European Parliament awards Sakharov Prize to imprisoned Russian opposition leader Navalny / Article

President David Sasoli said: “The European Parliament has chosen Alexei Navalny as this year’s Sakharov Prize winner. He has consistently and successfully campaigned against the corruption of Vladimir Putin’s regime and, through his social media accounts and political campaigns, has helped uncover abuses and attract millions of supporters across Russia. He was poisoned for this and later imprisoned. “

“By awarding the prize to Alexei Navalny, we acknowledge his tremendous personal courage and reiterate the European Parliament’s unwavering support for his immediate release,” Sasoli said.

MEPs have awarded Russian opposition politician and anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny the European Parliament’s 2021 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Press release → https://t.co/ogwHISfBr1 pic.twitter.com/3J4ued51kt

— European Parliament (@Europarl_EN) October 20, 2021

The Kremlin’s enemy no. 1

The European Parliament presents the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought every year. It was established in 1988 to honor individuals and organizations that defend human rights and fundamental freedoms. The prize is named in honor of Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, the value of the cash prize is 50,000 euros.

In 1975, Sakharov was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and the then head of the USSR KGB, Yuri Andropov, acknowledged that Sakharov was the “enemy No. 1” of the ruling regime. Today, Navalny can be considered the Kremlin’s main enemy.

Alexei Navalny is a Russian opposition politician, anti-corruption activist and the most important political opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He gained international prominence by holding demonstrations against President Putin and his government, running for president of Russia and advocating for anti-corruption reforms.

In August 2020, an attempt was made to poison Navalny, and he recovered for several months in Berlin. He was arrested on his return to Moscow in January 2021. He is currently serving a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence, of which more than two years remain. Navalny is imprisoned in a strict regime colony.

Navalny has shown great courage

In June 2021, a Russian court outlawed Alexei Navalny’s regional offices and his anti-corruption fund, classifying them as extremist groups undesirable to the Russian authorities.

EP Vice-President Heidi Hautala said: “This year’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has been awarded to someone who is fighting for change. Alexei Navalny has shown great courage in his efforts to restore freedom of choice to the Russian people.

For many years, he has fought for human rights and fundamental freedoms in his country. It cost him his freedom and almost his life. On behalf of the European Parliament, I call for his immediate and unconditional release. “

This is the second major award received by critics of the Russian regime in a short time. Nobel Peace Prize awarded this year Dmitry Muratov, editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Novaya Gazeta”, who acknowledged that in fact this award is due to journalists of “Novaya Gazeta” killed in the fight for freedom of speech, especially Anna Politkovskaya, who was shot 15 years ago.

The Sakharov Prize ceremony will take place on 15 December in Strasbourg, but prisoner Navalni will hardly be able to attend; probably the prize will go to Navalny’s wife Julia.

The EP also supports Afghan women

The European Parliament last year awarded the Sakharov Prize to the democratic opposition in Belarusrepresented by the Steering Board, an initiative of brave women and political and civil society activists.

This year with Navalny for the Sakharov Prize Afghan women also applied, who fights for equality and human rights in his country, and former Bolivian interim president Jeanne Anjez, who is imprisoned and accused of plotting a coup against Bolivian President Evo Morales.

“Today, Parliament also pays tribute to a group of Afghan women who have fought fiercely for equality and human rights in their country and were among the finalists for the Sakharov Prize. Afghanistan, “stressed EP Vice – President Hautala.

CONTEXT:

Kremlin opposition Navalny detained January at Moscow airport a moment after he had returned from Germany, where he was treated after poisoning by “Novičok”. A Russian court ruled that the suspended prison sentence imposed on Navalny in 2014 should be replaced by a real custodial sentence. His planned to be imprisoned until 2023. in the middle of the year. Navalny and his supporters believe the accusations are politically motivated.

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