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Home , Lyudmila Alexeyeva, Memorial (society), Moscow Helsinki Group, Salima Ghezali, Sergei Kovalev, Soviet dissidents

2009

OLEG ORLOV on behalf of the association, , and all other defenders of in www.europarl.europa.eu/sakharov Photos photographic service

Photos of : Shanshan Wei-Blank Lela Zana: SIPA PRESS : Jacques Torregano/L’E.d.J. : LDK Xanana Gusmão: Reuters Pool ¡BASTA YA!: El País Dom : courtesy of LUSA Nurit Peled-Elhanan: courtesy of Avraham Elhanan : Tore Kjeilen/LexicOrient Kofi Annan: UN/DPI Photo Belarusian Association of Journalists: BAJ Logo : AP Hauwa Ibrahim: AP Reporters Without Borders: AP Aliaksandr Milinkevich: Belga Salih Mahmoud Mohamed Osman: 2005 Patricia Williams : ©BELGA/AFP PHOTO/Frederic J BROWN 2009 President oftheEuropean Parliament Jerzy Buzek Jerzy up for these rights anywhere in the world. All those individualsthoseworld.organizationsAlltherightsandanywherethese in for up fundamentalto our European values. It is our duty and moral responsibility to stand wealthandstability. alsoisabouttheAtEUheartitsvery human rights thatare so greaterever of vision economic integrationa politicalandand on only notbased EuropeanEuropeanis thePresidenttheUnionParliament,recallthat mustAsof I coverage oftheircases. media objective the and arrested the of trials fair for others among defender,campaigningrights human active an AlexeyevaisLyudmila members. MEMORIAL’sof one also was founding fiand the association rights human Soviet rst long human rights defender and current chair of MEMORIAL. Sergei Kovalev founded life- a is Orlov Oleg Russia. in defenders rights human other all and MEMORIAL of remarkablethreeattributedpersonalitiesbehalftoSakharovis Prize on 2009 The Caucasus. intheNorth of itsactivities human rights defenders forced MEMORIAL to announce in July 2009, the suspension thecourage and importance of the organisation’s work. Theescalation of attacks on Sadulayeva and of her husband, close collaborators of the organisation, only confirm NataliaofEstemirova, representative MEMORIALGrozny,ofin Zarema ofwell asas AndreiSakharov was, in fact, amongst its founders. In 2009 the killings in to ensure that the sufferings of the peoples of the former USSR era are not forgotten. RussianseekingenhanceprotectionNGOtothefundamental of humanrights and ParliamentThisyearthe decidedawardhastoSakharovthe PrizeMEMORIAL, to a at the worsening human rights situation in the Russian Federation. years,however, theEuropean Parliament hasfrequently expressed itsdeep concern democraticpeacefulthereformsreunifitoRussia and in historic .cation toofrecent In way the opened USSR the in events dramatic the ago yearsTwenty FOREWORD thought and freedom of expression. exerciseactivistsfreetoeverywherefreedombe basicrightsmusttheirmost of of RussianFederationdefenderstheadvancemessagesociety civilinthat toour and rights human surrounding violence and fear of circle the ending to contribute to ParliamentEuropeanhopes theMEMORIAL, to Prize awardingthe By world.the ago to create the which honours human rights defenders throughout years 21 us inspired thought of freedom the suffoftenfor ering,fitoo and ghting,

3 SAKHAROV PRIZE FOR FREEDOM OF THOUGHT  INSPIRATION FOR THE PRIZE

Since1988, in the spirit of Andrei Sakharov, the European Parliament has awarded the annual Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in order to honour individuals or organisations for their eff orts on behalf of human rights and fundamental freedoms and against oppression and injustice. From Gorky, where he was living in exile, Andrei Sakharov (1921-1989), the renowned physicist, member of the Academy of Sciences, and 1975 winner, sent a message to the European Parliament saying how moved he was that it intended to create a prize for freedom of thought which would bear his name. He rightly saw this as an encouragement to all those who, like him, had committed themselves to championing human rights.

Coming from a background in nuclear physics and ending as a dissident, he not only sought the release of dissenters in his country but also drew attention to the relationship between science and society and to the issues of peaceful coexistence and intellectual freedom, which he analysed in his writings. In the eyes of the world, Sakharov came to embody the crusade against the denial of fundamental rights. Neither intimidation nor exile could break his resistance.

Like Andrei Sakharov, all the previous winners of the prize which bears his name have demonstrated just how much courage, patience and inner strength is needed to defend human rights and campaign for their universal recognition. Almost all have paid dearly for their commitment to defending human dignity, and many have faced persecution, loss of personal freedom or exile. In some cases the winners have not been authorised to receive their prize in person. On 14 December 2006 European Parliament adopted a resolution deploring this fact and calling for a follow-up mechanism to be set up to respond in such cases. In 2008, to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the creation of the Prize, the European Parliament and to demonstrate its continuous support, the European Parliament decided to invite all past Laureates to take part in the December Award ceremony, and especially, to promote the attendance of any Sakharov Prize winners who have been prevented form receiving their prizes in person in the past.

In awarding the Sakharov Prize, the European Parliament honours, in particular, outstanding achievements in the fi ght to protect freedom of thought and expression against intolerance, fanaticism and hatred. This refl ects its conviction that fundamental freedoms include not only the right to life and physical integrity, but also freedom of expression and of the press, two of the most eff ective means of fi ghting oppression and key yardsticks by which to judge whether a society is democratic and open. The right to untrammelled freedom of opinion and expression, which is enshrined in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 16 December 1966 and which includes ‘the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or though any medium of [a person’s] choice’, refl ects the spirit in which the European Parliament created the Sakharov Prize.

The European Parliament awards the human rights prize, endowed with EUR 50 000, at a formal sitting in Strasbourg which falls on or around 10 December, the day on which the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1948.

4 Ministers, the Committee on Foreign Aff airs draws up an annual report on the human rights human the on report annual an up AffForeigndraws on airs Committee the Ministers, of Council the by published is report rights human annual EU the as time same the around At ofnon-governmentaland varied organisations. activities many the and EU the outside and inside receivescitizensfrom it appeals the by least not rights, human to priority greater ever give to encouraged been has which Parliament, European the This objective has been explicitly incorporated into the Treaty largely in response to pressure from of theCommonobjectives anddevelopment andSecurity cooperation important policy. most the amongst being as freedoms fundamental and rights human for respect and law of rule the and of strengthening and defidevelopmentTreaty the the nes countries, third unconditionally.Vis-à-vis principles those respect to required is State new Member every that and suspended be may above to referred principles the of breach persistent and serious a of guilty is which State Member EU an of rights the that TreatyEU stipulates The of international law inthesphere ofhumanrights. Statesissues referenceMember with its dealing and when EU the important for most document Fundamentalof Europeanthe of Rights Charter the Conventionand the it Union, on based the is covenantsthe and Rights Human of DeclarationUniversal NationsUnited Europe. the Alongside of Council the of auspices the under 1950 in Rome in States Member EU current all by signed was which Rights, Human on Convention European the in down laid rights fundamental the all to common are Member States and are principles enshrined in the Treaty on EuropeanThese Union. The law. European Union respects of rule the and freedoms fundamental and rights human for respect democracy, freedom, of principles the on founded is Union European The PARLIAMENT IN THEEUROPEAN RIGHTSHUMAN n sus f ua rgt ad eorc wt Mdtraen onre. h -Latin The countries. Mediterranean with democracy and rights human of issues on Euro- The Assembly. Parliamentary Joint dialogue structured a for Mediterraneanopportunities Parliamentary providesAssembly EU-ACPfurther the is countries Pacifi African, from c and parliamentarians and Caribbean EP the between dialogue political for forum main The have onoccasions produced positive results. which cases, individual on discussions havefrequentlydelegates EP countries,the partner from parliamentarians with meetings EP.regular the their Atof delegations inter-parliamentary the the dialogue,political groundinvolvesprimarily which throughleast not on but last and parliamentary situation rights human the assess to delegations hoc ad sending countries, member non- from representatives society civil with hearings holding procedure, assent the of part as terminated in extreme cases. Parliament has strengthened its role by adopting political resolutions be to agreement an for provide which and agreements such in included systematically are that and rights democratic principles. Consequently, human it insists on strict compliance of with the human rights clauses breaches serious are there if countries non-member with agreements important of conclusion the to assent its withhold to it allow powers Parliament’slegislative by theCouncil asthebasisforaction and theyoftenofMinisters. serve impact immediate an have sometimes resolutions EP Parliament. European the from criticism to insensitive not are they that suggest concerned governments the of reactions The action. with in the monthly debates on urgent and the governments subjects involved are urged to take dealt are cases individual particular, in and, countries non-member in violations rights Human NGOs andrepresentatives ofgovernments concerned take part. rights human both whereslaves, child or soldiers child specifias on such or countries subjects c ACP in Rights Human about meetings regular holds Committee Development the addition, In countries.non-member in democracy and situation rights human the on activists rights human with discussions for forum permanent a provides and sphere this in initiatives parliamentary for Rights, responsible body EP Human the is term, legislative on 6th the of Subcommittee start the at Thereconstituted was which policy. rights human EU and world the in situation

