Economist Ilham Tohti, imprisoned in China, receives this year's Sakharov Prize from the European Parliament. The Chinese-Uighur government critic is one of the most prominent representatives of the Muslim minority of Uighurs in China. Tohti was sentenced to life imprisonment five years ago for his involvement. The award became known one day before his 50th birthday.
NOW: Ilham Tohti, renowned uyghur economist and scholar fighting for the rights of China's Uyghur minority, has been awarded the 2019 #SakharovPrize for Freedom of Thought #FreeIlhamTohti pic.twitter.com/XBsNbIUdDL
- DROI Committee Press (@EP_HumanRights) 24 October 2019With the Sakharov Prize since 1988, the European Parliament honors people or organizations committed to human rights and fundamental freedoms. The prize is named after the late Russian dissident and physicist Andrei Sakharov and endowed with 50,000 euros.
Among the nominees this year were murdered Brazilian politician and human rights activist Marielle Franco, as well as Brazilian environmental activist Claudelice Silva dos Santos and the leader of the Brazilian Kayapo people, Raoni Metuktire, who opposes the deforestation of the Amazon region. Also on the shortlist was the project "The Restorers" from Kenya, which is fighting for better education on female genital mutilation and faster access to help for those affected.
Tohti follows on Oleh Senzow
The candidates can be proposed by the MEPs, the leaders of the factions finally agree on the winner. The award ceremony is scheduled for December in Strasbourg.
Last year, the Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Senzow received the award. He was in Russian custody at the time of award. In the course of a prisoner exchange, he was released on 7 September. (Read an interview with Senzow here).
Previous winners included Saudi Arabian blogger Raif Badawi, former South African President Nelson Mandela, father of the Prague Spring, Alexander Dubcek, as well as Yazidi activist Nadia Murad and Congolese gynecologist Denis Mukwege.