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 usually announced in October, and the award ceremony takes place in November/December at plenary sitting in Strasbourg.

Sakharov Prize 2017

Sakharov Community event

Jounalists group interview with Leonid VOLKOV, Chief of Staff of the 2021 Sakharov Prize laureate Alexei Navalny

30 years of Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought - Family picture with Sakharov Prize winners and EP President.

30 years of Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought- 30 years of Sakharov Prize - laureates’ views on priorities for human rights action - closing debate

30 years of Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Family picture with Sakharov Prize winners.

30 years of Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought- Sakharov Prize Network deliveries: the Sakharov Prize fellowship for human rights defenders and the EP -  Sakharov traineeship - debate with fellows and trainees

30 years of Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought- Exhibition “They Defend our Freedoms” - 30 years of Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought

30 years of Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought - Third panel

30 years of Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought
- Joint extraordinary meeting DROI/AFET/DEVE

30 years of Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought - Group photo

Antonio TAJANI - EP President meets with Sakharov Prize laureate 2016 and Sakharov Prize laureate 2005

AJI BASHAR, Lamiya; MURAD BASEE, Nadia ; Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2016 - Meeting with HR/VP Federica MOGHERINI

Sakharov Prize 2016 laureate Lamiya Aji Bashar meets with Ana GOMES MEP in Lisbon

Sakharov Prize Network - Group photo

HAIDAR, Ensaf - wife and reprnsentative of BADAWI, Raif;

Sakharov Prize Network Mid-term Conference.   Closing session

PREDA, Cristian Dan (EPP, RO) [1303]; BERGER, Guy

Sakharov Prize Network Mid-term Conference.   Debate on defending HR in digital era

Sakharov Prize Network Mid-term Conference.   Debate on sectarianism or religious diversity.

This infoclip illustres pleople lighting candles to mark the 70th anniversary of deportation of Crimean Tatars, an interview of Mustafa Dzhemilev, the meeting between Mustafa Dzhemilev and Štefan Füle (15/09/2011), European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, and the meeting with Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the EC (09/11/2015). From 00:00:05 to 00:01:13 ©The Associated Press. The material is offered for the purpose of providing information and/or education on the European Union until 29/09/2021. The assignment to a third part is not allowed. For any other uses contact AP – www.aparchives.com

Infoclip: Sakharov Prize 2016 finalist - Mustafa Dzhemilev, former chair of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatars People

This infoclip illustrates shots of Cumhuriyet newspaper's Istanbul office, Can DÜNDAR outside courthouse prior and after being sentenced, various of demo supporting Dundar and Gul following the issuance of warrants for their arrest in front of Cumhuriyet newspaper's Istanbul office, meeting between Can DÜNDAR and Martin SCHULZ at the EP in Brussels From 00:05:00 to 00:01:13 ©The Associated Press. The material is offered for the purpose of providing information and/or education on the European Union until 29/09/2021. The assignment to a third part is not allowed. For any other uses contact AP – www.aparchives.com

Infoclip: Sakharov Prize 2016 finalist - Can Dündar, former editor-in-chief of Turkish daily Cumhuriyet

During the EP Plenary session (03-06/10) in Strasbourg, MEPs present the candidates&nbsp;to the&nbsp;Sakharov Prize 2016. Statements by Marie-Christine VERGIAT (GUE/NGL, FR), Ska KELLER (Greens/EFA, DE), Fabio Massimo CASTALDO (EFDD, IT), Jacek SARYUSZ-WOLSKI (EPP, PL), Tunne KELAM (EPP, EE), Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK), Josef WEIDENHOLZER (S&amp;D, AU), Beatriz BECERRA BASTERRECHEA (ALDE, ES), Ilhan KYUCHYUK (ALDE, BG).

Sakharov Prize 2016: Presentation of candidates

This infoclip illustrates Urumqi People's Intermediate Court, Ilham Tohti working with is laptop at home, interview of Ilham Tohti, Uighur scholar. ©The Associated Press. The material is offered for the purpose of providing information and/or education on the European Union until 29/09/2021. The assignment to a third part is not allowed. For any other uses contact AP – www.aparchives.com

Infoclip: Sakharov Prize 2019 - Ilham Tohti, advocate of China's Uyghur minority

Sakharov Prize Network Conference in the EP in Brussels. Statements by Ulrike LUNACEK (Greens/EFA, AT) and Stavros LAMBRINIDIS, EU Special Representative for Human Rights.

