It is a speech by Sevgil Musaieva, editor-in-chief of Ukrayinska Pravda, upon receiving an award from the Middle for European Coverage Evaluation within the class "Freedom Fighter." The award ceremony came about on October 8, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
"Do you might have a handkerchief?"
That's how German author Herta Müller started her Nobel lecture in 2009.
A easy, strange, nearly tender query that her mom used to ask her each morning.
But it surely was by no means actually in regards to the handkerchief.
It was about love — in regards to the sort of care that matches into one thing small, one thing you possibly can carry in your pocket — even when your mom is gone.
Müller mentioned she generally intentionally left her handkerchief at house, simply to listen to that query once more.
As a result of the true that means of a handkerchief is to not wipe away your tears — however to recollect: someplace, somebody is considering of you.
Somebody loves you.
***
I considered this story just lately — as I used to be standing in Saint Michael's Cathedral, in free Kyiv, holding my very own handkerchief in my palms.
Surrounded by candles and flowers, we have been saying goodbye to our colleague — the journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna.
Viktoriia's mission was easy and courageous: to inform the world the reality about individuals dwelling below Russian occupation.
In summer season 2023 she went to the occupied territories of Ukraine, and he or she by no means got here again.
A yr in the past, her father obtained probably the most horrible information:
Viktoriia has died in Russian captivity.
We started to analyze what had occurred to her. We traced her remaining journey — Enerhodar. Melitopol. Taganrog. Novorossiysk. Perm.
4 prisons.
Torture.
Electrical shocks.
Beatings.
Exhaustion.
When Viktoriia's physique was returned to Ukraine, it was so badly mutilated that it was unrecognizable.
After which we discovered one thing much more horrifying: the Russians had returned the physique with out a mind, with out eyes, with out a trachea — attempting to erase the traces of torture, to erase her.
However we didn't let that occur.
Along with dozens of journalists from totally different nations, we completed Viktoriia's investigation.
It was in regards to the "invisible" individuals — greater than 16,000 civilians illegally held in Russian prisons and torture chambers.
We documented tales of beatings, of rape, of electrical shock torture.
And generally, listening to these testimonies, I might understand I couldn't breathe. It was the toughest story of my life. But it surely needed to be instructed — in order that the reality wouldn’t die, in order that Viktoria's voice may dwell on.
***
Earlier than coming right here, I bumped into an previous college good friend — a lady from Mariupol.
She hasn't seen her mom for 4 years.
Russia gained't let her into the town. And her mom can't go away occupied Mariupol — she cares for her personal aged mom, and he or she's afraid she'd by no means be allowed again.
My good friend instructed me she hasn't heard from her husband — a soldier — for 3 months. He's lacking close to Pokrovsk. Perhaps there's nonetheless hope he's alive. However that feeling of uncertainty, of not understanding, is the toughest half.
And day-after-day, her two kids — who’re 9 and 13 — ask her:
"Mother, the place is Dad?"
She will be able to't reply. And I couldn't both. So I simply hugged her — and he or she cried on my shoulder.
***
We Ukrainians dwell on this state of uncertainty day-after-day. We don't know what tomorrow will carry.
We’re drained.
We’re wounded.
However we maintain on — as a result of we now have no different alternative.
And now, greater than ever, we’d like solidarity, we’d like compassion,we’d like humanity.
Your phrases, your consideration, your presence — they matter.
They assist us endure.
***
Pricey pals, this isn’t only a story about one journalist, or one lady from Mariupol.
It's a narrative about democracy — in our time.
As a result of one thing is deeply fallacious with democracy
if Russia can torture, kill, and imprison hundreds of individuals
— and the democratic world stays powerless.
Viktoriia believed that even one voice issues. She risked every part. And he or she paid the best value.
***
I, too, know what it means to lose your property.
I’m a Crimean Tatar.
My household was deported from their place of origin by Stalin in 1944.
I grew up in Crimea — however for eleven years now, I haven't been capable of return due to Putin's occupation.
Part of my life stays there — and other people I like stay past my attain. I can’t liberate Crimea alone. However I can do one thing day-after-day. I can communicate. I can write. I can bear witness.
***
For me, freedom of speech is just not a slogan. It's not a declaration. It's my day by day work. My handkerchief —an emblem of affection, resilience, and accountability. And I need to say this clearly:
Democracy is just not given as soon as and without end. It doesn't exist by itself. Democracy is day by day work. A day by day act of accountability, of affection, of help, of solidarity. A day by day reminder of what really issues — even when there are such a lot of causes to neglect.
As a result of democracy is just not born in a day, and it doesn’t die in a second. It lives so long as we’re prepared to hold it with us — like a easy image of affection, a easy image of care — like that handkerchief that’s at all times close to.
And on the identical time — as biggest obligation of our era.
Sevgil Musaieva
