian activist, will spend three days discussing the struggle against the abuses of tyranny. The forum brings together activists for democracy from all over the world. “Hope dies with time. Why should we work here,” added Omar Alshogre, a Syrian activist and refugee in Sweden.

Better finance and give voice to prisoners

Working groups have been created at the meeting to improve the performance of adversaries around the world. Venezuela Leopold Lopez, who spent four years in prison, is one of the promoters of this ambitious site. A commission will examine how to improve the funding of opposition platforms. See other formulas Political prisoners should be given a voice. “Dictators cooperate among themselves, diplomatically, they have international agreements to hide the money of those who challenge them, there are agreements to destroy people’s reputations, they learn from each other,” López recalled. Similar to an attempt.

“We are working on an agenda to train millions of people to take to the streets,” he announced. “Half of the people in this room have been detained at some point. Political prisoners are often forgotten, and we want to stand up for them and their families, giving them the ability to communicate.” He mentioned that in his speech Magnitsky LawInitially recognized in the United States, it Persecuting foreigners accused of corruption and human rights abuses. Over time, it has become a legal instrument with universal reach. López is now asking global activists to weave their networks.