EP - 2004 Sakharov Prize goes to Belarusian Association of Journalists

Award of Sakharov Prize 2004 - to the Association of Journalists of Belarus
14.12.2004

On Tuesday 14 December at midday, The Belarusian Association of Journalists will be awarded the prize as the winner of this year's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Ms Zhanna LITVINA, President of the Association is expected to receive the prize. The Association was chosen by the leaders of the European Parliament's political groups from a shortlist of three candidates.

The Belarusian Journalists' Association acts as champion of the independent media. It monitors infringements of freedom of speech and publishes its findings on its website. It provides legal assistance to journalists and tries to put pressure on the authorities over measures deemed harmful to freedom of the press.

"Awarding the Sakharov Prize 2004 to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, which fights for freedom of information against the attempts by President Lukashenko to smother it, is a very positive event. The results of the latest elections in this country make it clear that those fighting for freedom of information in Belarus and everywhere else in the world deserve our support," declared Parliament President Josep BORRELL.

The Belarusian Journalists' Association was nominated for the prize by the EPP-ED group. Also on the shortlist were Natalya Estemirova, a Chechen human rights activist nominated by the Greens/EFA group, in conjunction with Sergey Kovalev, a Russian human rights activist nominated by Vytautis Landsbergis and others, and Ingrid Betancourt, the Colombian human rights activist who was abducted by FARC in February 2002 and who was nominated by the PES group.

The Sakharov Prize has been awarded each year since 1988 for "achievements in the defence of human rights and fundamental freedoms, in safeguarding the rights of minorities, respect for international law and development of democracy and implementation of the rule of law". The prize, for which the winner receives €50,000, will be awarded at a formal sitting of Parliament in December.

Previous winners of the Sakharov Prize:

Nelson Mandela (1988) Alexander Dubcek (1989) Aung Saan Suu Kyi (1990) Adam Demaci (1991) The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo (1992) The Sarajevo newspaper Oslobodenje (1993) Taslima Nasreen (1994) Leyla Zana (1995) Wei Jingsheng (1996) Salima Ghezali (1997) Ibrahim Rugova (1998) Xanana Gusmão (1999) Basta Ya! (2000) Nurit Peled-Elhanan, Izzat Ghazzawi, Don Zacarias Kamuenho (2001) Oswaldo José Payá Sardiñas (2002) The United Nations (2003)

| Top |

• 2008 Sakharov Prize: EU's top human rights prize awarded to Hu Jia (23/10/2008)
• EU Parliament - 2006 Sakharov prize nominees (13/9/2006)
• EU Parliament - 2005 Sakharov prize winners (26/10/2005)