Sakharov Prize 2009: MEPs decide on shortlist of three - Main contents

The three finalists for this year's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, which the European Parliament awards each year to democracy and human rights campaigners, are Palestinian gynaecologist Izzeldin Abuelaish, Eritrean writer and political prisoner Dawit Isaak and Lyudmila Alexeyeva, Oleg Orlov and Sergei Kovalev on behalf of MEMORIAL and all other human rights defenders in Russia.

Parliament's Foreign Affairs and Development Committees chose the three-person shortlist on Tuesday from a list of ten nominations.  The winner will be selected by Parliament's political group leaders on 22 October. This year's award coincides with the 20th commemoration of Andrei Sakharov's death.

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, named after Soviet scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov, was established in December 1988 by the European Parliament as a means to honour individuals or organizations who dedicate their lives to the defence of human rights and freedoms, particularly the right to free expression.

This year's three finalist are (in alphabetical order):

Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish - Palestinian gynaecologist, resident of Jabalia, the biggest refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. Despite losing his three daughters in an attack in January 2009, Doctor Izzeldin Abuelaish "continues to fight for peace between the Israeli and Palestinian people and tirelessly strives to build bridges between the two war-torn and weary communities", according to the nomination paper.  

Dawit Isaak - This Swedish journalist, writer and playwright of Eritrean origin has been a political prisoner in Eritrea since 2001. In a parliamentary resolution, the European Parliament expressed its "deep concern at the continuing imprisonment of Dawit Isaak, held in jail since his arrest in September 2001, without having been tried by a court of law" and demanded his immediate release.

Lyudmila Alexeyeva, Oleg Orlov and Sergei Kovalev on behalf of MEMORIAL and all other human rights defenders in Russia - The Memorial organisation, whose first leader was Andrei Sakharov, seeks to promote fundamental rights in post-Soviet states. The nomination argues that "Memorial promotes the truth about the political repression of the Soviet Union and fights against current human rights abuses in post-Soviet states to ensure their democratic future."

Next steps

22 October 2009:        

Choice of winner by the Conference of Presidents (EP political group leaders)

14 December 2009:     

Joint meeting of Foreign Affairs and Development Committees and Human Rights Subcomitteee with the winner

16 December 2009:

Official award ceremony at plenary sitting in Strasbourg

Past winners of the Sakharov Prize

1988 - Nelson Mandela, Anatoli Marchenko (awarded posthumously)

1989 - Alexander Dubcek

1990 - Aung San Suu Kyi

1991 - Adem Demaçi

1992 - Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo

1993 - Oslobodjenje

1994 - Talisma Nasreen

1995 - Leyla Zana

1996 - Wei Jingsheng

1997 - Salima Ghezali

1998 - Ibrahim Rugova

1999 - Xanana Gusmão

2000 - ¡Basta Ya!

2001 - Izzat Ghazzawi, Nurit Peled-Elhanan, Dom Zacarias Kamwenho

2002 - Oswaldo José Payá Sardiñas

2003 - Kofi Annan (UN)

2004 - Zhanna Litvina (Belarusian Association of Journalists)

2005 - Ladies in White, Hauwa Ibrahim, Reporters without Frontiers

2006 - Alexander Milinkevich

2007 - Salih Mahmoud Osman

2008 - Hu Jia