Topchubek Turgunaliev Acceptance Speech

Dear Friends,

I am thankful to the International League for Human Rights for such a high opinion of my work defending human rights and freedoms and striving for democracy in Kyrgyzstan.

I feel really honored accepting this award. Yet tens of thousands of my fellow citizens share in it with me. Each one of these thousands deserves the same award.

I am also grateful to the League and other international human rights organizations, as well as to all democratic nations for helping us defend human rights in my country, Kyrgyzstan. These are people of good will, or willing to do good to others irrespective of their skin color or slant of their eyes, their geographic location or religious affiliation.

God gave human race preeminence on Earth. And yet we can't say that this preeminence is respected in all parts of our planet. The rights and freedoms of billions of people are violated. They are violated in my country as well. Repression and terror against all voices of dissent are an integral part of the state policy.

If humankind is to have a bright future, it must unite in defense of the basic values such human rights and liberties. It will secure a bright future only when people are able to sympathize with their neighbor, wherever he or she might be, in Kyrgyzstan, Sierra-Leone, or China.

Once again, I would like to thank you and wish you the best of luck in your noble pursuites.

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