Brussels, 04/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - The eight Sakharov prize candidates for freedom of thought have need nominated by the political groups of the European Parliament. These include: Ingrid Betancourt - former Colombian presidential candidate and political prisoner (nominated by Martin Schulz of the PES); Dalai Lama - spiritual leader, defender of human rights in Tibet and leading proponent of intercultural dialogue (nominated by Cristiana Muscardini on behalf of the UEN Group and Alojz Peterlé and 40 others); European Roma Rights Centre - NGO defending the human rights of Roma people (nominated by the GUE/NGL Group); Hu Jia - imprisoned Chinese campaigner on democracy, environmental issues and HIV/AIDS (nominated by Graham Watson on behalf of the ALDE Group, Monica Frassoni and Daniel Cohn-Bendit on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group and 55 others); Alexandr Kozulin - Belarussian political prisoner, leader of a civic initiative for freedom in his country (nominated by Jacek Protasiewicz, Jan Marinus Wiersma and 44 others); Abbot Apollinaire Malu Malu - Chair of Independent Electoral Commission of Democratic Republic of Congo and leader of efforts to achieve a peaceful end to conflicts (nominated by Luisa Morgantini, Alain Hutchinson, Jürgen Schröder, Johan Van Hecke and 44 others); Mikhail Trepashkin - prominent dissident and human rights activist in Russia (nominated by Gerard Batten on behalf of the IND/DEM Group); Morgan Tsvangirai - leader of the MDC, democratic opposition in Zimbabwe (nominated by Luís Queiró and 96 others). The nominations will be presented to a joint meeting of the EP's foreign affairs committee, development committee and human rights subcommittee on the morning of Tuesday 9 September. On 22 September, the selection of a shortlist of three at the same committees will be decided. The Conference of Presidents will select the winner in mid-October and the prize will be awarded to the laureate at the Strasbourg plenary sitting of 17 December. A ceremony bringing together former prize winners to mark the 20th anniversary of the Sakharov Prize will take place on 16 October. (A.B./transl.rh)