On 18 October, 2023 European Parliament published the names of the finalists of the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. For more on this and other awards, see: https://www.trueheroesfilms.org/thedigest/awards/BDE3E41A-8706-42F1-A6C5-ECBBC4CDB449. The finalists were chosen in a vote by the foreign affairs and development committees on 12 October.

The 2023 Sakharov Prize finalists are:

• Jina Mahsa Amini and the Woman, Life Freedom Movement in Iran. see also: https://www.trueheroesfilms.org/thedigest/laureates/3dd8cad0-651a-44b5-ada6-0f53d2aa5eab as well as https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2023/09/15/iran-one-year-after-uprising-in-iran-the-international-community-must-combat-impunity-says-amnesty/
• Vilma Núñez de Escorcia [see: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2021/12/24/vilma-nunez-human-rights-defender-who-stays-in-nicaragua/]and Bishop Rolando José Álvarez Lagos from Nicaragua 
• Women fighting for a free, safe and legal abortion in Poland, El Salvador and the US:  Justyna Wydrzyńska is a Polish women’s rights defender and member of the Abortion Dream Team, who was sentenced to eight months’ community service for helping a woman obtain an abortion in Poland. Morena Herrera is a feminist and social activist, advocating for safe and legal abortion access in El Salvador. Colleen McNicholas is an American obstetrician-gynaecologist with a strong track record of high-quality patient care and impactful reproductive health advocacy.

• 19 October: Parliament President Roberta Metsola and the political group leaders decide on the winner  
• 13 December: the Sakharov Prize award ceremony takes place in Strasbourg.

2023 Sakharov Prize: finalists chosen

This post was originally published on Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards.