Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards

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