5 SAKHAROV PRIZE FOR FREEDOM OF THOUGHT American Parliamentary Assembly, EuroLat, established in November 2006, is the most recently European Ombudsman or the Petitions Committee of the European Parliament. The Ombudsman created regional parliamentary forum. Among its three main objectives are questions relating to deals with complaints relating to the activities of EU bodies, whereas the Petitions Committee democracy, external policy, governance, integration, peace and human rights; deals with petitions concerning breaches of their treaty obligations by Member States; Member States are frequently required to modify their legislation to bring it into line with Community law The European Parliament also closely monitors the work of the UN Human Rights Council set up as a result of subsequent treaty infringement proceedings. in June 2006. The European Parliament has played a decisive role in putting human rights issues on the European agenda. It takes specifi c initiatives in a range of areas such as preventing torture, In 2008 the Sakharov Prize celebrated its 20th anniversary. In order to mark this event the the protection of minorities, confl ict prevention, promoting women’s and children’s rights, the European Parliament held a conference entitled: «20 years of active support to human rights: protection of human rights activists, the rights of indigenous peoples and people with disabilities. Sakharov Laureates tell their story». The European Parliament has actively supported the campaign for a UN moratorium on the death All previous laureates as well as Ms Elena Bonner, Andrei Sakharov’s widow, were invited to this penalty and the World Congress of national and international parliaments on the abolition of the event and many of them participated in the conference and had the chance to share their views death penalty, the establishment of the International War Crimes Tribunal, the setting-up of the on global human rights, and the importance of the Sakharov Prize. This was also the occasion for European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia, replaced by the Fundamental Rights President Pöttering to offi cially launch the «Sakharov Network», allowing laureates to link to one Agency inaugurated on 1 March 2007, and the EU campaign to combat violence against women. another’s activities and to show solidarity. By participating in election observation missions, the European Parliament makes a further contribution to strengthening democracy in third countries.

The European Parliament has been able to use its budgetary powers to substantially increase the resources earmarked for programmes dealing with democracy and human rights. In 2006 the European Parliament successfully fought for the maintenance of a separate instrument to fi nance such activities, the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights. This is a fi nancial and policy instrument contributing to the development and consolidation of democracy and the , the respect of all human rights and fundamental freedoms in third countries world-wide, and includes a special focus on organisations.

The European Parliament also attaches great importance to the furtherance of citizens’ economic and social rights in the Union, measures to combat racism, religious intolerance and xenophobia and the treatment of asylum seekers and migrant workers. The human rights situation within the EU is dealt with by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Aff airs. If EU citizens consider that their fundamental rights have been violated, they can take the matter up with the 6 THE PRIZE WINNERS

1988 NELSON ROLIHLAHLA MANDELA and ANATOLI MARCHENKO (posthumously) ...... 10 1989 ALEXANDER DUBČEK ...... 11 1990 ...... 11 1991 ADEM DEMAÇI ...... 12 1992 LAS MADRES DE LA PLAZA DE MAYO 12 1993 OSLOBODJENJE ...... 13 1994 TASLIMA NASREEN ...... 13 1995 LELA ZANA ...... 14 1996 WEI JINGSHENG ...... 14 1997 SALIMA GHEZALI ...... 15 1998 IBRAHIM RUGOVA ...... 15 1999 XANANA GUSMÃO ...... 16 2000 ¡BASTA YA! ...... 16 2001 IZZAT GHAZZAWI and NURIT PELED-ELHANAN and DOM ZACARIAS KAMWENHO ...... 17 2002 OSWALDO JOSÉ PAYÁ SARDIÑAS ...... 18 2003 UN SECRETARY GENERAL, and ALL THE STAFF OF THE UNITED NATIONS ...... 19 2004 BELARUSIAN ASSOCIATION OF JOURNALISTS ...... 20 2005 LADIES IN WHITE and HAUWA IBRAHIM and REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS ...... 20 2006 ALIAKSANDR MILINKEVICH ...... 22 2007 SALIH MAHMOUD MOHAMED OSMAN...... 23 SAKHAROV THOUGHT FREEDOM OF PRIZE FOR 2008 HU JIA ...... 23 2009 MEMORIAL...... 8 7 MEMORIAL

Created in 1988, Memorial (its full name is International Volunteer Public Organization ”MEMORIAL” Historical, Educational, Human Rights And Charitable Society) is a Russian NGO promoting the truth about the political repression of the and leading the challenge against current human rights abuses in post-Soviet states in order to ensure their democratic future.

Since its foundation, the organisation has documented violations of and other former states of the USSR and has set up a database of over 1,300,000 names of persecuted people. The objective is to build a publicly available archive of historical documentation of the consequences of totalitarian repression. In addition to this, MEMORIAL has been of critical importance in the adoption of the Law on Rehabilitation of Victims of Political Repression, and in making October 30 a Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Political Repression.

Currently, MEMORIAL is obliged to concentrate its eff orts on combating human rights violations in confl ict zones of former Soviet states, actively protecting refugees and victims of discrimination and political repression. It conducts research into present-day cases of political repression and monitors the situation in countries such as Azerbaijan, , , Tajikistan, Moldova and , where human rights violations are reported as a result of the actual or potential confl ict these countries endure.

The courageous work of MEMORIAL work is constantly under threat. On 4 December 2008 the Russian authorities confi scated twelve hard discs containing the entire digital archive of the crimes committed under Stalin, and representing the fruit of 20 years’ painstaking research.

8 This raid has however been declared illegal by the court of Dzerzhinsky District and Lyudmila Alexeyeva is known for campaigning to seek fair trials of arrested dissidents the discs have been restituted with their content in May 2009. The most disturbing and their objective coverage in the media. She was also a founding member of the and horrifying incident however concerned the assassination of the MEMORIAL Group. representative in Natalia Estemirova. After a period investigating murders and abductions in Chechnya she was herself abducted on 15 July 2009 and found dead a MEMORIAL’s outstanding work has been recognised by other international few hours later. As a result of this murder, on 17 July MEMORIAL decided to suspend organisations. It has been awarded, both in 2004, the also its activities in Chechnya. Only a few weeks later, on 10 August 2009, human rights known as the alternative Nobel Prize and the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award. defenders Zarema Sadulayeva and her husband, working closely with MEMORIAL, were killed in the same tragic circumstances. By awarding the Sakharov Price to MEMORIAL, the European Parliament strives to honour all the individuals who This year the award is presented to three people on behalf of Memorial and Russia’s dare, even in the most dangerous circumstance, numerous human rights defenders. speak out for freedom of association, information and expression in Russia. Oleg Orlov, a life long human rights defender is the current chair of MEMORIAL. In October 2009, he lost a trial for defamation initiated by Chechen President , after Oleg Orlov had made a statement accusing Ramzan Kadyrov of «being responsible» of Estemirova’s death. He and the organization were ordered to pay damages to President Kadyrov and to publish a retraction on the Memorial website.

Sergei Kovalev founded the fi rst Soviet human rights association, the Initiative Group for the Defense of Human Rights in the USSR in 1969, and was also one of MEMORIAL’s founding members.

