Thread by @katielaroque

📺 TUNE IN to @SFRCdems hearing on "U.S. Support of Democracy and Human Rights," featuring testimony from @leopoldolopez of @WLCongress, @Tsihanouskaya, and @DamonMacWilson of @NEDemocracy. #SummitForDemocracy
foreign.senate.gov/hearings/us-su…

@SFRCdems @leopoldolopez @WLCongress @Tsihanouskaya @DamonMacWilson @NEDemocracy "Democracies bring more wealth to people and bring more stability... Democracy is a practical engine of self-correction and improvement that empowers people to peacefully struggle to a better life," @SenatorMenendez.

@SFRCdems @leopoldolopez @WLCongress @Tsihanouskaya @DamonMacWilson @NEDemocracy @SenatorMenendez "What can the U.S. do better to support democracy and human rights around the world? ...Dictators keep inventing new ways to repress; we need to get creative," @SenatorRisch.

@SFRCdems @leopoldolopez @WLCongress @Tsihanouskaya @DamonMacWilson @NEDemocracy @SenatorMenendez @SenatorRisch Despite the 17-year democratic recession evidenced by #FreedomintheWorld data, "global polling shows that 80% of the world's populations want to be free," @leopoldolopez.

@SFRCdems @leopoldolopez @WLCongress @Tsihanouskaya @DamonMacWilson @NEDemocracy @SenatorMenendez @SenatorRisch Spot on: "The reason why Maduro remains in power in #Venezuela is because of the support he receives from U.S. adversaries... What @anneapplebaum has described as #AutocracyInc," @leopoldolopez.

@SFRCdems @leopoldolopez @WLCongress @Tsihanouskaya @DamonMacWilson @NEDemocracy @SenatorMenendez @SenatorRisch @anneapplebaum .@leopoldolopez's proposals include:
✅We need to increase the cost of transnational repression and holding political prisoners.
✅We need to stop giving legitimacy to autocrats.
✅The U.S. needs to lead from the front.

Powerful testimony from @Tsihanouskaya:
"Names of political prisoners became symbols of courage & dignity. @by_kalesnikava, Pavel Sevyaryne Ihar Losik, Mikalai Statkevich, even Nobel Peace Prize laureate #AlesBialiatski - just to name a few. But thousands more remain invisible."

‼️@Tsihanouskaya: "#Putin just announced that Russia is deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus by July 1 this year. Some call it occupation, some creeping annexation... Putin wants #Belarus as a concession prize in case he loses the war in #Ukraine."

"Our sovereignty is under threat [in #Belarus]. Please be vocal about Belarus; it gives our people courage and hope to keep fighting," @Tsihanouskaya.