The European Parliament's annual prize for Freedom of Thought goes to two Iranians, a lawyer and a film maker, who are both in jail.

Iranian campaigners share Sakharov Prize

Two winners share this year’s  Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought,

decided the EP President, Vice-Presidents  and group leaders in Strasbourg.

We decided that the two Iranian candidates  should be awarded the Sakharov Prize,

and I want first of all to congratulate  both of these courageous people.

Nasrin Sotoudeh is a lawyer,  currently in prison in Iran,

who has defended children,  women and prisoners of conscience.

Jafar Panahi is an Iranian film director

whose work deals with  the day-to-day reality of life in Iran,

especially for children,  women and the poor.

He won the Camera d’Or  at the Cannes Film Festival in 1995.

It’s important that we send the right  message to the Iranian regime

that their increasing crackdown  on people exercising democratic freedoms

Controversially,  a delegation from the EP is to visit Iran

for dialogue with parliamentarians there,

but they will now carry letters from the  President to the two winners in prison.

We're now asking the Iranian authorities  to allow them to meet them.

If they refuse then the delegation  will return immediately to Brussels.

The Sakharov Prize has been  awarded by the EP each year since 1988

to an individual or group that has taken risks  to stand up to tyrannical regimes.

and gives a possibility  for many people in the country

MEPs are now negotiating  with Iranian officials

to try to get the winners to Strasbourg  in December to receive their prizes.