9 1988 NELSON ROLIHLAHLA MANDELA Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, 1993 Nobel Peace Laureate, born in 1918 in Umtata, South Africa, was elected President and Head of Government of the Republic of South Africa in the fi rst free elections in 1994. He has spent the greater part of his life behind bars. As leader of the ANC (African National Congress), he symbolised, for his fellow countrymen and the public worldwide, the resistance of black people to the oppressive apartheid regime. When he was awarded the prize in 1988 Mandela was still under house arrest. Retired from public life in June 1999, he remains committed to his ideals and values in his two charities, the Foundation and the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, as well as in the initiative Global Elders which he launched on 18 July 2007 in Johannesburg together with. Graça Machel and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. This project includes a group of world leaders, peace activists and human rights advocates whose goal is to solve global problems, using «almost 1 000 years of collective experience to dream up solutions for seemingly insurmountable problems like climate change, HIV/AIDS, and poverty» and «use their political independence to help resolve some of the world’s most intractable confl icts.» In his address during a Parliament sitting to mark 10 years of democracy in South Africa, Nelson Mandela said: ‘A guiding principle in our search for and establishment of a non- racial inclusive democracy in our country has been that there are good men and women to be found in all groups and from all sectors of society; and that in an open and free society those South Africans will come together to jointly and cooperatively realise the common good. Historical enemies succeeded in negotiating a peaceful transition from apartheid to democracy exactly because were prepared to accept the inherent capacity for goodness in the other.’ In July 2008 Nelson Mandela celebrated his 90th birthday and called once more for the intensifi cation of global eff orts in the fi ght against poverty and injustice.

ANATOLI MARCHENKO Anatoli Marchenko (1938-1986), one of the former Soviet Union’s best-known dissidents, died in Chistopol prison in December 1986 as the result of a hunger strike after more than 20 years in prison. He was a member of the group founded in 1975 to campaign for compliance with the Helsinki Final Act, particularly the clauses relating to the human dimension, security and cooperation. He revealed the truth about the Soviet labour camps and prisons, but this earned him a prison sentence for anti- Soviet agitation and propaganda. ‘The only way to fi ght the prevailing evil and illegality is, in my view, to know the truth.’

10 Dubček diedonNovemberDubček 7,1992,asaresult ofinjuriessustainedinacarcrash that took place afewweeks earlier. expressed thewishthat ‘as aresult ofthePrague Springthegreat symphony oftheEuropean spiritwillcontinue community to resound in1990andalltheyears to come’. Dubček 1990, award the during ceremonyreadout January message in a in him AndreiSakharovglasnost,described as for struggle long their in dissidents Soviet the alivefor After the revolution in , Dubček was elected President of the Federal Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia. As one of the figures who also kept hope Communist ofCzechoslovakia; Party hespent theyears worker. upto 1985asanordinary In1988hereturned to politicallifeasacivilrights activist. a giving of aim His face’‘human was shattered byAugustthe 1968 21 on WarsawPact tanks.treason,was offiof accusedof Dubček stripped expelledcefromand the the leadingfigure inthereform movement whichbecameknown asthe ‘Prague Spring’. In 1989, the European Parliament honoured Alexander Dubček (1921-1992), one of the moving spirits behind the process of renewal and change in the former Eastern Bloc and 1989 dialogue, forhumanrights andrespect free inhercountry. democracy elections, Brusselsbuilding giantaportrait theBurmese of opposition leader, bearing theslogan Free AungKyiSuuSan now. AungKyiSuuSan continues speaktofavouroutin nationalof The EP regularly condemns the continued detention of Aung San Suu Kyi as a and relaunched the campaign to free her by displaying on the outsidein herbeingkept confi of Parliament’sned to herresidence forseven consecutive years andequalsinherhavingofthelasteighteen spent years fourteen asapoliticalprisonerunderhousearrest. US national broke into her compound. On 11 August 2009, she was found guilty and sentencedIn May to2008 three Myanmar years extended imprisonment, Suu Kyi’s commuted todetention 18 months for underanother house year. arrest.. In MayThis 2009,results Aung San Suu Kyiand condemnedwas arrested the brutal and response charged by thewith Burmese breaking authorities the in itsconditions resolution of of her27 Septemberhouse protesters2007.arrestBurmese the for Europeansupport the Parliamentvoice toits 2007, decided September afterin Burma repressionanti-governmentFollowingviolentdemonstrationsin of the a National League for Democracy. theEU tightened its sanctions against Myanmar after 2004 the regime October In failed supporters. political to and comply friends family,withher her offits demands,with cut arrest, contact house all under includingfrom placed NLD,and the the release of members other of Aung 19 Sanwith Suu Kyialong again, and once an end to the harassment of the under the most oppressive state courage machinery always resurfaces, for fear is not the natural condition of civilised human beings.’ On 30 May 2003 Aung San Suu Kyi was detained words:these Kyiin convictions expressedSuu her San Aung 1995. years,‘EvenJuly six in released after only was law.Kyi and intoexile refusedgo Suu to martial San Aungimposing (NLD), which she had founded, under house arrest in 1989. Despite the success of the regime NLD held in in the 1990, freeelections the remainedmilitary parliamentary in power by to Myanmar to head the democracy movement. However, the military regime carried out bloody reprisals, placing her and hundreds of members of the National League for Democracy In August 1988, the military had broken a country-wide general strike for democracy and against Myanmar’s then government and assumed Kyi, leaderandwinnerofthe1991Nobel Suu PeaceAung San theMyanmar pro-democracy prize, waspower bornin1947,andwas awarded theSakharov Prize in1990. itself. Aung San Suu Kyi returned 1990 AUNG SAN SUU KYI ALEXANDER DUBČEK 11 SAKHAROV PRIZE FOR FREEDOM OF THOUGHT 1991 ADEM DEMAÇI In 1991 Parliament awarded its human rights prize to Adem Demaçi, a Kosovar born in Priština in 1936, thereby honouring a man who had spent the greater part of his life (1958-1990) in prison for fi ghting for the fundamental rights of the Albanians in Kosovo by means of the written and spoken word. But prison could not silence Demaçi: he continued to raise his voice to make known the bitter truth about the Serbian oppression of the two million Albanians in Kosovo. ‘Freedom of speech [is] the fi rst, crucial step towards democracy. Without freedom of speech there is no dialogue, without dialogue the truth cannot be established, and without the truth progress is impossible.’ After his release, Adem Demaçi assumed the leadership of the Council for the Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms. From 1998 to 1999, during the Serb off ensive, he was the political representative of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK). Since the war, he has devoted himself mainly to ethnic reconciliation and the return of refugees. He took on the chairmanship of the Committee for Mutual Understanding, Tolerance and Coexistence, representing all ethnic groups in Kosovo, ‘because Kosovo belongs to everyone’ and ‘we want a free, democratic and multi-ethnic society’. To this day he is involved in politics in Kosovo.

1992 LAS MADRES DE LA PLAZA DE MAYO The Argentinean human rights movement ‘Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo’ was awarded the Sakharov Prize in 1992. From 1976 to 1983, Argentina lived under a military dictatorship. In April 1977, 14 women came together for the fi rst time in the ‘Plaza de Mayo’ to make an appeal to President Videla. To begin with, the main aim of the group of mothers was to trace their lost children and to seek the prosecution of those responsible for the disappearance of 30000 people during the military dictatorship, but later they widened their struggle into a fi ght for an independent judicial system, political change, and peace. The demonstrations that ‘Las Madres’ holds every Thursday outside the Casa Rosada, the President’s residence, on the Plaza de Mayo are a symbol of resistance. At each demonstration members wear white headscarves, which are universally recognised as emblematic of the fi ght for justice. The Argentinean mothers wish to see the country’s young people show political commitment and oppose a system which has condemned millions of Argentineans to poverty and provides neither education, nor housing nor health care. For this purpose, ‘Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo’ has set up a People’s University, bookstore, library and cultural center . In 1999, the organization was awarded the United Nations Prize for Peace Education. ‘Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo’ have not stopped seeking justice and truth despite many setbacks. The trials and imprisonment of some of those responsible for crimes against humanity in Argentina in the 1970’s are a result of their unceasing eff orts. Their weekly Thursday marches continue, however, in pursuit of action on other social causes

