Artists in Oppression / 13th annual International Conference in Honour of the Laureate of the 2025 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize
- Where: UMPRUM technology center, Mikulandská 134/5, Prague 1
- When: October 1, 2025, 13:15 – 19:30
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 force it to ask questions, frequently uncomfortable ones. Open and understanding societies can be enriched and strengthened by art. In many countries around the world, however, artists are exposed to threats and often face censorship, persecution or imprisonment when their work challenges political regimes, social norms or religious structures. Repression of this type shows how powerful a weapon art can be against oppression. And this need not only concern “known” totalitarian regimes. Seemingly inconspicuous restrictions on rights and freedoms in otherwise free societies also merit our attention. However, many voices and artistic expressions remain resolute, with artists following their own consciences and maintaining their integrity and courage, as demonstrated by the playwright and author Václav Havel.
Conference programme
Under the auspices of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Jan Lipavský.
11.30 – 13.00 Panel Young - for University and high schools students
– Aleksandra Skochilenko, a Russian artist, musician, poet, and former political prisoner, living in exile, moderated by Tomáš Brolík, deputy editor-in-chief in Respekt magazine (3rd floor, Cinema hall) – the panel will be tu held and live-streamed in English only without translation; in case of your interest please contact us via vzdelavani@vaclavhavel.cz
13.15 Registration
The program will be held in Czech and English (Panel II also in Spanish) with simultaneous translation.
Exhibition of Václav Havel Human Rights Prize Laureates
Writing letters to political prisoners – Gulag.cz/Memorial ČR
14.00 Excerpt from a work by Václav Havel (official start of the conference)
– a tribute to the once imprisoned artist Václav Havel: a fragment of a mime piece entitled Perpetuum mobile, performed by mime, actor and director Vojtěch Svoboda. Václav Havel wrote the mime libretto Perpetuum mobile, aneb 7 Dní Pana A (Perpetuum Mobile, or 7 Days of Mr. A) while in custody in spring 1989. Despite its silent, absurd grotesque stylisation, the piece reflects authentic aspects of prison life as well as following, in a heightened style, a cycle of hope and despair in the actions of an innocent prisoner
14.15 Welcome
Sasha Michailidis, conference moderator, journalist, Czech TV presenter
Tribute to past recipients of the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize (since 2013)
A short performance by Belarusian flautist Janina Hora dedicated to two artists and VH Human Rights Prize laureates: Maryia Kalesnikava, music teacher and flautist, leading figure of the opposition in Belarus, imprisoned since 2020; and Belarusian writer Ales Bialiatski, who has faced arrest on numerous occasions and has been imprisoned since 2021
14.25 Conference opening
Tomáš Sedláček, director of the Václav Havel Library
Jolana Voldánová, director of the Charta 77 Foundation
14.35 Opening speech
Jan Lipavský, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
14.45 Conference keynote:
Sasha Filipenko, Belarusian writer and journalist
15.00 Interview with the 2025 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize laureate
The laureate will be announced at a ceremony held at the beginning of the autumn session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on September 29, 2025.
Chair: Tomáš Sedláček
15.20 Panel I:
Discussion with 2025 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize finalists
Chair: Sasha Michailidis
15.50 Coffee break
16.10 Screening of the short film His Fault produced by the Václav Havel Library
One cell, six political prisoners. The theme of His Fault is their communication, or rather communication among people as such. Xiboj, a new arrival, had a cigarette in the morning. However, it is forbidden to smoke before breakfast and the King, who is boss of the cell, is trying to explain the rules to him. When Xiboj shows no signs of reacting to even the toughest threats, one of the inmates makes a guess: "Guys, come on, he's a Hungarian or something..." Director: Jan Prušinovský, script: Václav Havel, cast: Zdeněk Godla, Petr Uhlík, Milan Škop, Martin Peroutka, Ladislav Červeňák
The film was made for the Czech educational program Read Havel
16.15 Panel II:
Art against dictatorship
The search for ways to resist authoritarian control illustrates the enduring human desire for freedom and democracy. Artistic and cultural expressions can be powerful forms of subtle resistance. But it doesn't even have to be artistic expression that provokes a tyrannical regime—sometimes it's the everyday civic expression of artists who influence public opinion. What role do artists play in an authoritarian or totalitarian regime? Art as political protest? Can artists make a difference?
Aleksandra Skochilenko, Russian artist, musician, poet and former political prisoner, living in exile
Samantha Jirón, Nicaraguan journalist and visual artist, former political prisoner of Ortega's dictatorship, living in exile
Jamal Ali, Azerbaijani rapper, rocker, activist, and journalist former political prisoner, living in exile
Moderated by: Sasha Michailidis
17.35 Closing section
Alexandra Kusá, art historian and former director of the Slovak National Gallery
Jáchym Topol, writer, journalist and signatory of Charter 77, dramaturge of the Václav Havel Library’s club programme
Moderator Sasha Michailidis
17.50 Coffee Break
18.15 – 18.45
Program in the main ground-floor space:
musical performances by Aleksandra Skochilenko and Jamal Ali
18.15 Program in the cinema hall on the 3rd floor:
Screening of the Belarusian documentary film One Of Us (2025)
In Russian language with English subtitles
The film is about the entrepreneur, video blogger and prominent critic of Lukashenko's regime Sergey Tihanovski, who was sentenced to 18 years and subsequently to another 1.5 years. He spent more than two and a half years in isolation and was released from prison on 20 June this year after five years of unjust imprisonment.
The film will be introduced by Natallia Matskevich, one of its creators. In Belarus Matskevich, an attorney, has defended Sergey Tihanovski, Viktar Babaryka and other political prisoners. However, in the autumn of 2021, she was stripped of her legal license. Two years later, she and her family were forced to leave Belarus. The director of the documentary lives in Belarus and made the film under a pseudonym. The film was premiered on the channel Current Time. Doc on Sunday, January 12, 2025.
18.45 The screening will be followed by a discussion with Natallia Matskevich, including audience participation, moderated by Sasha Michailidis
* the discussion will be held in English without translation
19.30 Event concludes
Accompanying programme
20.00 Concert of Jamal Ali and his band Gimme The Juice in Cross Club Holešovice
Related articles
- Registration opens for international conference in honour of laureate of 2025 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize August 27, 2025
- Three candidates shortlisted for the 2025 Václav Havel Prize August 26, 2025
Related videos
- „The simple fact that I am alive and making music proves that freedom is possible,“ says Jamal Ali
- „Prison made me even stronger.“ # Interview with Aleksandra Skochilenko, russian artist and activist
- Discussion about the film One of Us / Conference of the 2025 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize
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