The Sakharov Prize has been awarded since 1988 “to honour exceptional individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms."
Among this year’s nominations, which were announced on Monday, several went to the Ukrainian people in recognition of their brave resistance to the Russian invasion, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
The Christian Democratic European People’s Party (EPP) put forward “the brave Ukrainian people represented by President Volodymir Zelensky.”
Meanwhile, the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) nominated President Zelensky.
The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and the liberal Renew Europe jointly put forward “the people of Ukraine.”
Other political groupings and groups of MEPs nominated an environmental and indigenous activist from Brazil; a Palestinian-American journalist for the Al Jazeera news channel who was shot dead this year on the West Bank of the Jordan River; and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, among others.
'Brave Ukrainian people represented by President Volodymyr Zelensky'
At Monday’s presentation of the 2022 Sakharov Prize nominees, Polish MEP Jacek Saryusz-Wolski said on behalf of the ECR, who put forward Ukraine's head of state: “The award needs a face and this is the true face of the Ukrainian resistance against Russia’s unjust aggression: a president who is an inspiration for everyone, who fights for justice, freedom and sovereignty of Ukraine.”
The EPP’s nomination for “the brave Ukrainian people represented by President Volodymyr Zelensky” said: “Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, launched in February 2022, is inflicting enormous costs on the Ukrainian people in terms of lives lost and towns and villages reduced to ruins.”
It added: “The Ukrainian people are fighting to protect their homes, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, but every day they are also fighting for freedom, democracy, the rule of law and European values on the battlefields.”
Meanwhile, S&D and Renew Europe highlighted “the role of individuals, representatives of civil society initiatives and state and public institutions” of Ukraine in standing up to the Russian invasion.
Timeline for 2022 Sakharov Prize
On October 13, the European Parliament’s foreign affairs and development committees are set to announce the three finalists of this year’s Sakharov Prize.
On October 20, EP President Roberta Metsola and the political group leaders will decide on the winner.
Finally, the 2022 Sakharov Prize will be presented at a ceremony in Strasbourg, France, on December 14.
The award is named in honour of the Soviet physicist and political dissident, Andrei Sakharov, and the prize money is EUR 50,000, officials told reporters.
Tuesday is day 216 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, europarl.europa.eu, euractiv.com