Sakharov Prize

Home , Hu Jia (activist), Izzat Ghazzawi, Zacarias Kamwenho

1988-2008 BD-30-08-661-EN-D SAKHAROV PRIZE THE SAKHAROV PRIZE: FOR FREEDOM OF THOUGHT 20 YEARS OF SUPPORT FOR FREEDOM OF THOUGHT THE PRIZE WINNERS 1988 Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela and Anatoli Marchenko (Posthumously) The Sakharov Prize is 20 years old. This is an anniversary 1989 Alexander Dubček which prompts mixed feelings: though a sign that the 1990 Aung San Suu Kyi struggle in support of defenders of freedom of expres- 1991 Adem Demaçi sion and thought has lost none of its momentum, it is 1992 Las Madres De La Plaza De Mayo nonetheless a reminder that respect for human rights 1993 Oslobodjenje remains precariously balanced everywhere. 1994 Taslima Nasreen 1995 Leyla Zana Awarded by the European Parliament for the first time 1996 Wei Jingsheng 1988-2008 in 1988, the prize takes its name from Andreï Sakharov, 1997 Salima Ghezali winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975 for his defence 1998 Ibrahim Rugova of human rights and political victims. The Sakharov Prize 1999 Xanana Gusmão is awarded to individuals or organisations who fight 2000 ¡Basta Ya! for the right to think freely and to hold and express SAKHAROV 2001 Izzat Ghazzawi and convictions. Nurit Peled-Elhanan and These rights are the very basis of our individual and col- Dom Zacarias Kamwenho lective freedoms. When it becomes dangerous to think 2002 Oswaldo José Payá Sardiñas PRIZE in a different way from the governing power, there can 2003 Un Secretary General, FOR FREEDOM OF THOUGHT be no democracy. If people can die or be imprisoned for Kofi Annan and all the staff of expressing their opposition to a regime, the victory of The United Nations dictatorship is complete. 2004 Belarusian Association of Journalists The Sakharov Prize symbolises the European Parliament’s 2005 Ladies in white and support for all those who risk their lives and their freedom Hauwa Ibrahim and by refusing to be silent. It is one way in which European ReporTers without Borders parliamentary diplomacy can promote democracy in 2006 Aliaksandr Milinkevich the world. 2007 Salih Mahmoud Mohamed Osman This recognition gives strength and protection to the 2008 Hu Jia winners of the Sakharov Prize. It gives them a voice, and amplifies it, year after year, for as long as their struggle continues. 2008 Hu Jia

“Peace, progress, human rights - these three goals Born in freedom are insolubly linked to one another: it is impossible for human rights In 2006, Hu Jia paid a high price for his com- to achieve one of these goals if the other two are in China mitment. Forcibly detained by the Chinese ignored.” police for 41 days, he was then held under Born on 25 July 1973 in Beijing, Hu Jia is house arrest for a number of months. As early as 1975 Andrei Sakharov reminded us one of the most passionate defenders of of the intrinsic relation between human rights, human rights in the People’s Republic of His struggle then took on a new form. peace and development. Parliament created China. A determined activist, he is today Using the pseudonym ‘Freeborn’, Hu Jia the Sakharov prize twenty years ago to support guilty of supporting such causes as the disseminated various electronic messages and honour individuals who work, and often risk environment, HIV/AIDS and human rights. and made his views known in several their lives, on behalf of these goals. Over the past blogs. On 26 November 2007 he addressed 20 years, since 1988, the “Sakharov Prize – for His career as a militant began in 1996, Members of the European Parliament via Freedom of Thought”, has been awarded by the when he became involved in protests videoconference. European Parliament to people or organisations against desertification and the erosion of that have made a decisive contribution to the fight ecosystems in Tibet. On 27 December 2007 he was arrested at for human rights in their respective countries and his home on a charge of ‘incitement to sub- around the world. Contacts with social workers brought to vert the power of the State’. On 3 April 2008 his attention, in 2001, the scandalous situ- he was sentenced to three and a half years Much progress has been made since then. Several ation in rural areas of China, where the in prison. of the laureates who are celebrating the anniver- AIDS virus was causing people’s exclusion sary with us this year are now able to enjoy the as well as their deaths. Working in the field, Hu Jia is today fighting a lone battle against freedom and justice they fought for. Others, how- he became involved in prevention, help- disease from his prison cell. He is suffering ever, carry on their heroic struggle and continue ing sufferers and providing support for from cirrhosis of the liver and has no regu- to suffer from repression or enforced exile. Hu Jia, orphans. lar medical treatment. this year’s Sakharov Prize Laureate, is certainly one of them. Hu Jia also campaigned for respect for The arbitrary arrest of Hu Jia has prompted individual rights as part of the ‘barefoot numerous reactions worldwide. By award- This year, as we celebrate twenty years of the lawyers movement’. ing him the Sakharov Prize, Parliament Sakharov Prize, Hu Jia could be held up as a would be making a powerful gesture of reminder of the violation of human rights in China. A ‘child of Tiananmen’, his repeated calls for recognition of the daily struggle for free- But we might also see in him a symbol of resist- an official enquiry into the 1989 massacre dom of all supporters of human rights in ance to injustice. and for compensation for victims and their China. families have cost him his liberty on several occasions.