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 announced in October, and the award ceremony takes place in December at the plenary sitting in Strasbourg.

The nominations for the 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought are:

The democratic opposition in Belarus, represented by the Coordination Council, initiative of brave women and political and civil society figures, nominated by EPP, S&amp;D, Renew Europe 
Mgr Najeeb Moussa Michaeel, Archbishop of Mosul, Iraq nominated by ID 
Guapinol activists and Berta Caceres in Honduras, nominated by Greens/EFA, GUE/NGL 
The democratic opposition in Belarus, represented by Sviatlana Tsikhanouska, nominated by ECR 
Polish LGBTI activists Jakub Gawron, Paulina Pajak, Paweł Preneta and Kamil Maczuga, founders of the website Atlas of Hate, nominated by Malin Björk, Terry Reintke, Marc Angel, Rasmus Andresen and 39 other MEPs.

The democratic opposition in Belarus has been awarded the 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

Democratic Opposition in Belarus, Sakharov Prize 2020

EP Plenary session - Joint debate - Ukraine : Humanitarian and environmental consequences of the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam / Sustainable reconstruction and integration of Ukraine into the Euro-Atlantic community

North-East Atlantic: deep-sea stocks and fishing in international waters (debate)

Multiannual recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean (debate)

Conservation of sea-bass - TEST VOTE Northeast Atlantic mackerel fishery

Northeast Atlantic mackerel fishery - Conservation of sea-bass (debate)ЍЍ

North-East Atlantic: deep-sea stocks and fishing in international waters - Status of the North-East Atlantic mackerel fishery (debate)

Unsustainable mackerel fishing in the North East Atlantic (debate)

Bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean (debate)

Multi-annual plan for western stock of Atlantic horse mackerel - TAC and quotas regulation for 2012 - Contribution of the common fisheries policy to the production of public goods (debate)

EU strategy for the Atlantic region (debate)

Long-term plan for the anchovy stock in the Bay of Biscay and the fisheries exploiting that stock - Multiannual plan for the western stock of Atlantic horse mackerel and the fisheries exploiting that stock - Prohibition of highgrading and restrictions on fishing for flounder and turbot in the Baltic Sea, the Belts and the Sound - Use of alien and locally absent species in aquaculture (debate)

Convention on Future Multilateral Cooperation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries - Scheme of control and enforcement applicable in the area covered by the Convention on future multilateral cooperation in the North-East Atlantic fisheries (debate)

Multi-annual recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean (debate)

EP Plenary session - Question Time (VPC/HR) - Strengthening the Trans-Atlantic ties in an ever challenging multilateral world

EP Plenary session - Short presentations of the following reports : A new approach to the Atlantic maritime strategy

SEDE commission meeting - Deterioration of the security situation in the East of Ukraine, in particular around Avdiivka. Exchange of views with Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration

Subcommittee on Security and Defence meeting. The security situation in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.  The US perspective - Exchange of views with Ambassador John E. Herbst, The Atlantic Council, Director of the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center, Washington

KOENDERS, Bert - Dutch Minister for Foreign Affairs; LANGEN, Werner (EPP, DE); MORAES, Claude (S&D, UK)

LEX signing  Insurance mediation (recast) Rap-Langen - ECON.   Repealing certain acts from the Schengen acquis and police cooperation and judicial cooperation in criminal matters (Schengen acquis)   Rap-Moraes - LIBE.   Protection against injurious pricing of vessels (codification) Rap-Mastalka - JURI.  Regulation(EU) No 1236/2010 - control and enforcement applicable in the area covered by the Convention on future multilateral cooperation in the North-East Atlantic fisheries Rap-Christensen - PECH

European President Gaetano MARTINO was interviewed by White House news correspondents following a conference with President Kennedy. President MARTINO was in the United States from October 21 to 26 1963 to discuss Atlantic affairs.

