Dissidents from Iran Named Winners of Sakharov Prize
Two Iranian dissidents Nasrin Sotoudeh and Jafar Panahi became the winners of the 2012 Sakharov Peace Prize.
Martin Schulz, the president of the European Parliament, which awarded the prize to Nasrin Sotoudeh and Jafar Panahi, said it was “a message of solidarity and recognition to a woman and a man who have not been bowed by fear and intimidation,” Huffington Post says.
One of the nominees for the award was Belarusian human rights advocate Alies Bialiacki who is currently serving his 4½-year prison sentence.
The other shortlisted candidates are the members of Russian feminist punk rock band Pussy Riot.
All the nominees are currently imprisoned and recognised to be the prisoners of conscience.
The award is to be presented to the winner on December 12.