Prague, Forum 2000 Conference
Members of the International Coalition for Democratic Renewal call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages kidnapped by Hamas during its brutal attack on innocent civilians in Israel on October 7, 2023. This statement was approved during the Coalition Plenary Session within the Forum 2000 Conference.
"In addition to massacring over 1,400 people, Hamas violently abducted over 200 individuals including infants and young children, the disabled, and the elderly, including Holocaust survivors, into Gaza. They are currently being held hostage without any outside communication. The majority of the hostages are civilians and include nationals of dozens of countries around the world, and people of all races and religions”, says the statement. The Coalition argues that “innocent individuals ought not be used as bargaining chips for any cause or purpose. All hostages - especially the infants, children, mothers and elderly taken from their homes - must be safely returned to their loved ones.”
The Coalition also demands that “countries and organizations supporting Hamas, including NATO Member Turkey and NATO ally Qatar, must be held accountable for their complicity in the committed atrocities.”
“Terror should have no place in the world, because it is always a crime, not just against a specific country or this terror’s victims, but against humanity in general and our entire world.”
International Coalition for Democratic Renewal (ICDR or Coalition) is a Forum 2000 Foundation’s project, which brings together a global group of intellectuals, activists, and politicians concerned with the expansion of power and influence of authoritarian regimes and the simultaneous weakening of democratic systems from within. The ICDR aims to reaffirm the fundamental principles of democracy, to take the offensive against the authoritarian opponents of democracy, and to demonstrate solidarity with the brave people who are fighting for freedom in undemocratic systems around the world.
