On the Occasion of the 2023 World Liberty Congress Assembly, Félix Maradiaga and Jianli Yang write on why it is Important to support political prisoners and their families.
By: Félix Maradiagaand & Jianli Yang – Nov 4, 2023
Countless human rights activists living under autocratic regimes are fighting for freedom and democracy at enormous personal risk, facing arrest, imprisonment, torture, and the constant fear of being forever separated from their loved ones. Shortly after his third arrest in 2008, Chinese dissident and 2010 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo said in a statement: “I have long been aware that when an independent intellectual stands up to an autocratic state, step one toward freedom is often a step into prison. Now I am taking that step; and true freedom is that much nearer.”
Both authors of this article have taken this step in their respective homelands of China and Nicaragua, and both owe their freedom to international advocacy. We are therefore qualified to testify to the importance of supporting political prisoners and their families.
First, it is a moral imperative. Political prisoners are individuals who bravely and selflessly sacrifice their freedom for their deeply held belief in humanity, for speaking out against tyrannical power, and for advocating social and political change for the betterment of their compatriots. According to the U.S. State Department, there are currently… [Continue Reading]
Source: https://eupoliticalreport.com/why-we-must-support-political-prisoners/