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Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom, Justice, Human Rights, and the Future of Europe: A Conversation with Maksym Butkevych
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We cordially invite you to an in-depth conversation with Maksym Butkevych, one of Ukraine’s most prominent human rights defenders, on justice, human rights, and the future of Ukraine and Europe.
Maksym Butkevych will share his experience of spending more than two years in Russian captivity, where he was subjected to a fabricated trial and unjust imprisonment. He will also provide insight into statements made by his Russian captors, who asserted that Russia’s aggression would not stop with Ukraine but extend to other European countries. This discussion will also address the situation of illegally detained civilians and Ukrainian prisoners of war, highlighting why their fate is not only a Ukrainian concern but a broader international issue. Furthermore, we will explore the current state of human rights in Ukraine. We will also discuss the book „Am richtigen Platz: Ein ukrainischer Friedensaktivist im Krieg“ (2024, Anthea Verlag), which contains texts by Maksym Butkevych. The book will be available for purchase at the event.
The discussion will be moderated by Oleksandra Bienert (Head of the Board, Alliance of Ukrainian Organizations) and will be held in English.
Welcome speech: Prof Christoph Markschies, Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
Academic input: Prof Dr Oksana Mikheieva „Russian aggression against Ukraine: Threats to human rights and democracy”
Organizers: Center for Liberal Modernity and Alliance of Ukrainian Organizations (Germany) in Cooperation with KIU Competence Network Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies Frankfurt (Oder) – Berlin and Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities.
We look forward to your participation in this important discussion.
About Maksym Butkevych
Maksym Butkevych has been a leading human rights advocate in Ukraine for over a decade, fighting against discrimination and for the rights of refugees and migrants. End of February 2022, he voluntarily joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces. On June 24, 2022, he was captured by the Russian army in the Luhansk region and later sentenced to 13 years in prison based on fabricated charges. After significant international pressure and advocacy, Maksym was finally released on October 18, 2024, as part of a prisoner exchange involving 95 Ukrainian defenders.
Since his release, Maksym has resumed his human rights work, focusing on protecting the rights of illegally detained civilians and prisoners of war, countering Russian propaganda and hate speech, and reforming Ukraine’s migration policies. He is a member of the Expert Council of the Center for Civil Liberties and serves on the executive council of PEN Ukraine.
Photo: Emile Ducke