Michel CANIAUX , Jean Michel GUERRE , Isabelle THOMAS, Herald RUIJTERS

Conference ' Via Atlantica Community of Interests - For a sustainable development for Europe '

Nicolai WAMMEN, Amalia SARTORI, Angelika NIEBLER, Martin SCHULZ - EP President

Lex Signing including the regulation on roaming on public mobile communications networks within the Union and the regulation concerning a multiannual recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean

Meeting : Atlas of Headache Disorders and Resources 2011

AFET Hearing on A new Euro-Atlantic Security Architecture

Hearing on 'A new Euro-Atlantic Security Architecture' in the AFET Committeee - Fiorello PROVERA and Pieter FEITH shaking their hands before the committee.

Hearing 'A new Euro-Atlantic Security Architecture'

Olaf LINDNER, Carlo PRESENTI, Gilles DE KERCHOVE, Eric LIEVIN

Atlas project anti terrorist special units training exercise at the Belgian coast.

EP President meets with mayors of the French cities hit by pollution on the Atlantic coast following the Erika disaster

Washington, D.C. - European Parliament President Gaetano MARTINO was interviewed by White House news correspondents following a conference with President KENNEDY. President MARTINO was in the United States from October 21 to 26 to discuss Atlantic Affairs.

MEPs vote on the following topics: The torture and criminal prosecution of Ukrainian minors Tihran Ohannisian, Mykyta Khanhanov by the Russian Federation; The humanitarian situation in Sudan, in particular the death of children trapped by fighting; The deterioration of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, notably the case of Jimmy Lai; Composition of the European Parliament - Loránt VINCZE (EPP, RO) and Sandro GOZI (Renew, FR); Proposal for a recommendation by the PEGA committee; EU day for the victims of the global climate crisis; Ukraine's accession to Convention of 2 July 2019 on recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments in civil or commercial matters; Sustainable reconstruction and integration of Ukraine into the Euro-Atlantic community; Situation in Nicaragua; Lessons learnt from the Pandora Papers - Niels FUGLSANG (S&D, DK); Implementation and delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals - Udo BULLMANN (S&D, DE) and Petros KOKKALIS (The Left, EL)

Voting session: Proposal for a recommendation by the PEGA committee; Sustainable reconstruction and integration of Ukraine into the Euro-Atlantic community; Composition of the European Parliament

The joint debate will address various topics, focusing on the recent destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam. This dam was located in an area of southern Ukraine controlled by Russian forces and Kyiv and Moscow have been blaming each other for the destruction. Due to the dam collapse and subsequent massive flooding, thousands of people from nearby communities have been evacuated. High-level UN officials have warned of the grave and far-reaching humanitarian and ecological consequences. MEPs will also outline their view on how to sustainably reconstruct Ukraine and integrate it into the Euro-Atlantic community. Closing statements by Valdis DOMBROVSKIS, Executive VP of the EC and by Jessika ROSWALL, Swedish Minister for EU Affairs

Consequences of the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam / Reconstruction of Ukraine into the Euro-Atlantic community: closing statements by Valdis DOMBROVSKIS, Executive VP of the EC and by Jessika ROSWALL, Swedish Minister for EU Affairs

The joint debate will address various topics, focusing on the recent destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam. This dam was located in an area of southern Ukraine controlled by Russian forces and Kyiv and Moscow have been blaming each other for the destruction. Due to the dam collapse and subsequent massive flooding, thousands of people from nearby communities have been evacuated. High-level UN officials have warned of the grave and far-reaching humanitarian and ecological consequences. MEPs will also outline their view on how to sustainably reconstruct Ukraine and integrate it into the Euro-Atlantic community. Second part of the debate.