12 the fewindependant newspapersinthecountry, celebrated in2003. its60thanniversary Oslobodjenje (‘Liberation’), which takes its name from the newspaper founded by fipartisans ghting the German occupation of Yugoslavia, and which was for a long time one of and Bosnia Sarajevo, of people Themap. Herzegovina willcontinue to fithe from Herzegovina whichhasitsroots intheEuropeght againstthepartition that existed beforeBosnia- theGreat War’.of eradication complete even or partition the against and death against effdirected were‘Our orts a as Bosnia-Herzegovina defend and preserve to was aim Oslobodjenje’sthat said Bosnia, for multiethnic state.ambassador an later and time, the at editors the of one Disdarević, Zlatko – Croats and Serbs continued to work inanuclearshelter inthecellarMuslims, oftheirbuildinginSarajevo, risking theirlives sothat– Oslobodjenjecould continue to appear.journalists 70 offinewspaper’ssome the artillery, of Serbian destruction by the ces and colleagues their among injuries and deaths Despite The dailynewspaperOslobodjenje, foundedin1943,was thewinnerofSakharov Prize in1993. 1993 University. She often speaksaboutherdesire to gobackto hercountry. 2007. November from protection security government Indian under live Eventually,and due toDelhi increasing death threatsNew for her life toby Islamic extremists,move she was forcedto to leave India her in mid-March 2008. forcingShe currently works memoirs,a research scholar atand New novelsYork "anti-Islamic" her at protests groups' Muslim frompressure increasing under came she there,even But India. in 2004, since and,France,Sweden including exile in countries many in lived1994, Taslima has Since 1999,intheface ofcontinuing threats,In January Nasreen herhomelandonce left again. The European Parliament answered Taslima Nasreen’s appealforhelpand, inaresolution, calledonthegovernment to ofBangladesh protect herlifeandensure hersafety. issueda warrantput to death. Acourt forherarrest andthreatened to confiscate herassets. In September 1998 Taslima Nasreen returned to Bangladesh to her dying mother. As soon as this news came out, religious fundamentalists once again called for the writer to be the dailysuff intheslums.ering andstarvation worldthe of where tensionsdiffisocial acceptancehuman from and her came In she said part she a speech, were culties unbearable. writer,a As eyesher couldclose she not to criticise religious fundamentalism and, inparticular, theoppression ofwomen, are bannedinhercountry. Islamicfundamentalists have issuedthreats againstherlife. which works Europe.Her in refuge sought already had she Prize,Sakharov 1994 the won Bangladesh, in 1962 in born waswriter Taslimawho and Nasreen, doctor the When 1994 TASLIMA NASREEN OSLOBODJENJE 13 SAKHAROV PRIZE FOR FREEDOM OF THOUGHT 1995 1996 LELA ZANA WEI JINGSHENG When the European Parliament awarded Lela Zana the Sakharov Prize in 1995 on The ‘father of the Chinese democracy movement’ was the 1996 winner of the the basis of her courageous defence of human rights and commitment to forging Sakharov Prize. a peaceful, democratic resolution to confl icts between the Turkish Government China’s most prominent dissident was born into the family of a civil servant and its Kurdish population, she had already spent one year in imprisonment. on 20 May 1950, initially joined the Red Guard as an enthusiastic supporter of In the course of defending the rights of her imprisoned husband, Zana had the ideals of the Maoist , but, disillusioned by the atrocities assumed a leadership role which culminated in her candidacy in the Turkish committed in the name of the class struggle, turned instead to humanism and parliamentary elections of 1991. She received 84 percent of the votes in her democracy. district of Diyarbakir. At her inauguration, she promised in Kurdish to ‘struggle When came to power in 1978, Wei Jingsheng helped to create the so that the Kurdish and Turkish peoples may live together in a democratic ‘Wall of Democracy’. In wall newspapers Chinese citizens called for the injustices framework.’ they had suff ered to be made good. ‘What is real democracy?’, asked Wei on a Based on her speeches and writings in defence of Kurdish rights, Lela Zana, poster, attracting attention and the wrath of the Chinese Government. together with three other Kurdish MPs of the pro-Kurdish Party for Democracy, When, in 1979, he called Deng Xiaoping a dictator in the mould of , was charged with being affi liated to the PKK, and sentenced to 15 years’ he was arrested, convicted of counter-revolutionary crimes at a show trial and imprisonment by the Ankara State Security Court in December 1994. sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment and hard labour. The government off ered in 1997 to release her for health reasons, but Zana After his release in 1993, Wei Jingsheng did not give up. He set up links with the refused. ‘I hope to see a general amnesty for all political prisoners. I do not wish Western media and continued to denounce the fl agrant human rights violations to be released on health grounds while my political friends remain in captivity.’ in China. In 1994 he vanished into police custody, and at the end of 1995 he After the retrial in 2003, which – like the fi rst trial – was considered by the was once again sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment for plotting to overthrow European Court of Human Rights as not being fair and independent, the court Communism. His health steadily deteriorated as a result of inhuman prison decided that the former Kurdish MPs should serve the remainder of their prison conditions and ill-treatment by fellow prisoners. sentences. On 16 November 1997, as a result of persistent international pressure, Wei However, on 9 June 2004 Turkey’s Appeal Court decided to revoke the verdicts Jingsheng was released from prison and deported to the USA. As chairman of the and overturn the sentences. On 14 October 2004, Lela Zana was fi nally able to Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition (OCDC), founded in 1998, and though his address a European Parliament plenary session in person at a special ceremony own Wei Jingsheng Foundation, he is still campaigning to achieve his overriding in Brussels. In December 2008, Lela Zana was sentenced to another 10 years of objective: human rights and democracy in China. imprisonment by a Turkish court for allegedly spreading terrorist propaganda Not imprisoned, awaiting the fi nal outcome of the trial, she was able to address the Conference of Presidents of the Parliament in April 2009. On 28 July 2009, at the 4th Diyarbakir High Criminal Court, Lela Zana was sentenced to 15 months in prison because of a speech she had made at SOAS in the University of London.

