The President of the European Parliament announced this year's Sakharov Prize laureates.

This year's laureates of the Sakharov Prize, according to the decision of the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament, are Venezuelans Maria Corina Machado – leader of democratic forces, and the president elected by the people, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia. This was announced at a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg by its President, Roberta Metsola, reports Ukrinform.

«The award for freedom of thought was given to Maria Corina Machado, leader of the democratic forces of Venezuela, and the newly elected president Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who represents all Venezuelans in the country and abroad fighting for the restoration of freedom and democracy in the face of injustice», – announced Metsola.

She added that this parliament stands with the people of Venezuela and their struggle for a democratic future for their country.

«This award is for them, and we are confident that Venezuela and democracy will eventually prevail», – she added.

It is worth noting that both winners are victims of repression by the Venezuelan authorities. After the presidential elections in July last year, in which, according to the opposition, Gonzalez Urrutia won, Maria Machado is in hiding, and Urrutia was forced to flee to Spain, where he received political asylum.

The finalists this year also included Azerbaijani activist Gubad Ibadoglu and the organizations «Women for Peace» and «Women of the Sun» (Israel/Palestine).

The award ceremony will take place on December 18 in Strasbourg.

About the Sakharov Prize

The Andrei Sakharov Prize «For Freedom of Thought» is the EU's highest award for human rights activities, recognizing those who contribute to the defense of freedom of thought.

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought was established in 1988. It is an annual award named after the renowned Soviet scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov. It is awarded to individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to the fight for human rights worldwide.

Candidates for the prize are nominated by 40 Members of the European Parliament or a parliamentary faction.

The EPP Group is the largest political group in the European Parliament, comprising 176 members from all EU member countries.

Recall that in 2022, the Ukrainian people, led by President Volodymyr Zelensky, received the European Parliament's Andrei Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The award ceremony took place in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. It was attended by the mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, and the Ukrainian paramedic Yuliia Paievska (Taira). In her speech, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, emphasized that since 1988, the Andrei Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has paid tribute to individuals and organizations fighting in the name of freedom worldwide – a struggle synonymous with the legacy of the scientist and Russian dissident Andrei Sakharov, which bears his name.