One Cuban too many - three Cubans have won the Parliament’s highest award for freedom of thought in eight years. Some think it’s time to spotlight other countries that deny human rights.

Reporter: Controversy over 2010 Sakharov Prize

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/15349912/m003-0103-en.srt

The Parliament awarded the 2010  Sakharov Prize to Guillermo Fariñas.

It's the third time in eight years that  the EP has honoured a Cuban dissident.

EuroparlTV reports on the 2010 Sakharov  Prize and the surrounding controversy.

The 2010 Sakharov Prize for  the Freedom of Thought

He's undertaken 23 hunger strikes.  The last one lasted 135 days.

His goal is unchanging:  to defend public freedoms in Cuba.

On 8 July 2010, when he was on  the brink of death he stopped his strike

after the Cuban government announced  the release of 52 political prisoners.

He spoke to EPTV  via telephone from Cuba.

We go on hunger strike  when we are left with no choice

or when unacceptable things happen to  Cuba's peaceful opposition movement.

where even those currently in power  will have their place,

a peaceful transition,  with no bloodshed.

To date only 39 political dissidents  have left Cuba's prisons.

Former prisoner Marcelo Cano  Rodríguez spoke to us via internet.

We want to thank him for his gesture  which was so decisive.

Together with the Damas de Blanco,  it was a milestone for freedom,

our expulsion and prison release -  we've left prison, but we're not free.

The Damas de Blanco are  the wives of political prisoners

It's the 3rd time in eight years that  the EP has honoured Cuban dissidents.

When you see all  the countries in the world

where democracy is in  a far worse state than in Cuba,

where human rights defenders are killed,

in places where their struggle is an  appalling burden - the world is huge -

I don't accept that human rights  comes down to a fight against Castro.

However, MEPs chose to point the finger  at the Cuban regime again.

We asked Amnesty International  if the prize had helped

the previous Cuban winners of  the 2002 and 2005 award.

Sardiñas who was the most well-known  Cuban dissident journalist

wasn't arrested in 2003,  whereas all his colleagues were arrested

For Damas de Blanco it took more time  but they can protest every Sunday

and they no longer suffer  police intimidation for this.

But the award can bring  negative consequences.

Oleg Orlov, head of the NGO Memorial,  2009 Sakharov Prize winner,

is facing defamation charges  and risks three years imprisonment.

His NGO supports human rights  defenders in Russia,

where Memorial continues to be accused  of backing terrorists.

As for Guillermo Fariñas, if he leaves  Cuba to collect his award in person

the authorities  might not allow him to return.

I don’t think they will allow me to come  and collect the Sakharov Prize.

I want to make clear that I won’t appoint  any representatives.

I will come to collect the prize the day  when Cuba will be free,

- as stated by the  Universal Declaration of Human Rights -

this prize at the seat of  the Parliament.