14 Ghezali isaBoardSalima memberoftheEuro-Mediterranean (EMHRF). Foundationto Defenders HumanRights ofSupport in thefuture. In 2002, shortly before publication of ‘La Nation’ was to resume, she confirmed that the weekly magazine would continue to campaign for the opening up of Algeria to democracy they seekto circumvent censorship andescapethemurderous wrath oftheiropponents. at1996, April 25 presson hearing a On freedom byheld Europeanthe Parliament, Ghezali pressuresand fear the described Salima to areAlgeria in journalists which exposed if that civilisation winsoutover barbarism.’ ensuring of means best the are exercisingvigilance and society human our of foundations the form which principles the that tosayingattention ‘Drawingby reacted Ghezali The appearance in ‘Le Monde Diplomatique’ of her report on the human rights situation in Algeria prompted the authorities to order the closure of her magazine in 1996. Salima of tens of lives the cost has which Algeria, thousands ofpeople,in includingmany journalists. Asaresult, shebecameatargetcrisis forcriticismfrom boththeAlgerianauthoritiesandIslamicextremists. the to solution democratic and peaceful a for called constantly articles Her censorship. of Nation’,issues ‘La magazine she on weekly focused the increasingly of publisher as 1994, After Algeria. in democracy and rights human for campaigner committed a became activist women’srights The founder memberof ‘Womena ofEurope andtheMaghreb’as women’salia Algerian intermovement, of andaseditor-in-chief the ‘NYSSA’,in involved became she 1980s the thewomen’sIn 1958. publication sheherselfhadfounded.in Algiers near born was Prize, Sakharov the of winner 1997 the Ghezali, Salima 1997 Ibrahim Rugova was asthefi elected rst President ofKosovo. President 2006. Rugova diedofcancer on21January 2002 March In underground. go to forced was himself Rugova Priština. in murdered was Agani, Fehmi negotiations, peace the in Rugova’sMarchadviser key28 On months. chief the as agreement peace Rambouillet the negotiatorsigned for the KosovoRugova Albanians. Belgrade’sIbrahim 1999 refusal to Marchendorse the agreement led 18 on 24 March to on the launch of NATOpeace, through attacks on only Yugoslaviaself-determination which were achieveintended to last couldthree people his that Convinced and offer Kosovo protection. pressure its up step to community international the urging in falteredpeople’snever his He cause.to opinion worldover win endeavouredto he time, same the At Belgrade. with dialogue into enter to willingness reiteratinghis constantlyregime, Serbian the to opposition non-violent on based approach pacifihis Theto doggedly stuck Rugova st Kosovo, andin1998theyconfirmed Ibrahim Rugova asPresident oftheirself-proclaimed ‘Republic ofKosovo’. and opposition leaders were arrested. KosovoIn 1990 the two the million Kosovo Albanians of adopted their own leader constitution, in 1991 in a elected referendum 97% being of them oppression,voted to beforefor subjected an themselvesindependent found Priština Albanians the Kosovo;of of province the of University status autonomous the the year,abolished 1989. That Belgrade in at (LDK) Alliance literatureDemocratic taught Kosovo, (Istog), Cerrca in 1944 December 2 on born was who Rugova, Ibrahim Dr to violence. Kosovothe of prizeleader the toIbrahimRugova,political Albanians.giving European the In the Parliament peacefulresistanceof committedhonouredprinciple man to the a In 1998, as the armed confl betweenict Serbian units and the Kosovo Liberation Army escalated, the European Parliament sent out a message by awarding the Sakharov Prize to 1998 IBRAHIM RUGOVA SALIMA GHEZALI 15 SAKHAROV PRIZE FOR FREEDOM OF THOUGHT 1999 2000 JOSÉ ALEXANDRE ‘XANANA’ GUSMÃO BASTA YA! Xanana Gusmão was born on 20 June 1946 in Laleia, East Timor. When the The pressure group BASTA YA (Stop it now), which was granted consultative status Portuguese withdrew, Indonesia began a policy of destabilising East Timor. On with the United Nations Economic and Social Council in July 2004, consists of 7 December 1975, Indonesia invaded. Gusmão went underground and in 1978 people who work for basic human rights, democracy and tolerance in the Basque became leader of the military wing of the Revolutionary Front for the Independence country. Members of the group come from diff erent ideological backgrounds but of East Timor (FRETILIN). agree on three principles: The violence which accompanied the invasion cost an estimated 200 000 lives, - They actively oppose terrorism. but failed to break the people’s determination to resist. Xanana Gusmão sought - They support all victims of terrorism and political violence. to secure a peaceful solution to the confl ict by proposing a peace plan and talks under UN supervision to the Indonesian Government. In 1986 he managed to bring - They uphold the rule of law, as enshrined in the Constitution and Statute of together the various political and social groupings to form the Timorese National Autonomy. Resistance Council (TNRC). On 20 November 1992 Xanana Gusmão was arrested. He Fundamental freedoms and human rights are under threat in the Basque country was sentenced to life imprisonment, subsequently reduced to 20 years, on charges from terrorism by ETA and related groups. Thousands of people have been victims of separatism and illegal possession of arms and ultimately, in February 1999, of intimidation, extortion, blackmail and attacks, with families and property also placed under house arrest. Even the imprisonment of Xanana Gusmão, who is also targeted. They are unable to express themselves freely or exercise their rights known as the ‘Mandela of Timor’, failed to break the opposition in East Timor. In without taking great risks. releasing Xanana Gusmão on 7 September 1999 – shortly after the referendum of The members of BASTA YA are risking their lives to fi ght terrorism and the only 30 August, in which 80% of the population of East Timor had voted for independence ‘weapon’ they have is the peaceful mobilisation of the people to protect their basic – Indonesia’s President Habibie was responding to massive international pressure. freedoms. BASTA YA wants to raise awareness through actions designed to display Xanana Gusmão, who has become a symbol of resistance in East Timor and the solidarity with all those who oppose terrorism and support democratic values. embodiment of the hopes of the international solidarity movement, said on his release: ‘As a free man, I promise to do everything in my power to bring peace to In March 2002 the group’s spokesman, Fernando Savater, told the European East Timor and my people’. In April 2002 the fi rst free presidential elections were Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Aff airs that, after 25 years of daily struggle, the held in East Timor. Xanana Gusmão was elected with almost 83% of the votes and people have had enough and, in the last ten years, 10% of the population have the same year he received the North-South Prize of the . On 20 already left the Basque country. May 2002 Kofi Annan offi cially declared the Democratic Republic of East Timor an In July 2004 BASTA YA gained a consultative status with the United Nations independent state. While José Xanana Gusmão served as President of East Timor Economic and Social Council. until May 2007, he became Prime Minister of the country following the legislative elections of 30 June 2007. In 2008 Xanana Gusmão has survived an assasination attempt against him and remains Prime minister of East Timor until today.

16 Izzat Ghazzawi diedon4April2003. Israelis whichbecamehugelysuccessful. the and Palestinians the between relations on book Olivierophotographer the Toscani,a and published he B.Yehoshua Abraham writer Israeli the Togetherwith the Israeli people. with dialogue political and cultural seek to continued always Ghazzawi Izzat tragedy, this Despite friend. the in wounded a killed help to went he as school washis of courtyard Ramy 16. aged Ramy, son his of His life was marked by the murder, by the Israeli Army, authorities asaresult ofhispoliticalactivities. Israeli the by occasions of number a on punished and imprisoned was He 1995. in Stavanger in Expression of Freedom for Prize International the awarded was and Peace and Justice for Council Palestinian the of IzzatExecutivethe Ghazzawiof wasmember a Bureau International Writers’ Conference inPalestine (1997). organisedand critic chairedand was literary fia the stories, rst short and novels wrote Writers, Palestinian of Union the chaired master’sHe literature. English a in degree held and University a Birzeit was at Ghazzawi professor Izzat 1951, in born Palestinian A 2001 IZZAT GHAZZAWI rights ofindividualcitizens. into the energy required to find ways of respecting the pain has not been transformed into hatred, but their instead enemies; into personal them turned not Their have tragedies Israelis. confl and ict the Palestinians to between solution peaceful negotiated, a of Izzat commitment, hope the embody Peled-Elhanan their Nurit and Ghazzawi and lives their Through still alive by saying “enough isenough”. are who children those save to together work to and troops,nations,of insteadof insteadindividuals again individuals become to us for ... time high is It ... ideals of misuse terrible the oppose to how and ideals false recognise to how teach to time is It ... terms military and political in ratherthan criminality of terms in East Middle the in defihappening high we is that what time ne is ‘It said Peled-Elhanan Nurit 2004, 4 February on Rimini in pupils school secondary to Speaking Palestinian Bereaved Families Forum. hatred Israeli- conflthe fuels and founded Peled-Elhanan Nurit ict. and others of rights to the refuses acknowledge which policy sighted who short those a implement by borne responsibility the on focused which speeches made but despair to in give not did Nurit killed, was daughter her bomber.When suicide Palestinian a by Jerusalem West in out carried attack an in killed was Smadar, daughter, 14-year-old Her his eff to foster peace andprogress.orts for renowned is Peled,who Matti General famous the is father Her footing. equal an on side by side exist to States two and peoples two of right the acknowledge clearly who and confl ict the to a solution to negotiated committed literature. are who comparative Israelis all is represents of She Peled-Elhanan professor Nurit university 1949, a in born Israeli An NURIT PELEDELHANAN and lastingnational reconciliation. law of rule the of implementation the rights, human and freedoms fundamental for of respect realisation democracy, the for (COIEPA) Angola in Peace for Committee Ecumenical the and diocese his through actively work to continues and he but Angola (CEAST) Tome of São Conference Bishops’ the of resigned chair Kamwenho as Zacarias Archbishop 2003 In leaders. civil and religious other and Kamwenho Zacarias Dom by conducted campaign the to attributed be largely can democratisation the for and support of talks climate peace general the Savimbi, Jonas the of after killing 2002 in about came which ceasefire The his of recognition untiring eff in forpeace. orts prize Sakharov the wasawarded he 2001 In war. civil of years 26 after dialogue political through peace lasting achieve to eff ort an conflthe in of ict parties all impartial to views fidetermined and rm, his Dom expressed 1995, 1961, Kamwenho in Lubango Zacarias in of ordained Chimbundo Archbishop made 1934, in and in Born Angola) movement. (Huambo, peace this vanguard of the in is Kamwenho Zacarias Archbishop ‘inclusive nationalreconciliation’. of eff orts church leaders and the various civil society bodies to foster by encouraged people, Angolan among the increase to began rights human and peace fifor to ght need the of awareness renewed 1999 In DOM ZACARIAS KAMWENHO ZACARIAS DOM 17 SAKHAROV PRIZE FOR FREEDOM OF THOUGHT 2002 OSWALDO JOSÉ PAYÁ SARDIÑAS In 2002 the European Parliament awarded the Sakharov Prize to the founder of the Movimiento Cristiano Liberación (Christian Liberation Movement), Oswaldo José Payá Sardiñas, born in 1952, thus honouring his undeterred commitment to national dialogue and democratic change in Cuba. Despite being persecuted and condemned since his youth for his criticism of Fidel Castro’s policy, his commitment is unwavering. In 1997 Payá Sardiñas drew up the Varela project calling for a national referendum on freedom of expression and assembly, free pluralist elections, the release of all political prisoners, and economic and social reforms. In so doing Payá Sardiñas demonstrated his support for the goal of bringing about political change using existing legal means. He and his supporters succeeded in gathering 25 000 signatures and presenting the project to the National Assembly of People’s Power in May 2002. For the fi rst time, the opposition came together to support the manifesto ‘Todos Unidos’ (All Together). In March 2003, 75 Cubans – two thirds of whom had been active in the campaign for a referendum – were sentenced to long-term prison sentences for off ences against national independence and territorial integrity. In his address to the European Parliament, Oswaldo José Payá Sardiñas pledged a commitment that the Cuban Government’s repression would not halt the campaign, as the Cuban people wanted change without violence. In July 2003, 200 Members of the European Parliament put their signatures to the ‘Sakharov initiative’ giving Oswaldo José Payá Sardiñas an assurance of their continuing support. In 2003, Payá and other leaders launched a National Dialogue process in which over 12 000 Cubans on and off the island discussed their visions for Cuba’s future. Their comments and suggestions were systematically collected and included into the Program for All Cubans presented by Payá to the public in 2006 as a contribution to a peaceful and democratic transition. A resolution adopted on the 21 June 2007 by the European Parliament reiterated the need to follow-up on the laureate by inviting him to the European Parliament or sending a European Parliament delegation to meet him in Cuba. Invited along all the other Sakharov Laureates to the European Parliament in 2008, José Payá Sardiñas was not allowed to leave his country and as a result to participate in the Conference celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Sakharov Prize.

