Navalny’s death shows the true nature of Putin’s regime
The death of Aleksei Navalny in a Russian prison has shocked the world. The Kremlin regime is responsible for this tragic event, which was immediately condemned by the democratic community worldwide, including Forum 2000. The case of one of Russia’s longest-serving and most respected human rights campaigners, Oleg Orlov, who has just been sentenced to two and a half years in jail for denouncing the war in Ukraine, shows how the Putin regime deals with its critics.
Controversial elections in El Salvador
On February 4, presidential elections were held in El Salvador, with Nayib Bukele being reelected by a large majority despite constitutional norms that prevent consecutive reelection in the Central American country. Asked about the electoral process and the future of El Salvador, Carlos Malamud, a member of Democratic Solidarity Latin America (DSLA), said: “It is a victory built on the forceful fight against gangs (maras) and the weakness of the opposition.” Another member of DSLA, Leandro Querido, thinks that “…this Central American state is heading towards a weakening of democratic rules with the validation of a majority.”
Article | How to revive interest in Ukraine
On February 24, we commemorated the second anniversary of Russia’s unprecedented aggression against Ukraine. For the past two years, the Forum 2000 Foundation and the Forum 2000 community have been engaged in systematic work to share information, provide support to the defenders of the country, and stand with the Ukrainian people and Ukrainian civil society in defense of the values of freedom, democracy, and human dignity that they represent. Martin Ehl, a longtime associate of Forum 2000 and chief analyst at Hospodářské noviny, recently returned from a trip to Ukraine and wrote an article for us on how to revive interest in Ukraine at a time when public support seems to be declining.
The third Summit for Democracy is scheduled to take place in March 2024 in Seoul, in the Republic of Korea. The theme will be “Democracy for Future Generations.” The three-day summit will feature a range of activities, including a Cohorts, Civil Society and Youth Engagement Day. What do ICDR members Donatienne Ruy and Niranjan Sahoo expect from this summit?
Save the Date | Democratic Solidarity in Latin America
Democratic Solidarity organizes a regional “Democratic Solidarity in Latin America” conference, which takes place in Montevideo (March 13-15). The main issues to be discussed in Montevideo will be the impact of organized crime on democracy, the weakening of democracy, and the role of authoritarian influence in the region. The meeting will also focus on the most important elections of 2023-2024, the role of political parties and civic participation, and the deterioration of civic space.
The Forum 2000 editor’s pick
A selection of essential articles, opinions, ideas, and news from the Forum 2000 community.
Congo can’t thrive without dismantling its kleptocracy | Damon Wilson | The Hill | “The international community needs to side with the Congolese people. Even as the United States works with the DRC and Rwandan leadership to achieve peace, it must be willing to act against those who subvert democracy and pillage the state.”
The Evil Empire collapsed. Putin’s regime will, too | Natan Sharansky and Carl Gershman | The Washington Post | “In so doing, Navalny and Kara-Murza, as well as hundreds of other dissenters, activists and protesters, have followed in the footsteps of Andrei Sakharov and other Soviet dissidents who showed that, with courage and moral clarity, it is possible to change the world.”
Countering Disinformation Effectively: An Evidence-Based Policy Guide | Jon Bateman and Dean Jackson | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace | A high-level, evidence-informed guide to some of the major proposals for how democratic governments, platforms, and others can counter disinformation.
New technologies, new totalitarians | Noah Smith | Noahpinion | Thanks to smartphones, social media, and globalization, liberalism faces a new and terrifying kind of opponent.
The views expressed in these works are the responsibility of their authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Forum 2000 Foundation or its staff.