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

European Youth Event (EYE 2021) - Workshops

Inauguration of the Sakharov ' Walk of Freedom '

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Lorent SALEH, 2017 Sakharov Prize winner

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Laurent SALEH, 2017 Sakharov Prize winner

Sakharov Prize 2017 - Meeting with MEP Dita CHARANZOVA

Sakharov Prize 2017 - Interview of Antonio LEDEZMA - laureate

2017 Sakharov Prize Award -  Press conference

2017 Sakharov Prize Award - Ceremony

Sakharov Prize 2017 award ceremony

Antonio TAJANI - EP President meets with the laureates of the Sakharov Prize 2017

Sakharov Prize 2017 - Antonio TAJANI - EP President meets with the Laureates

Seminar for journalists - Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought

Interview of Auro Lolita CHAVEZ IXCAQUIC, finalist of Sakharov prize 2017 in Strasbourg

Former Sakharov Prize laureates join the #UseYourVote campaign ahead of the European Parliament elections on 6-9 June. Svetlana TICHANOVSKAJA, Oleksandra MATVIICHUK, Lorent SALEH, Louise XIN and Leonid VOLKOV have a message for European citizens.

European elections 2024: Sakharov Prize laureates send a message to European citizens

From 11-17 October 2021, The European Parliament welcomes 14 Sakharov Fellows. Since 2016, the European Parliament runs an annual programme for human rights defenders, known as the Sakharov Fellowship Programme. This programme brings together a selected group of human rights activists from around the world in order to discuss new ways to collaborate and network on human rights causes. On that occasion, Lorent Saleh, the Sakharov Prize Laureate from 2017, visits (with seceral activists) the newly-renovated exhibition space dedicated to the Sakharov prize in the Parlamentarium in Brussels. Extracts from the visit and statements of Lorent Saleh and two Shakarov fellows Jorge Ruiz Reyes, researcher at the Human Rights Center of Universidad Iberoamericana, in Mexico, and Abdelsamee Abouelhamd, activist and artist using theatre and performance to raise awareness about civil and economic rights in Egypt.

Sakharov Fellowship for human rights defenders: Lorent Saleh, Sakharov Prize Laureate from 2017 visits the newly-renovated exhibition space dedicated to the Sakharov prize in the Parlamentarium

Lorent SALEH, Sakharov Prize 2017, staged the performance "White torture" at the garage of the European Parliament in Brussels. Trapped in a cage, he showed artistically the suffering of his imprisonment and re-created the atmosphere of a torture centre, thanks to lighting effects, special sounds and several volunteers playing the part of policemen or prisoners.

"White torture underground poetry" performance by Lorent Saleh, Sakharov Prize 2017: extracts

David SASSOLI, EP President, meets Lorent SALEH, Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2017, representative of the democratic opposition of Venezuela. Lorent SALEH was a political prisoner.

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Lorent SALEH, 2017 Sakharov Laureate: arrival and roundtable

David SASSOLI, EP President and Lorent SALEH Sakharov Prize laureate 2017, participates in the ceremony of Sakharov Walk of Freedom, in Brussels. Extracts from the inauguration ceremony.

Sakharov Walk of Freedom: extracts from the inauguration ceremony by David SASSOLI, EP President and Lorent SALEH, Sakharov Prize laureate 2017

Statement during the plenary session in Strasbourg on the case of Asia BIBI, Pakistani Christian woman condemned to death for blasphemy by Antonio TAJANI, EP President

Plenary session - Statement by Antonio TAJANI, EP President on the case of Asia BIBI, Pakistani Christian woman condemned to death for blasphemy and on the Venezuelan opposition

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)

During the EP plenary session (11-15 December 2017) in Strasbourg, Antonio TAJANI, EP President, Julio BORGES, President of the Venezuelan National Assembly and Antonio LEDEZMA, Mayor of Caracas, 2017 Sakharov Prize laureates, express themselves in front of the press. Mayor of Caracas

(01) Press conference by Antonio TAJANI, EP President, Julio BORGES and Antonio LEDEZMA, 2017 Sakharov Prize laureates: Q&A (13:29 - 13:41)

(02) Press conference by Antonio TAJANI, EP President, Julio BORGES and Antonio LEDEZMA, 2017 Sakharov Prize laureates : Q&A (13:41 - 13:56)

This clip illustrates the situation of the Venezuelans in their daily life during the political crisis. People are standing in a queue, awaiting the food package, they demonstrated in the streets against the current government. Response on the part of the Venezuelan forces of law. The Democratic Opposition in Venezuela is awarded with the 2017 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

Clip: Venezuela's Democratic Opposition, 2017 laureate of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought

This infoclip illustrates the situation in Venezuela, Caracas, and the crossing between Colombia and Venezuela in Cucuta. November 2017.  © The Associated Press. The material is offered for the purpose of providing information and/or education on the European Union until 12/12/2022. The assignment to a third part is not allowed.

Infoclip: Situation in Venezuela

Live Replay of the Award of the Sakharov Prize 2017 Ceremony during the plenary session in Strasbourg (11-14/12/2017)

(01) EP Plenary session. Award of the Sakharov Prize 2017: opening speech by Antonio TAJANI, EP President (12:08 - 12:13)

(02) EP Plenary session. Award of the Sakharov Prize 2017: opening speech by Antonio TAJANI, EP President (12:14 - 12:21)

(04) EP Plenary session. Award of the Sakharov Prize 2017: speech Antonio LEDEZMA, Mayor of Caracas (12:40 - 12:51)

(03) EP Plenary session. Award of the Sakharov Prize 2017: speech by Julio BORGES, President of the Venezuelan National Assembly (12:21 - 12:40)

During the EP plenary session (11-15 December 2017) in Strasbourg, Antonio TAJANI, EP President meets with the 2017 Sakharov Prize laureates. Signature of the Golden Book by Julio BORGES, 8th president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Antonio LEDEZMA, Mayor of Caracas, Leopoldo López Gil and Antonieta Mendoza, parents of Leopoldo López, Victoria Capriles de Ledezma, wife of Antonio Ledezma, Mayor of Caracas, Yamile Saleh mother of Lorent Saleh, Patricia Gutierrez, wife of Daniel Ceballos, mayor of Cristobal, Alejandra Gonzalez, sister of Andrea González, and Yamile Saleh, mother of Lorent Saleh giving presents from political prisoners to Antonio TAJANI, EP President.

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