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.

Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar are the 2016 laureates of Parliament's Sakharov Prize.

On 5 October 2018 the Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2018 to Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad.

Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar, Sakharov Prize laureates 2016

European Youth Event 2018 - #EYE2018 - Talk SAFE AND DANGEROUS: staying alive in turbulent times 'Sakharov prize: Voices of humanity'

Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought 2016 [13686]

Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought 2016: Nadia Murad Basee Taha and Lamiya Aji Bashar,

FEMM - Interparliamentary Committee Meeting - Women's economic empowerment : let's act together

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

N. KHAIRALLAH; MURAD BASEE, Nadia; AJI BASHAR, Lamiya

Meeting of the EP delegation for relations with Iraq

Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2016 - TV Interview

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

DIAZ DE MERA GARCIA CONSUEGRA, Agustin (EPP, ES); AJI BASHAR, Lamiya; MURAD BASEE, Nadia

Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2016 - UN ‚ÄúTogether‚Äù campaign aiming to change negative perceptions and attitudes towards refugees and migrants

SCHULZ, Martin (S&D, DE); MURAD BASEE, Nadia [13697]; AJI BASHAR, Lamiya [13698]

Press conference on the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2016

MURAD BASEE, Nadia; AJI BASHAR, Lamiya; SCHULZ, Martin (S&D, DE)

Martin SCHULZ - EP President meets with Nadia MURAD BASEE and Lamiya AJI BASHAR, winners of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2016

MURAD BASEE, Nadia [13697];AJI BASHAR, Lamiya [13698]

Sakharov prize for Freedom of Thought 2016 - Seminar for journalists.

Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2016 -   Stavros LAMBRIDINIS - EU special Representative for Human Rights meets with the 2016 Laureates

Interview of Nadia MURAD and Lamiya AJI BASHAR, 2016 laureates of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought

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

Lamiya Aji Bashar, an 18-year-old Yazidi girl who escaped her Islamic State group enslavers, talks to The Associated Press in northern Iraq in this May 5, 2016, photo. During more than a year of being passed from one militant to another, Bashar attempted to flee many times. On her fifth attempt, in March, she finally reached fighters in a Kurdish-controlled region, a safe haven for Yazidis, but only after a mine exploded, killing two girls fleeing with her and leaving Bashar's face scarred and blinding her in one eye. (AP Photo/Balint Szlanko)

This clip shows the Laureates of the Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought since 1988 to 2017.

Clip: Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought (1988 - 2017)

This clip shows the Laureates of the Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought since 1988 to 2019.

Clip: Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought (1988 - 2019)

This clip shows the Laureates of the Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought since 1988 to 2018.

Clip: Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought (1988 - 2018)

Antonio TAJANI, EP President met with Lamiya Aji BASHAR , Yazidi human rights activists, Sakharov Prize laureate 2016 and Hauwa IBRAHIM, Nigerian human rights lawyer, Sakharov Prize laureate 2005

Antonio TAJANI, EP President meets with Lamiya Aji BASHAR , Yazidi human rights activists, Sakharov Prize laureate 2016 and Lamiya Aji BASHAR, Sakharov Prize laureate 2016 and by Hauwa IBRAHIM, Nigerian human rights lawyer

This memoclip presents all the Sakharov Prize laureates from 1988 to 2016

Memoclip: Sakharov Prize laureates - 1988-2016

Clip presenting Nadia MURAD and Lamiya AJI BASHAR, 2016 laureates of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought

Clip: Nadia MURAD and Lamiya AJI BASHAR, 2016 laureates of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought

Visit of Nadia MURAD and Lamiya AJI BASHAR, 2016 laureates of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2016, to the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Arrival, welcome by Martin SCHULZ, EP President, and roundtable.

Sakharov Prize 2016: Martin SCHULZ, EP President meets with Nadia MURAD and Lamiya AJI BASHAR, laureates of Sakharov Prize 2016, arrival and roundtable

Award of the Sakharov Prize 2016 during the plenary session of December in Strasbourg to Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar, members of the Yazidi / Yezidi Community. Opening statement by Martin SCHULZ, EP President. Statements by Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar and award of the prize.

Sakharov Prize 2016: extracts from the ceremony of award to Nadia MURAD and Lamiya AJI BASHAR

Nadia MURAD and Lamiya AJI BASHAR, survivors of sexual enslavement by Islamic State (IS), receive the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in the hemicycle in Strasbourg. The laureates are commended by the European Parliament for acting as spokespersons for women whose lives have been blighted by sexual violence, and act as advocates for Iraq’s Yazidi community.

Address by Nadia MURAD and Lamiya AJI BASHAR, 2016 Sakharov Prize laureates, during the award ceremony

Statement by Lamiya AJI BASHAR, advocate for the Yazidi community and for women surviving sexual enslavement by Islamic State, 2016 Sakharov Prize winner (interview recorded on 13/10/2016 on the occasion of her participation to the public hearing organised jointly by the Committee on Legal Affairs and the Committee on Women's Rights European Parliament, Brussels).

Statement by Lamiya AJI BASHAR, 2016 Sakharov Prize winner (interview recorded on 13/10/2016, Brussels)

Announcement by Martin SCHULZ, EP President of the names of Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar, advocate for the Yazidi community and for women surviving sexual enslavement by Islamic State, as Winners of the 2016 Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought, during the EP plenary session (24-27/10) in Strasbourg.

Announcement by Martin SCHULZ, EP President of the names of Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar, as Winners of the 2016 Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought

Announcement of the three finalists for the Sakharov Prize 2016, at the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) and Committee on Development (DEVE) in cooperation with the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI), in the EP in Brussels. Annoucement by Elmar BROK (EPP, DE), Chair of the AFET Committee: Can D&uuml;ndarn and the defenders of freedom of thought and expression in Turkey, Mustafa Dzhemilev and Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar.

Sakharov Prize 2016: announcement of the three finalists at the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Committee on Development in cooperation with the Subcommittee on Human Rights

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).

13 results