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.&nbsp; The Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny was&nbsp;the laureate of the 2021 Sakharov Prize. It was announced during the October II plenary and the award ceremony was held&nbsp;on 15 December in Strasbourg.

Alexei Navalny was&nbsp;a Russian opposition politician, anti-corruption activist and major political opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Alexei Navalny’s daughter, Daria Navalnaya, received European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize on behalf of her imprisoned father.

“In awarding the Sakharov Prize to Alexei Navalny, we recognise his immense personal bravery and reiterate the European Parliament’s unwavering support for his immediate release”,&nbsp; president of the EP David Sassoli&nbsp;said.

Afghan women&nbsp;and Bolivia’s former interim president Jeanine Áñez were also shortlisted in 2021.&nbsp;

The&nbsp; Sakharov prize 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).

&nbsp; 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 always announced in October, and the award ceremony takes place in December at plenary sitting in Strasbourg. In 2020, the prize went to the&nbsp;Belarussian opposition&nbsp;for defending democracy in the country.

Sakharov Prize 2021

EP Plenary Session - Award of the  Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought

Sakharov Prize Award Week 2021 - Youh seminar

Jounalists group interview with Leonid VOLKOV, Chief of Staff of the 2021 Sakharov Prize laureate Alexei Navalny

Sakharov Prize Award Week 2021 -  Press Conference.

Clip: Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought (1988 - 2020)

Award of the Sakharov Prize 2021: extracts from the ceremony

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Daria Navalnaya, daughter of Alexei Navalny, the 2021 Sakharov Prize laureate, and Leonid Volkov, Chief of Staff of Alexei Navalny: welcome and roundtable

Press conference by David SASSOLI, EP president, Leonid VOLKOV, chief of staff for Alexei Navalny's campaign and by Daria NAVALNAYA, daughter of Alexei Navalny

Award of the Sakharov Prize 2021: statement by Daria NAVALNAYA, daughter of Alexei Navalny

Award of the Sakharov Prize 2021: ambiance shots prior to the ceremony and opening statement by David SASSOLI, EP President

Exchange of views with Daria NAVALNAYA, daughter of Alexei NAVALNY, the 2021 Sakharov Prize laureate, and Leonid VOLKOV, Chief of Staff of Alexei NAVALNY

Award of the Sakharov Prize 2021 - Statement by Leonid Volkov, Chief of Staff of Alexei Navalny and extracts from the Press Seminar

EP Plenary session -  Sakharov Prize 2021 laureate

EP Conference of Presidents on the decision on laureate of the 2021 Sakharov Prize

Sakharov Fellowship for human rights defenders programme and Lorent Saleh, 2017 Sakharov Prize Laureate, visit to the Parlamentarium

Sakharov Fellowship - Meeting with Heidi Hautala, Vice-President of the EP responsible for Sakharov Community

Award of the Sakharov Prize 2021 - Statement by Leonid Volkov, Chief of Staff of Alexei Navalny

Infoclip: Alexei NAVALNY, Sakharov Prize 2021 - Illustration shots of Moscow

Sakharov Fellowship for human rights defenders: Lorent Saleh, Sakharov Prize Laureate from 2017 visits the newly-renovated exhibition space dedicated to the Sakharov prize in the Parlamentarium

Infoclip: Afghan women, Sakharov Prize 2021 candidate

Infoclip: Jeanine Áñez, Sakharov Prize 2021 candidate

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