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.

EU - Belarus (T)

9th parliamentary term

Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought 2020 (T)

Belarusian Democratic Opposition

Democratic Opposition in Belarus, Sakharov Prize 2020

EP Plenary session- Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought Award Ceremony 2020

Award of the Sakharov Prize 2020: Ceremony with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Veranika TSAPKALA, Siarhei DYLEUSKI, Ales BIALIATSKI, Stsiapan PUTSILA, Maria ADAMOVIC, Tatiana KHOMICH, Volha KAVALKOVA and, remotely, Svetlana ALEXIEVICH

Press conference by David SASSOLI, EP President, Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA and Veranika TSAPKALA, Belarusian Democratic Opposition and laureates of the Sakharov Prize 2020

Award of the Sakharov Prize 2020: opening statements by David SASSOLI, EP President, and Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Belarussian Democratic Opposition

David SASSOLI, EP President  meets with Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2020 laureates

Interview of Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2020 laureates

Statement by Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Belarusian Democratic Opposition leader, laureate of the Sakharov Prize 2020

Sakharov Prize 2020: statements by Veronika TSEPKALA, Stsiapan PUTSILA, Tatiana KHOMICH, Belarusian democratic opposition and co-laureates

EP plenary session -  Announcement of the Sakharov Prize 2020 by David SASSOLI, EP President

Announcement by David SASSOLI, EP President: the Democratic Opposition in Belarus, Sakharov Prize 2020

Infoclip: The democratic opposition in Belarus – Sakharov Prize Laureate 2020

European Youth Event (EYE 2021) - Workshops

Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought Strasbourg - Belarusia - Public online conference in cooperation with the City of Strasbourg

Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2020- Press conference

AFET/DEVE/DROI Joint Committee - Presentation Sakharov Nominees

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

European Parliament’s priorities and achievements (2019-2024): Support to democracy and human rights activities

Exchange of views with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, leader of democratic forces of Belarus and Sakharov Prize laureate 2020: extracts - EP AFET Committee in association with the Delegation for relations with Belarus

Formal sitting - Address by Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Belarusian opposition leader

Official visit by David SASSOLI, EP President to Lithuania: meeting with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Sakharov laureate 2020 and Belarus opposition leader

Ninth Ordinary Session of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly: Greeting addresses by the Observers to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with the representatives of the Belarusian Democratic Opposition, laureates of the Sakharov Prize 2020: roundtable

Sakharov Prize 2020 award: extracts from the ceremony

Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2020: Videomessage by Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, leader of Belarus opposition, ahead of the award ceremony

Tribute by David SASSOLI, EP President to Arnauld Joaquín Morazán Erazo, part of the Guapinol environemental group who has been assassinated last week

Meeting of the EP Conference of Presidents: arrivals and roundtable - decision on the Sakharov Prize 2020 winner

Sakharov Prize: European Parliament’s award for human rights defenders

Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2020 - Vote on a shortlist of 3 candidates: arrivals, roundtable and statements by David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), AFET Chair, by Tomas TOBÉ (EPP,SE), DEVE Chair and Maria ARENA (S&D,BE), DROI Chair

Infoclip: Sakharov Prize 2020 - Polish LGBTI activists

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