BRUSSELS – The candidates for the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought were presented at the today’s joint session of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Committee on Development, as well as the Subcommittee on Human Rights of the European Parliament. The prize, established in 1988, is named after Soviet scientist, dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Andrei Sakharov (1921-1989).
The European Parliament awards the prize to those who, like Sakharov, have dedicated their lives to the peaceful struggle for human rights. Last year’s award went to the opposition in Venezuela.
The list of 8 nominees in 2025 includes Andrzej Poczobut, a Polish-Belarusian journalist and political prisoner under the Lukashenka regime, Mzia Amaglobeli, a Georgian journalist, as well as the Budapest Pride and the student-protestors from Serbia.
The other candidates are journalists and humanitarian aid workers in conflict zones represented by the Palestinian Press Association, the Palestine Red Crescent Society, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (nominated by S&D group), as well as Shireen Abu Akleh, Yasser Murtaja, Hamza Al-Dahdou, Wael Al-Dahdouh, Plestia Alaqad and Roshdi Sarraj, representing all journalists in Palestine (nominated by the Left), whereas the late American conservative activist Charlie Kirk was nominated by the far-right “Europe of Sovereign Nations” group.
The Algerian activist Boualem Sansal had been nominated by the Patriots but it turned out that he did not accept the nomination.
The students who have been protesting in Serbia since the Novi Sad tragedy, were nominated by “Renew Europe” group in the EP. It was stressed that their fight for the rule of law embodied the core principles of the EU.
The European Parliament awards the Sakharov Prize, with its EUR 50,000 endowment, at a formal plenary sitting in Strasbourg towards the end of each year.
The members of the relevant committees of the EP will vote on a shortlist of three candidates on 16 October. The final winner of the Sakharov Prize is chosen by the Conference of Presidents, a European Parliament body, which includes the leaders of all the political groups represented in the Parliament and the President of the EP. This decision will be made on 22 October. The awards ceremony will take place in December.
