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13 DEC 2024
Oleg Orlov Officially Becomes an Honorary Citizen of Paris
13 DEC 2024
Today in France, a conferral ceremony took place to award the title of Honorary Citizen of Paris to Oleg Orlov. For over 20 years, the Council of Paris has awarded this title to public figures and activists who fight for democracy, human rights, and freedom. The decision to grant Oleg Orlov and Ilya Yashin the title of honorary citizens was made by the deputies of the Paris Administration back in July.
We publish Oleg Orlov’s speech, which he delivered in Paris:
“I learned that the Council of Paris had granted Ilya Yashin and me the title of honorary citizens of your city while I was still in prison. This news brought joy not only to me but also to other political prisoners held there. I received congratulations from people in other cells.
Not long before that, I heard that my friends and colleagues had organized a small exhibition here in this city dedicated to my court case, and a few of my drawings were on display. My drawings — presented in Paris! And then I unexpectedly became an honorary citizen! You cannot imagine how proud and happy I was. Apparently, it showed on my face so clearly that it surprised the prison officers during a routine cell search. They asked me why I was smiling. I told them about the exhibition and the Council of Paris’s decision. Then I saw surprise on their faces.
Paris is not just a city — it is a phenomenon of world culture, including Russian culture. Paris, the myth of Paris, dreams of Paris. Paris as a theme is deeply woven into Russian poetry, prose, art, and music.
Becoming an honorary citizen of such a city is a joy, a great honor, and a double responsibility. That even scares me a little. This title places me among the amazing people who have dedicated their lives to the fight for democracy, freedom, and human rights.
Then people — both those I know and those I don’t — started sending me poems about Paris written by Russian poets.
I’ll take the liberty of quoting a short poem by Mayakovsky:
In the car, the change from my last franc.
“When does the train leave for Marseilles?”
Seeing me off, Paris runs in all her impossible grace.
Come to my eyes, swill of separation, heart bursting with sentimental slop!
I’d like to live and die in Paris if there were not such a spot — as Moscow.
That’s the poem.
It resonates with how I feel today. I believe most people in this new wave of migration feel the same. Despite the beauty and freedom of Europe, there is a powerful longing to return home — to Russia.
And I hope we will return, to build a new, beautiful Russia of the future.
But that lies ahead.
Right now, my country is waging a horrifying, cruel, bloody, and aggressive war against Ukraine. And all of us — those who love Russia — must fight against this aggression and wish for the defeat of Putin’s regime in this war.
We must also constantly remember political prisoners, both in Russia and Belarus. Many Russian political prisoners have been deprived of their freedom because they protested against the war in Ukraine and stood up to this aggression.
We should advocate for their inclusion in the amnesty, which will likely be declared in Russia and Belarus next spring, on the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazism in World War II.
Let us do everything we can to save the Russian and Belarusian political prisoners whose lives and health are in danger—through all available prisoner exchange mechanisms. I know that recent exchanges have received mixed reactions in Europe, and I understand why. Still, I truly hope that we will be able to save those who might survive the torture chambers of Putin and Lukashenko.
I understand that political repression in these countries will only end when their regimes collapse. I hope to live to see that day.
For now, let’s support political prisoners using every possible means.
I see that the Council of Paris, in awarding this honorary title to Ilya Yashin and me, has expressed solidarity with all Russian political prisoners. I thank Paris for this solidarity. I thank Paris for its hospitality toward both Ukrainian refugees and Russian emigrants. For nearly 250 years, France has upheld a tradition of offering refuge and shelter to the victims of aggressive dictatorial regimes and to the fighters for global freedom. I hope France will never abandon this tradition.
I would like to express special thanks to Paris and to France for the help and support given to my colleagues from Memorial who were forced to leave Russia after the invasion of Ukraine began.
And last, but certainly not least: I cannot help but remember that 12 years ago, my friend — the Belarusian human rights defender and 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate — Ales Bialiatski became an honorary citizen of this beautiful city. Today, Ales is enduring atrocious conditions in prison. His health is deteriorating. If we cannot help free him, he may not survive his long-term imprisonment.”
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