The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, named in honour of the Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, is awarded each year by the European Parliament. It was set up in 1988 to honour individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Each nominee must have the support of at least 40 MEPs, and each individual Member may support only one nominee. Signed nominations accompanied by supporting evidence are then assessed in a joint meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) and the Committee on Development (DEVE). A shortlist of three candidates is drawn up through a vote by AFET and DEVE committees, and then submitted to the Conference of Presidents for a final vote. The winner is announced in October, and the award ceremony takes place in December at the plenary sitting in Strasbourg.

The nominations for the 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought are:

The democratic opposition in Belarus, represented by the Coordination Council, initiative of brave women and political and civil society figures, nominated by EPP, S&amp;D, Renew Europe 
Mgr Najeeb Moussa Michaeel, Archbishop of Mosul, Iraq nominated by ID 
Guapinol activists and Berta Caceres in Honduras, nominated by Greens/EFA, GUE/NGL 
The democratic opposition in Belarus, represented by Sviatlana Tsikhanouska, nominated by ECR 
Polish LGBTI activists Jakub Gawron, Paulina Pajak, Paweł Preneta and Kamil Maczuga, founders of the website Atlas of Hate, nominated by Malin Björk, Terry Reintke, Marc Angel, Rasmus Andresen and 39 other MEPs.

The democratic opposition in Belarus has been awarded the 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

Democratic Opposition in Belarus, Sakharov Prize 2020

Since October 2020, the EU has&nbsp;progressively imposed restrictive measures&nbsp;against Belarus in response to the fraudulent nature&nbsp; presidential elections in&nbsp;2020, and the&nbsp;intimidation and violent repression&nbsp;of peaceful protesters, opposition members and journalists.&nbsp;

The democratic opposition, including the opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, was awarded the&nbsp;2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

The Belarusian regime has became an ally&nbsp;with Russia’s illegal war on Ukraine. This includes the so-called referendum reinstating the country’s nuclear status, but also that Belarus has allowed Russian troops and weapons to move through its territory, use its airspace, refuel and store military ammunition.

Therefore, the EU has extended the sanctios package against Russia to Belarus. The EP has recently called that "all EU sanctions issued against Russia must be strictly mirrored for Belarus and implemented appropriately".

EU - Belarus

In the framework of the award ceremony of the 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Maria ADAMOVIC, Tatiana KHOMICH, Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Siarhei DYLEUSKI, Veranika TSAPKALA, Volha KAVALKOVA, Ales BIALIATSKI, and Stsiapan PUTSILA, representatives of the Belarusian democratic opposition, laureates of the Sakharov Prize 2020, in the European Parliament in Brussels.

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with the representatives of the Belarusian Democratic Opposition, laureates of the Sakharov Prize 2020: roundtable

During the plenary session (14-17/12) of the European Parliament in Brussels, the Belarusian Democratic Opposition, represented by several laureates including opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, is awarded the 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Extracts from the statements by David SASSOLI, EP President, and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, and from the ceremony award.

Sakharov Prize 2020 award: extracts from the ceremony

David SASSOLI, EP President, Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA and Veranika TSAPKALA, Belarusian Democratic Opposition and laureates of the Sakharov Prize 2020, speak to the press in the European Parliament in Brussels. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery.

Press conference by David SASSOLI, EP President, Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA and Veranika TSAPKALA, Belarusian Democratic Opposition and laureates of the Sakharov Prize 2020

Award ceremony of the 2020 Sakharov Prize during the plenary session (14-18/12) of the European Parliament, mainly in Brussels. The democratic opposition in Belarus is awarded in a ceremony in the European Parliament, in Brussels. David SASSOLI, EP President, makes the opening statement followed by the statement by Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Belarussian Democratic Opposition. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check Against delivery.

Award of the Sakharov Prize 2020: opening statements by David SASSOLI, EP President, and Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Belarussian Democratic Opposition

Award ceremony of the 2020 Sakharov Prize during the plenary session (14-18/12) of the European Parliament, mainly in Brussels. The democratic opposition in Belarus is awarded in a ceremony in the European Parliament, in Brussels. Award Ceremony with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Veranika TSAPKALA, Siarhei DYLEUSKI, Ales BIALIATSKI, Stsiapan PUTSILA, Maria ADAMOVIC, wife of Mikola STATKEVICH, Tatiana KHOMICH - sister of Maryia KALESNIKAVA, Volha KAVALKOVA and remotely Svetlana ALEXIEVICH

Award of the Sakharov Prize 2020: Ceremony with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Veranika TSAPKALA, Siarhei DYLEUSKI, Ales BIALIATSKI, Stsiapan PUTSILA, Maria ADAMOVIC, Tatiana KHOMICH, Volha KAVALKOVA and, remotely, Svetlana ALEXIEVICH

Statements by Veronika TSAPKALA, Stsiapan PUTSILA, Tatiana KHOMICH, Belarusian democratic opposition and co-laureates of the Sakharov Prize 2020, in the European Parliament in Brussels. The democratic opposition in Belarus, represented by several laureates including opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, will be awarded the 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

Sakharov Prize 2020: statements by Veronika TSEPKALA, Stsiapan PUTSILA, Tatiana KHOMICH, Belarusian democratic opposition and co-laureates

Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Belarusian democratic opposition and co-laureate of Sakharov Prize 2020 makes a statement in the European Parliament in Brussels on the meaning of the Sakharov Prize for Belorussian people and her fight for new elections. The democratic opposition in Belarus, represented by several laureates,receives the 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

Belarusian Democratic Opposition

Videos