Sakharov Prize Network Conference: extracts from the conference in the presence of Sakharov Prize Laureates

Sakharov Prize Network Conference in the EP in Brussels. Family photo, address by Martin SCHULZ, EP President and Ensaf HAIDAR, wife and representative of Raif Badawi and Cutaways from the meeting with Ensaf Haidar, wife of Raif Badawi, Sakharov Prize Laureate 2015 (Saudi Arabia), Denis Mukwege, Sakharov Prize Laureate 2014 (DRC), Ali Ferzat, Sakharov Prize Laureate 2011 (Syria) Vitaliy Ponomarev, representative of Memorial, Sakharov Prize Laureate 2009 (Russia), Salih Mahmoud Mohamed Osman, Sakharov Prize Laureate 2007 (Sudan), Sophie Busson, representative of Reporters Without Borders, Sakharov Prize Laureate 2005, Zhanna Litvina, Representative of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, Sakharov Prize Laureate 2004 (Belarus), Taslima Nasreen, Sakharov Prize Laureate 1994 (Bangladesh) and Vildana Selimbegović, Representative of Oslobodjenje, Sakharov Prize Laureate 1993 (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Sakharov Prize Network Conference: family photo, address by Martin SCHULZ, EP President and Ensaf HAIDAR, wife and representative of Raif Badawi and ambiance shots

Debate on the Sakharov Prize Network - origins, achievements and the way forward: extracts from the debate with Hans-Gert PÖTTERING (EPP, DE) and Jerzy Karol BUZEK (EPP, PL), former EP Presidents

The Sakharov Prize Network - origins, achievements and the way forward: extracts from the debate with Hans-Gert PÖTTERING (EPP, DE) and Jerzy Karol BUZEK (EPP, PL), former EP Presidents

Martin SCHULZ, EP President meets with former Sakharov Prize Laureates on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the creation of the prize: arrivals and roundtable

Recording of the Sakharov Prize 2005 Award ceremony (2013) for the Ladies in White (Damas de Blanco) - Cuba. In 2013 the Damas were finally able to accept in person the Sakharov Prize they had been awarded in 2005. President Berta SOLER and movement representatives Belkis Cantillo RAMIREZ and Laura Maria Labrada POLLAN, daughter of the Damas co-founder Laura Pollán who died in 2011, were allowed to exit Cuba.

Sakharov Prize 2005: Award ceremony (2013) Ladies in White (Damas de Blanco) - Cuba

Recording of the Sakharov Prize 2009 Award ceremony Memorial (Russia). Oleg Orlov, Sergei Kovalev and Lyudmila Alexeyeva were awarded the Sakharov Prize in 2009 on behalf of Memorial and all other human rights defenders in Russia.

Sakharov Prize 2009: Award ceremony Memorial - Russia

&lt;p>Ceremony of 20th anniversary of the Sakharov Prize. Sakharov Prize 2008 Award ceremony for Hu Jia (in absentia) - China. Zeng Jinyan, his then wife and co-nominee for the prize in 2007, addressed the award ceremony, which Hu Jia could not attend, via a video recording.&lt;/p>

Sakharov Prize 2008: Award ceremony Hu Jia (in absentia) - China

Recording of Sakharov Prize 2007: Award ceremony Salih Mahmoud Mohamed Osman - Sudan

Sakharov Prize 2007: Award ceremony Salih Mahmoud Mohamed OSMAN - Sudan

Recording of the Sakharov Prize 2006 Award ceremony for Aliaksandr Milinkevich - Belarus

Sakharov Prize 2006: Award ceremony Aliaksandr Milinkevich - Belarus

Part one of the Recording for the Sakharov Prize 2005 Award ceremony for Reporters Without Borders - headquaters in France, Hauwa IBRAHIM - Nigeria, Ladies in White - Cuba

(1/2) Sakharov Prize 2005: Award ceremony Reporters Without Borders - headquaters in France, Hauwa IBRAHIM - Nigeria, Ladies in White - Cuba

Part two of the Recording for the Sakharov Prize 2005 Award ceremony for Reporters Without Borders - headquaters in France, Hauwa IBRAHIM - Nigeria, Ladies in White - Cuba

(2/2) Sakharov Prize 2005: Award ceremony Reporters Without Borders - headquaters in France, Hauwa IBRAHIM - Nigeria, Ladies in White - Cuba

Recording of the Sakharov Prize 2004 Award ceremony The Belarusian Association of Journalists - Belarus. Zhanna LITVINA, President of Belarus Association of Journalists, received the prize

Sakharov Prize 2004: Award ceremony The Belarusian Association of Journalists - Belarus

Recording of the Sakharov Prize 2003 Award ceremony to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and all the staff of the UN - headquarters in New York, USA

Sakharov Prize 2003: Award ceremony United Nations Secretary-General Kofi ANNAN and all the staff of the UN - headquarters in New York, USA

Recording of the Sakharov Prize 2001 Award ceremony for Oswaldo José Payá Sardiñas - Cuba

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