28/08/2018 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 28 August, the selection panel of the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize drew up a shortlist of three for the 2018 Prize. The list includes the young Cuban democracy and human rights activist, Rosa Maria Payá, who launched a citizens’ initiative called Cuba Decides; Nabeel Rajab, the democracy and human rights defender in Bahrain, as well as co-founder and President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights; and Oyub Titiev, human rights defender and head of the Grozny office of the Memorial Human Rights Center in Chechyna. The winner will be announced at the opening of the autumn plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg on 8 October 2018. The prize winner will take over from the Turkish activist for judicial independence, Murat Arslan. In addition to a trophy and certificate, the winner will also win €60,000. (CG)