18 a resolution ofthecrisiswhereby President signedacoalition Mwai government Odinga Kibaki andRaila agreement 2008. inFebruary Panelthe of head As Eminentof African Personalities, negotiationsthe in to participated Annan unrestcivil the end Kenyain at succesfullyand 2008 of beginning the achieved their wisdom,independent leadershipandintegrity to tacklingsomeoftheworld’s toughest problems». focuses. Amongst others, he was appointed president of the Global Humanitarian Forum in Geneva and became a member of the Global Elders,African a and group of global leaders «to both contribute having organizations several with involvedKofi been 2007, has January Annan in General Secretary fiUN two the completing as After terms ve-year with majorhumanrights offenders deal and rights,fundamental protect and promoteto body’s world machinery the strengthen to aiming and Rights., Human on Commission old the replaceCouncil,to Rights «In larger freedom» where he outlined his vision for a comprehensive and extensive reform of the UN. This resulted, among others, in the creation in March 2006 of a new Human KofiUN, the of anniversary 60th forthcoming the of view In refla launched Annan presentedreformhe the 2005, on In UN. the of ection toGeneralreport UN the the Assembly agents who, asKofi whileserving Annan’s specialrepresentative inIraq, was killed in2003alongwithotherUNoffi inBaghdad.cials inanattack ontheUNHeadquarters The Prize was awarded of Sergio in special memory Vieirade Mello, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and one of representativesthe worthiest of the UN them have. of many diffiand under lives often their peace, staffworldlosing Nations for of Unitedtirelessly risk worksthe the who honours Prizerun conditions. SakharovThey Thecult United Nations mustconfront allthesethreats at once.’ topoverty,tackle disease, climate spreadarms.change,the small wework and of And also will together to fi ghtterrorism spreadthe weaponsdestruction. and of mass of The In the era of globalisation eff orts have been made under Kofi Annan’s leadership to develop the UN into a more efficient instrument for andtheruleoflaw aroundglobal ofdemocracy theworld. and insupport needs: ‘We will continue our eff orts In awarding the 2003 Sakharov Prize to the United Nations, the European Parliament gave recognition to UN in action favour of peace, human rights and fundamental freedoms ofSergio Vieira deMello andthemanyin specialmemory otherUNo cials whohave losttheirlives for inexecution peaceintheworld. oftheirservice 2003 UN SECRETARY GENERAL, KOFI ANNAN AND ALL THE STAFF OF THE UNITED NATIONS UNITED THE OF STAFF THE ALL AND ANNAN KOFI GENERAL, SECRETARY UN 19 SAKHAROV PRIZE FOR FREEDOM OF THOUGHT 2004 THE BELARUSIAN ASSOCIATION OF JOURNALISTS The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) occupies a pre-eminent position among the prize winners for its commitment to the cause of freedom of speech and the promotion of independent and professional journalism in Belarus. Representing almost 1 000 media workers, the Association works under extremely diffi cult conditions to protect the legitimate rights of journalists, who are not uncommonly the victims of intimidation, harassment, criminal prosecution and expatriation. In a number of individual cases, prompt intervention by the BAJ has enabled those responsible for death threats against journalists to be brought to account. Despite the lack of an independent judiciary, the BAJ’s lawyers have frequently been successful in representing journalists and the media in court. The Association also plays an important role as an observer, documenting confl icts between government authorities and the non-government media, advising newspapers and inviting the authorities to adopt equivalent measures. Journalists are also continuously striving to improve the high, professional standard. An important part of the Association’s work involves increasing public awareness of the constitutional right to freedom of information and of how people can exercise their rights. To this end the BAJ is working to prevent the adoption of a new repressive media law. Through its Law Center for Media Protection, the BAJ is working to improve the current regulatory framework. On 3 May 2005, World Press Freedom Day, the Association called for support for the independent press in Belarus as the only source – given the situation in the country – of up to- date and comprehensive information for the citizens of Belarus on what is happening in the country and the rest of the world. The Belarusian Association of Journalists continues, despite the hostility of the regime and harsh conditions it encounters, to work for the promotion of independet journalism and freedom of speech in Belarus.

2005 LADIES IN WHITE The Ladies in White from Cuba were one of the three laureates of the Sakharov Prize in 2005. With the award, the European Parliament recognised their courage and commitment to the cause of human rights in Cuba and drew attention to the continuing detention of the 75 political dissidents imprisoned since March 2003 mostly for simply criticising the lack of political freedom in the country. In Cuba, speaking out against the government is a subversive act punished by up to 25 years in prison. Any attempt to forget about the prisoners has failed as their wives, mothers and daughters have brought international attention to their situation through their peaceful protest. They call themselves the Ladies in White (‘Damas de Blanco’) and were formed as a spontaneous movement in early 2004. They are not a political party or bound to a political organisation of any type. By wearing white to symbolise innocence and purity they act like the Argentinian women who used a similar tactic in the 1970s to demand information about their children who went missing during the military dictatorship. These women, the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo, won the Sakharov Prize in 1992. Every Sunday, the Ladies in White attend religious services in the Church of Santa Rita, after which they peacefully walk down Havana’s Fifth Avenue, fl owers in hand, calling for the liberation of their loved ones and for all those arbitrarily incarcerated on the island. Initially, they started writing letters to the Cuban authorities but they did not get a single reply. It is the fi rst time in 47 years that women in Cuba have gone out into the street to protest against unjust imprisonment. Despite having been threatened and insulted, the Ladies in White continue to stand up for the rights of Cuban political prisoners and the dignity of all Cuban people. The most serious attack on them was 20 March 2004 - Palm Sunday - when they were assaulted and insulted by members of the pro-government Federation of Cuban Women. Their demand for justice and their call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners is carried forward by a peaceful struggle. They are united in their anguish in the face of the appalling conditions their loved ones as prisoners are suff ering. The Ladies in White have called for solidarity amongst all peoples for their cause.

