„Violence dehumanizes us.“ # Interview with Maksym Butkevych, laureate of the Václav Havel Prize
Maksym Butkevych is a Ukrainian journalist, political activist, and this year’s laureate of the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize. He has a rich history of involvement in human rights activism and humanitarian work, particularly in the context of Ukrainian independence. In 2022, he enlisted in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and was captured by Russian forces. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison, but was released during a prisoner exchange in October 2024.
For Havel Channel, Butkevych talks with Ian Willoughby about the experience of his captivity, how Russia uses the trials of Ukrainian soldiers as propaganda material, and his personal process of overcoming fear.
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Serie: Artists in Oppression / 2025
13th annual International Conference in Honour of the Laureate of the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize
“The only lost cause is one we give up on before we enter the struggle.”
Václav Havel (Summer Meditations, 1991)
Date: Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Venue: Technology Center of the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, Mikulandská 5, Prague 1
Under the auspices of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Jan Lipavský
Freedom of artistic creation is one of the fundamental human rights, at least according to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms, which lists it alongside other human rights. Artistic freedom is a specific type of freedom of expression, and it is no coincidence that artists, along with journalists and commentators, tend to head lists of persecuted individuals. Through their work, artists stir up society and f
„Prison made me even stronger.“ # Interview with Aleksandra Skochilenko, russian artist and activist