Humanitarian and environmental consequences of the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam / Sustainable reconstruction and integration of Ukraine into the Euro-Atlantic community: MEPs debate (part 2)

The joint debate will address various topics, focusing on the recent destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam. This dam was located in an area of southern Ukraine controlled by Russian forces and Kyiv and Moscow have been blaming each other for the destruction. Due to the dam collapse and subsequent massive flooding, thousands of people from nearby communities have been evacuated. High-level UN officials have warned of the grave and far-reaching humanitarian and ecological consequences. MEPs will also outline their view on how to sustainably reconstruct Ukraine and integrate it into the Euro-Atlantic community. First part of the debate.

Humanitarian and environmental consequences of the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam / Sustainable reconstruction and integration of Ukraine into the Euro-Atlantic community: MEPs debate (part 1)

The joint debate will address various topics, focusing on the recent destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam. This dam was located in an area of southern Ukraine controlled by Russian forces and Kyiv and Moscow have been blaming each other for the destruction. MEPs will also outline their view on how to sustainably reconstruct Ukraine and integrate it into the Euro-Atlantic community. Consequences of the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam / Reconstruction of Ukraine into the Euro-Atlantic community: Opening statements by Jessika ROSWALL, Swedish Minister for EU Affairs and by Valdis DOMBROVSKIS, Executive VP of the EC. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Consequences of the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam / Reconstruction of Ukraine into the Euro-Atlantic community: Opening statements by Jessika ROSWALL, Swedish Minister for EU Affairs and by Valdis DOMBROVSKIS, Executive VP of the EC

The nine members from the Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) and the Security and Defence Subcommittee (SEDE) of the European Parliament's Committee meet with Oleksii REZNIKOV, Ukrainian Minister of Defence and and Olha STEFANISHYNA, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine in Kyiv. MEPs gather information on the ground on the current security crisis and show their support to Ukraine.

EP Fact Finding Mission to Ukraine: Meeting with Oleksii REZNIKOV, Ukrainian Minister of Defence and Olha STEFANISHYNA, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine

During the remote plenary session (23-26/11/2020) of the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on the new LGBTIQ Equality Strategy with Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality. Illustration shots of anti-LGBTIQ slogans in public spaces and of Atlas of Hate, website tracking the growth of "LGBT-free zones" in Poland.

New LGBTIQ Equality Strategy: extracts from the debate and illustration shots

This Infoclip illustrates the Polish LGBTI activists. Statements by Paulina Pajak, Paweł Preneta and Kamil Maczuga, founders of the website Atlas of Hate. They have been nominated for the 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought by Malin Björk, Terry Reintke, Marc Angel, Rasmus Andresen and 39 other MEPs.

Infoclip: Sakharov Prize 2020 - Polish LGBTI activists

Meeting of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence with the Council and Commission and EEAS with Ivanna KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE, Ukrainian Vice-Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, in the EP in Brussels. Statements on the deterioration of the security situation in the East of Ukraine, in particular around Avdiivka by Ivanna KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE, Michael GAHLER (EPP, DE), Ioan Mircea PASCU (S&amp;D, RO), Rebecca HARMS (Greens/EFA, DE), Petras AUSTREVICIUS (ALDE, LT) and Ana GOMES (S&amp;D, PT).

Deterioration of the security situation in the East of Ukraine, in particular around Avdiivka: extracts from the exchange of views with Ivanna KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE, Ukrainian Vice-Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration

In long-running negotiations with Americans over security-related data transfers, MEPs demand equal treatment for EU citizens in case of legal dispute.

Cross-Atlantic wrangle over data exchange

What could be covered by the TTIP, the proposed free trade agreement between the EU and the US, and who's in charge of creating it ... behind closed doors?

A recipe for free trade across the Atlantic?

After the failure of the Doha trade round, the EU and the US plan a bilateral trade agreement. The rapporteur and another MEP give their views.

Interview: Free trade across the Atlantic?

The Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), jointly with the Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) organise a public hearing on the issue of the new Euro-Atlantic Security Architecture, inviting international experts to share their views with the MEP's, in the European Parliament in Brussels.

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