20 a plenary session. a plenary atin person Ladies attend.White.receivePrizein tothe torightthe handed their EuropeanThebeen on ToParliament not insist to continuesPrizeSakharovhas date, the this currently living in Spain. The same situation occurred on the occasion of the conference celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Sakharov Prize, which the Ladies in White couldn’t The Cuban authorities did not authorise the representatives to leave to receive the country the Prize in Strasbourg. They were represented by Blanca Reyes, one of their activists the of ceremony the at EuropeanWhite in Parliament inStrasbourg.Ladies the of behalf on Prize the receive to group the by selected were Saínz, Fernández Adolfo of wife the Núnez, Julia and Fuente,Felipe Alfredo of LoydaMoya,wife Valdés,Ángel the of wife Soler,the Berta Chepe, Espinosa Oscar of wife the Leiva, Miriam Maseda, Héctor of wife the Pollán, Laura women:Five Today, Hauwa’sNigerian causeresonates beyond Nigeria’sthe borders. Butforherthemostdiffias well as taskisyetlawcult to beachieved, that ofmaking hervoice heard inherown country.Sharia by guaranteed rights substantive and procedural the Constitution andthat theinternational humanrights treaties respect are to whichNigeriaissignatory observed. to courts Sharia the requires law Sharia that successfully argued Hauwa said. ‘My isto onlyobjective have humanbeingrespected, thefundamental rights ofeachandevery like theruleoflaw andtheright to afairtrial.’ HauwaiconicbecomefiIbrahiman has courts. fromIslamic banned in is gure,pleading She makescharisma uncomfortable. her some but commentKoran’,not the do on ‘I she as women sentenced to flogging oryoung boys sentenced to amputation fortheft. made it possible to save the lives of Amina Lawa, Safiya Hussaini and Hafsatu Abukabar. She was equally heavily involved in other cases of cruel and inhuman punishment, thatsuch opinion internationalpublic arouseto ability her was stoning.It by death to subjected and adultery of haveinvolvedaccused womenwhich of manycases, 47 in counsel defence as charge workedfree-of has Ibrahim Hauwa 1999, Since down. handed be to continuemoment, the for out carried not sentences,although Death Nigeria. of states northern 12 in applied is which law Sharia Islamic under condemnedare who people defending practice: extraordinary an as described be only can what up built has Ibrahim Hauwa fifundamentalism. to religioustirelessly worksfor herself,ght Muslim a as up brought was who Ibrahim, Hauwa ignorance. on feeds fundamentalism and - hand in hand go greatest illiteracy the deprivation.and Povertyfacing those for defence a as empowermentwomenand the of in education of importance awarethe acutely of is She She describesthistimeasamongthebestofherlife, becauseshewas ableto relate to thegrass roots that shecamefrom. As one of only a few women lawyers practising in Nigeria, northern her work took her into the rural hinterland, where she had to travel by camel or donkey to get to the villages. school, butsherefusedended at primary thisdestiny. village, the daughter of a Mullah. A career as a lawyer was not supposed to figure in her destiny.poor small, a At in the age born of was12 she She wassons. twosupposed to of get mother married and a her studies and ought Abuja,Nigeria, to fromhave lawyer rights human year-old 37 a HauwaIbrahim, was winners PrizeSakharov 2005 the of One HAUWA IBRAHIM 21 SAKHAROV PRIZE FOR FREEDOM OF THOUGHT REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS 2006 Reporters Without Borders - one of the three Sakharov Prize laureates in 2005 - ALIAKSANDR MILINKEVICH campaigns for press freedom around the world, defends and supports journalists and other media workers who are victims of persecution and censorship. Aliaksandr Milinkevich, born in 1947 in the city of Hrodna, has served as the leader of the democratic opposition in Belarus. According to Reporters Without Borders, more than a third of the world’s population live in countries where they do not enjoy press freedom. As of 18 October 2007, He was chosen to be the joint presidential candidate of the United Democratic 77 journalists have been killed worldwide while carrying out their work. Today, Opposition in October 2005, collecting more than 100,000 supporting signatures, around 130 journalists around the world are in prison and sometimes spend years and he was able to keep the Belarusian opposition together to form a common in jail simply for doing their job. Reporters Without Borders has been fi ghting such front against Aliaksandr Lukashenka throughout the campaign for the presidential practices for 20 years now. elections of 19 March 2006. Aliaksandr Milinkevich called for a truly democratic future for Belarus and presented himself as a real alternative to the authoritarianism Reporters Without Borders, kept on constant alert via its network of over 120 of Lukashenka. correspondents, rigorously condemns any attack on press freedom world-wide by keeping the media and public opinion informed through press releases and public- His diplomatic approach to negotiation and cautious public appearances helped awareness campaigns. Not only does it highlight the moral arguments against him to build fi rm international support for his struggle. The results of the elections restrictions of press freedom, censorship and persecution of the press but also off ers were assessed by the European Union as neither free nor fair, and furthermore, practical assistance to journalists who work in war zones. subject to fraud. Mr Milinkevich offi cially received 6% of the votes, but unoffi cial reports state that his popular support was much higher. In January 2002, when it created the Damocles Network, Reporters Without Borders acquired a judicial arm. In order to ensure that murderers and journalist torturers The human rights situation in Belarus has deteriorated since the elections of March are brought to trial, the Network provides victims with legal services and represents 2006. The authorities have enacted a law criminalizing behaviour deemed critical to them in court. the state. The silencing and imprisonment of journalists, activists, and other critics found to be politically inconvenient by the current regime still continues. The organisation’s initiatives are being carried out on fi ve continents through its national branches and regional offi ces, in close cooperation with local and regional In April 2006, Mr Milinkevich was himself imprisoned for 15 days, together with press freedom organisations. other opposition members, for taking part in an ‘unsanctioned rally’, a peaceful demonstration in Minsk, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. In Reporters Without Borders’ trilingual website keeps a daily tally of attacks on press a growingly hostile political environment Alaksandr Milinkevich has been arrested freedom worldwide and off ers the opportunity of signing online petitions in support several times in recent years but no charges were fi led against him. of imprisoned journalists. To circumvent censorship, it occasionally publishes articles which have been banned in their country of origin, hosts newspapers that Mr Milinkevich is committed to continuing his fi ght for a democratic future in his have been closed down in their homeland and serves as a forum for journalists who country, and for the return of fundamental rights to the Belarusian people, despite have been ‘silenced’ by the authorities of their country. a diffi cult political climate. On 10 December every year, the association awards the ‘The Reporters Without Borders – Foundation of France Prize’ to journalists for their outstanding contribution to the cause of press freedom in their country.

