Brussels, 17/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 16 September, the European Parliament presented seven nominees for the Sakharov Prize 2013 - Reeyot Alemu and Eskinder Nega; Ales Bialatski, Eduard Lobu and Mykola Statkevich - representing all Belorusian political prisoners; Mikhail Khodorkovsky; Edward Snowden; the Standing Man protesters in Turkey; the CNN freedom project - Ending Modern Day Slavery; and lastly, Malala Yousafzai. The foreign affairs committee, the development committee and the sub-committee on human rights will hold a private meeting on 30 September to designate the three finalists. The winner will be designated by the Parliament's conference of presidents on 20 October and will be awarded the prize on 20 November at a ceremony at the Parliament's plenary session. This is the 20th anniversary of the Sakharov Prize.
Nominees from whole world. The young 16-year old girl from Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai, has been fighting for the right to girls' education since she was 11 - which led to her being seriously injured by the Taliban last October. She has been jointly nominated by the EPP, S&D, ALDE and ECR Groups, and also by Jean Lamberts (Greens, UK). “The Parliament must defend the right to education as a fundamental right, and this is still far from being the case for many girls in the world”, said Graham Watson (ALDE, UK).
Another famous nominee, designated by the Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL Groups - Edward Snowden from the US, who published confidential information on the NSA's mass surveillance programmes - has now been accused of spying by the US. José Bové (Greens/EFA, France) and Marie Christine Vergiat (GUE, France) have called him an “early-warning launcher”.
Representing all Belarusian political prisoners, Ales Bialatski (the leader of the Viasna Human Rights Centre), Eduard Lobu (an activist from the international movement of Belarusian youth, Malady Front) and Mykola Statkevich (the former presidential candidate) have been nominated by Marek Migalski (ECR, Poland), Filip Kaczmarek (EPP, Poland), Jacek Protasiewicz (EPP, Poland) and 39 other MEPs. “We cannot accept the Belarusian dictatorship at our doors”, said Migalski.
Nominated by Ana Maria Gomes (S&D, Portugal) and 40 other MEPs, the Ethiopian journalists - Reeyot Alemu and Eskinder Nega - have been sentenced to prison for 5-18 years on charges of terrorism for having criticised the government. Gomes believes that awarding them the prize would give their cause in Ethiopia some visibility.
Russian political prisoner Mikhail Khodorkovsky was nominated by Werner Schulz (Greens/EFA, Germany) and 40 other MEPS. Awarding Khodorkovsky the prize would be a way of paying tribute to those who fight to preserve their dignity, said Schulz.
The Turkish Standing Men protesters, nominated by Marietje Schaake (ALDE, Netherlands) and 40 other MEPs, are a symbol of the peaceful movement for a liberal society respecting human rights, fundamental freedoms and minorities. The prize would be an “opportunity to send a message to the Turkish government”, in Schaake's view (our translation throughout).
The global media campaign against the slave trade, human trafficking and forced child labour - The CNN Freedom Project: Ending Modern Day Slavery - has published over 400 reports since 2011 and is nominated by Boris Zala (S&D, Slovakia) and 40 other MEPs. This enables the role of interactive media and social actors to be shown, said Zala. (CG/transl.fl)