The Forum 2000 Foundation Reacts to Yesterday's Statements by Petr Nečas, Boris Nemtsov Confirms Participation in October Conference

"A consistent policy of support for democracy and respect for human rights has been a distinctive and admirable constant of Czech foreign policy in the post-Velvet Revolution period. From our own history, we know that support from abroad for dissidents and human rights activists, including groups like Pussy Riot, is of key importance, and, by contrast, how giving in to various authoritarians, albeit often very justified rationally, does not pay. It would be a pity if the government of the democratic and free Czech Republic now decided to change this principled position," said the Executive Director of the Forum 2000 Foundation, Jakub Klepal, in connection with statements made by the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Petr Nečas.

 

In connection with Petr Nečas' speech at the International Transport Fair in Brno, in which he discussed among things so-called "Dalai Lama-ism" and the One-China Policy, the Forum 2000 Foundation would also like to draw attention to the standpoint of the Shared Concern Initiative, which was issued in June 2012. Statement "The Fire in the Monastery" signed by H.R.H. El Hassan bin Talal, André Glucksmann, Vartan Gregorian, Michael Novak, Karel Schwarzenberg, Desmond Tutu and Richard von Weizsäcker you can find here.

The former Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and one of Vladimir Putin’s fiercest critics, Boris Nemtsov, has confirmed his participation at this year’s Forum 2000 Conference. Although Boris Nemtsov was arrested for a short period along with several other opposition leaders during demonstrations in May, he continues to be a harsh critic of Putin’s regime. Recently, he even wrote a short book in which he describes how the Kremlin boss lives in far greater luxury than many of his Western colleagues. Boris Nemtsov was also personally present when judgment was delivered in the Pussy Riot case. In his view, the members of this group have become “political prisoners” because of the two-year jail sentence they were given by the court.

 

On the second working day of the conference, the journalist and prisoners’ rights activist Olga Romanova and the Russian liberal economist and former presidential candidate Grigory Yavlinsky will look at the issue of free speech in contemporary Russia while taking part in a panel debate on the subject.

 

 

Besides Russia and Belarus, conference participants will also look at the relationship between democracy and the media in Hungary, Venezuela, African countries, China, and Cuba. The well known Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez would also be delighted to make a trip to the conference from her homeland.    

 

The 16^th annual Forum 2000 Conference will be held in Prague from October 21 to October 23. In accordance with the wishes of the late President Václav Havel, this year's conference will focus on the relationship between democracy and the media. It will also address Václav Havel’s legacy in terms of democracy and human rights and the ways in which this can be built upon and taken further. To date, more than 90 important global figures have confirmed that they will be attending the conference. In recent days, the former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has added his name to the list of participants. You can find a list of all the confirmed delegates here as well as a preliminary conference program here.

 

It is possible to watch the main part of the conference on a live feed at www.forum2000.cz. You can follow a continuous flow of information about the conference during preparations for the event and also while it is taking place on both Facebook and Twitter (#Forum2000). Upon registration, admission to the conference is free and open to the public. It is possible to register for the conference up to October 11 at: registration(at)forum2000.cz