My speech at the Magnitsky Human Rights Awards

I am humbled by the Outstanding Contribution award, and feeling absolutely inadequate when I see the list of people who have been awarded the same.

Over the last five years, a word that was used quite often was deescalation. In the face of Russian attacks against Ukraine, thousands of stolen Ukrainian children, bombed civilians, thousands of people detained and held as political prisoners (and thats is happening in more places than before) – we are advised not to escalate against all that. We are asked to choose half measures, to choose silence. We are asked not to offend the dictators. Not to shed light on their deeds. Not to bring discomfort to them. Because that would require doing something about it. But I am immensely proud that this evening, people that have gathered here who are doing exactly that. This evening is about not being silent, it is about making dictators' crimes known, about making sure that they are annoyed, even angry, or better yet overthrown, This event is exactly the opposite of what was advised. It is escalating the fight for freedom, human rights, justice and democracy. I am as proud as I could ever be, being a small part of that escalation.