Sakharov Prize finalists: Raif Badawi, Democratic opposition of Venezuela and Boris Nemtsov

Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, the Democratic Opposition in Venezuela and the Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov are the three finalists for this year's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, after a vote during a meeting of the foreign affairs and development committees and the human rights subcommittee. The laureate will be decided by Parliament's president and political group leaders on 29 October and the award ceremony will be held in Strasbourg on 16 December. “We have three excellent candidates, with all the qualities to become the next Sakharov laureate,” said Elena Valenciano, chair of the human rights subcommittee after the vote. Elmar Brok, chair of the foreign affairs committee,  added that the selection of Badawi “makes clear that we defend freedom of expression”, that the support of the Venezuelan opposition “is a message that we want to have a democratic process in Venezuela” and that the selection of “Boris Nemtsov who was killed in Russia because of his opposition role, also shows also our dissatisfaction with development of human rights in Russia”. More…