Sakharov Prize 2023: nine nominations announced

MEPs and political groups presented their candidates for the Sakharov Prize 2023 on Wednesday. The vote on the three finalists will take place in October.

The Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Committee on Development hosted the presentation of the nine nominations for the 2023 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, the highest tribute paid by the EU to human rights work. Each nominee must have the support of at least 40 MEPs, and each individual Member can support only one nominee.

The nine nominations for the 2023 Sakharov Prize are:

- Jina Mahsa Amini and the women of Iran nominated by the European People’s Party (EPP);

- The fight for women’s rights in Iran, namely Zhina Mahsa Amini and the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement, nominated by the Socialists and Democrats (S&D);

- Mahsa Amini and the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement, Iran, nominated by Renew Europe Renew);

- Afghan education activists: Marzia Amiri, Parasto Hakim, and Matiullah Wesa, Afghanistan, nominated by 59 MEPs;

- The pro-European people of Georgia and Nino Lomjaria, former Public Defender of Georgia, nominated by the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR);

- Elon Musk, United States, nominated by Identity and Democracy (ID);

- Vanessa Nakate, climate activist, Uganda, nominated by Greens/European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA);

- Vilma Núñez de Escorcia and Monsignor Rolando José Álvarez Lagos, Nicaragua, nominated by 43 MEPs;

- Women fighting for free, safe and legal abortion: Justyna Wydrzyńska - Poland, Morena Herrera - El Salvador and Colleen McNichols - United States, nominated by The Left.

Background and next steps

Every year in September, MEPs and political groups nominate candidates for the Sakharov Prize.

Signed nominations accompanied by supporting evidence are then assessed in a joint meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) and the Committee on Development. A shortlist of three candidates is drawn up in a vote by the Foreign Affairs and Development committees, and then submitted for a final decision to the Conference of Presidents (EP President Metsola and political group leaders).

The winner will be announced in October and the award ceremony will take place during the December plenary sitting in Strasbourg.