The committees on Foreign Affairs (AFET), on Development (DEVE) and Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) vote on a shortlist of three finalists for the 2020 Sakharov Prize, in the European Parliament in Brussels. The three nominees are: the democratic opposition in Belarus led by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the Archbishop of Mosul Mgr Najeeb Moussa Michaeel, and the Guapinol activists and Berta Cáceres in Honduras.

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

General views of room of joint commitee meeting (4 shots)

David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), AFET Chair, and Tomas TOB&Eacute; (EPP, SE), DEVE Chair, opening the joint committee meeting (2 shots)

SOUNDBITE (French), Maria ARENA (S&amp;D,BE), DROI Chair, The Sakharov Prize is really something very important because it gives visibility into the work we are doing here, in the European Union and in the Parliament in particular, on the question of democracy, on the question of freedom and the question of human rights. This is really an extremely important moment to show that for the European Union, for the European Parliament, that these three values are fundamental values.

SOUNDBITE (French), Maria ARENA (S&amp;D,BE), DROI Chair, So, you know, it's always very complicated to choose among the defenders of the fundamental values of democracy, freedom and human rights.

SOUNDBITE (French), Maria ARENA (S&amp;D,BE), DROI Chair, All of these applications are fabulous applications because, it must be acknowledged, all of these people are risking their lives to defend fundamental rights. Unfortunately, we have to choose and so there will be three so-called shortlisted candidates, and there will be a Sakharov prize winner. And this is the whole exercise of democratic voting that we are doing here in the European Parliament, which is never a vote against someone, against a defender, but always a vote for a defender. And that's why it is very important.

SOUNDBITE (French), Maria ARENA (S&amp;D,BE), DROI Chair, It is a message of support because it is seen in the context of the pandemic that we live today. These human rights are even more threatened today. This can be seen in democratic processes at the election level. This can be seen in the defence of human rights defenders. It is really us, European Parliament, European institution, we are with you and we will do everything we can to make your fight an important fight.

SOUNDBITE (English), Tomas TOB&Eacute; (EPP,SE), DEVE Chair, The joint meeting of DEVE and AFET decided now on the shortlist and in alphabetical order. We have firstly the Belarus opposition. Secondly, the Guapinol activist Berta C&aacute;ceres, and thirdly the Archbishop of Mosul Mgr Najeeb Moussa Michaeel. So those are the three nominations from our meeting.

SOUNDBITE (English), David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), AFET Chair, The three candidates chosen as nominees for the Sakharov Prize 2020 are in alphabetical order. First, the Democratic opposition in Belarus. The nomination of a democratic opposition in Belarus proves for strong support for the legitimate demand and aspirations of the people in Belarus for a new free and fair elections, for democratic governance, for fundamental rights, and an end to authoritarian repression. The opposition is represented by the Coordination Council, including the main opposition presidential candidate, Ms Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the Nobel laureate Svetlana Alexievich, and other important political personalities and political activists.

SOUNDBITE (English), David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), AFET Chair, The second nominee are the Guapinol activists and Ms Berta Caceres from Honduras, the nomination of the Guapinol environmental activists who are members of the municipal committee in defence of common and public goods of Tocoa, Honduras. And of Berta Caceres, who was assassinated in March 2016 and who was a courageous ecologist and prominent land rights activist from the indigenous Lenca community in Honduras, is a strong signal of support for land and environmental and human rights defenders, not only in Honduras but worldwide.

SOUNDBITE (English), David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), AFET Chair, And the third nominee is Mgr Najeeb Moussa Michaeel, the archbishop of Mosul in Iraq. The Archbishop of Mosul, ensured the evacuation of Christians, Syriacs and Chadians to Iraqi Kurdistan and safeguarded more than 800 historic manuscripts dating from the 13th to the 19th century. This nomination recognises and underscores the efforts of a courageous individual who stood up to fight for human rights against the destruction of cultural heritage in Iraq.

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

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Democratic Opposition in Belarus, Sakharov Prize 2020

DEVE - Committee on Development

AFET - Committee on Foreign Affairs