Brussels, 19/09/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 19 September, the European Parliament announced the names of seven candidates for the 2014 Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought.
The Iraqi Muslim who defended Christians, Mahmoud Al-Asali (post mortem), and the patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, Louis Raphael Sako, were nominated by the ECR Group, Anna Zaborska (EPP) and 66 other MEPs. CHREDO, Open Doors, Oeuvre d'Orient and Aid to the Church in Need were nominated by Philippe Juvin and 60 other MEPs. Jacek Saryusz-Wolski and 52 other MEPs nominated EuroMaidan, represented by Mustafa Nayem, Ruslana Lyzhychko, Yelyzaveta Schepetylnykova and Tetiana Tchornovol. The Congolese doctor and human rights activist, Denis Mukwege, was nominated by the S&D and ALDE Groups and Barbara Lochbihler (Greens). The Greens/EFA Group and ALDE MEPs Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, Marietje Schaake and Ramon Tremosa nominated Azerbaijani activist Leyla Yunus. Lastly, the GUE/NGL Group nominated rappers Mouad Belghouat (Morocco) and Ala Yaacoubi (Tunisia) and activist Alaa Abdel Fattah (Egypt). The EFDD Group nominated Somali female politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali.
The nominees will be presented officially on 23 September. Three finalists will be shortlisted on 7 October by the European Parliament's foreign affairs and development committees and by its sub-committee on human rights. The laureate will be decided by political group leaders and the Parliament's president on 16 October. The award ceremony takes place in Strasbourg on 26 November. (CG)