22 implementation oftheprovisions oftheinterim constitution. throughlawthe of rule promotingthe on focuses Parliament.reformand Sudanese legal worksthe on He of member opposition an as served has Osman Salih Mr 2006, Since persecuted detainedseveral forhisactions, times, heldincommunicado andtortured. was himself Osman Mr . the suffhaveby family ownaction his of resultof a Members cost.as ered Osman’spersonal Mr a at ficome has Sudan in injustice against ght involvedalso actively intheprotection ofover whohave 2millionSudanese beenforced to abandontheirhomes. is He crime.war a prosecutedhaveas torape campaign a in engaged are they and - region Darfur the in particularly - havethattakenplace crimes cataloguing in active been government,SOATsuccessful with Sudanese been charged the byhas those and of SOAT and reducingOsman sentencesor amputationMr todeathor overturning in have also Over two decades during Sudan’s various civil wars Mr Osman has risked his own life to provide legal and medical aid to the victims of the confl ict. He fi ghts court cases on behalf bytortured government theSudanese andwhoseonlycrimeisthat theyopposegovernment policiesorshare astherebel thesameethnicity movements inDarfur. and detained arbitrarily been have who people to representation legal free(«SOAT») Tortureprovideagainst Organisationto Sudan the with working lawyer a is Osman Mr 2007 an April2009prisonvisitwithHuJia,noted that hishealthisdeteriorating becauseofinadequate nutritionandmedicalcare. Hu Jia, who suffers from cirrhosis of the liver and reportedly is not receiving regular visits or medical attention, remains imprisoned until today and Hu’s wife Zheng Jinyan, after with Chineseauthorities. Protests againsthisarrest have come from allover theworld. The European Parliament passedaresolution demandingHu’s release, andAmericanofficials have raised thecase with «incitingsubversion ofstate power», andsentenced on3April2008to years three-and-a-half injail. the China”.be in 2008 desirethatrightsexpressed his human he “yearof Europeanthe Parliament,arrested,of was members addressJia tocharged his Hu result of direct a As statement,his In Rights. Human on Subcommittee the of meeting public a Europeanduring Parliamentconferencethe call via of Members spoketo he November2007 26 On were placed backunderhousearrest oncharges of«harmingstate HuJiaremained viaemailsandblogs, security». active even whilsthewas underhousearrest. Hu Jia has often been persecuted for his actions. From February 2006 until March 2007 he was held under house arrest and two months later, on 18 May 2007, Hu Jia and his wife Square massacre, aswell HIV/AIDSadvocacy asraising environmental concerns. offian for calls on focused has 1989 Tiananmenwork the His intodissident. and inquiry activist cial rights human Chinese prominent a is , in 1973 July 25 born Jia, Hu 2008 HU JIA SALIH MAHMOUD MOHAMED OSMAN 23 SAKHAROV PRIZE FOR FREEDOM OF THOUGHT PARLEMENT EUROPEEN PARLEMENT EUROPEEN PARLEMENT EUROPEEN EUROPEES PARLEMENT Plateau du Kirchberg Allée du Printemps Rue Wiertz, 60, B-1047 BRUXELLES BP 1601 BP 1024/F Wiertzstraat, 60, B-1047 BRUSSEL L-2929 LUXEMBOURG F-67070 STRASBOURG CEDEX Tel: +32/2.284 2111 Tel: +352/4300 1 Tel: +33/388. 17 4001 Fax: +32/2.230 6933 Fax: +352/4300 24842 Fax: +33/388. 17 4860

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БЪЛГАРИЯ DEUTSCHLAND ÉIRE/IRELAND SOFIA BERLIN DUBLIN Moskovska Street 9 Unter den Linden 78 Molesworth Street 43 BG-1000 SOFIA D-10117 BERLIN IRL-DUBLIN 2 Tel: +359/2.985 3545 Tel: +49/30.2280 1000 Tel: +353/1.605 7900 Fax: +359/2.981 9944 Fax: +49/30.2280 1111 Fax: +353/1.605 7999 E-mail: epsofi [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.europarl.europa.eu/sofi a Internet: www.europarl.de Internet: www.europarl.ie

ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA MÜNCHEN ΕΛΛΑΣ PRAHA Erhardtstraße 27 AΘΗΝΑΙ Jungmannova ul. 24 D-80469 MÜNCHEN Leof. Amalias 8 CZ-110 00 PRAHA 1 Tel: +49/89.2020 8790 GR-10557 ATHINAI Tel: +420/2.557 08208 Fax: +49/89.2020 87973 Tel: +30/210.32 78900 Fax: +420/2.557 08200 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +30/210.33 11540 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.europarl.de E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.evropsky-parlament.cz Internet: www.europarl.gr

24 ESPAÑA MARSEILLE LATVIJA MADRID Rue Henri Barbusse 2 RIGA Paseo de la Castellana 46 F-13241 MARSEILLE Aspāzijas bulvāris 28 E–28046 MADRID Tel: +33/(0)4.961 15290 LV-1050 RÏGA Tel: +34/91.436 4747 Fax: +33/(0)4.919 09503 Tel: +371/7.08 5460 Fax: +34/91.578 3171 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +371/7.08 5470 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.europarl.europa.eu/marseille E-mail:[email protected] Internet: www.europarl.es Internet: www.europarl.lv ITALIA BARCELONA ROMA LIETUVA Passeig de Gràcia 90 1° Via IV Novembre 149 E-08008 BARCELONA I-00187 ROMA Naugarduko Street 10 Tel: +34/93.272 2044 Tel: +39/06.699 501 LT-01141 VILNIUS Fax: +34/93.272 2045 Fax: +39/06.699 50200 Tel: +370/5.212 0766 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +370/5.261 9828 Internet: www.europarl.es Internet: www.europarl.it E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.europarl.lt FRANCE MILANO PARIS Corso Magenta 59 LUXEMBOURG Bd Saint Germain 288 I-20123 MILANO LUXEMBOURG F-75341 PARIS CEDEX 07 Tel: +39/02.43 44171 Rue du Marché-aux-Herbes 7 Tel: +33/(0)1.406 34000 Fax: +39/02.43 4417500 L-1728 Luxembourg Fax: +33/(0)1.455 15253 E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +352/4.300 22596/7 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.europarl.it Fax: +352/4.300 22457 Internet: www.europarl.europa.eu/paris E-mail: [email protected] KYPROS STRASBOURG NICOSIA MAGYARORSZÁG Centre de Presse - BP 1024 Vyronos Avenue 30 BUDAPEST F-67070 STRASBOURG CEDEX CY-1096 NICOSIA DEÁK PALOTA, Deák Ferenc u. 15 Tel: +33/(0)3.881 74001 Tel: +357/22.870 500 H-1052 BUDAPEST Fax: +33/(0)3.881 75184 Fax: +357/22.767 733 Tel: +36/1.411 3540 Email: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +36/1.411 3560 Internet: www.europarl.europa.eu/nicosia E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.europarl.hu SAKHAROV THOUGHT FREEDOM OF PRIZE FOR

25 MALTA PORTUGAL SUOMI/ VALLETTA LISBOA HELSINKI/HELSINGFORS 280 Republic Street Largo Jean Monnet 1-6 Pohjoisesplanadi 31/ VLT- 1112 VALLETTA P-1269-070 LISBOA Norra esplanaden 31 Tel: +356/21.23 5075 Tel: +351/21.350 4900 FI-00100 HELSINKI/HELSINGFORS Fax: +356/21.23 0661 Fax: +351/21.354 0004 Tel: +358/(0)9.622 0450 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +358/(0)9.622 2610 Internet: www.europarl.europa.eu/valletta Internet: www.parleurop.pt E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.europarl.fi NEDERLAND ROMÂNIA DEN HAAG BUCURESTI SVERIGE Korte Vijverberg 6 Strada Boteanu 1, Sector 1 STOCKHOLM NL-2513 AB DEN HAAG RO-010027 BUCURESTI Europaparlamentet Tel: +31/70.313 5400 Tel: +40/21.315 7986 Regeringsgatan 65, 6 tr. Fax: +31/70.364 7001 Fax: +40/21.315 7929 S-111 56 Stockholm E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +46/(0)8.562 44455 Internet: www.europeesparlement.nl Internet: www.europarl.europa.eu/bucuresti Fax: +46/(0)8.562 44499 E-mail: [email protected] ÖSTERREICH SLOVENIJA Internet: www.europarl.se WIEN LJUBLJANA Kärntner Ring 5-7 Breg 14 A-1010 WIEN SI-1000 LJUBLJANA LONDON Tel: +43/1.516 170 Tel: +386/(0)1.252 8830 Queen Anne’s Gate 2 Fax: +43/1.513 2515 Fax: +386/(0)1.252 8840 UK - LONDON SWIH 9AA E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44/207.227 4300 Internet: www.europarl.at Internet: www.europarl.si Fax: +44/207.227 4302 E-mail: [email protected] POLSKA SLOVENSKÁ REPUBLIKA Internet: www.europarl.org.uk WARSZAWA BRATISLAVA Ul. Jasna 14/16a Palisády 29 EDINBURGH PL-00-041 WARSZAWA SK-811 06 BRATISLAVA The Tun, 4 Jackson’s Entry, Holyrood Road Tel: +48/22.595 2470 Tel: +421/(0)2.5920 3297 UK - EDINBURGH EH8 8PJ Fax: +48/22.595 2480 Fax: +421/(0)2.5464 8013 Tel: +44/131.557 7866 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +44/131.557 4977 Internet: www.europarl.europa.eu/warszawa Internet: www.europskyparlament.sk E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.europarl.org.uk

26 2009 EN BD 31 09 191 EN C

2009 www.europarl.europa.eu/sakharov