The European Union awarded its top human rights prize to Alexei Navalny for his ongoing efforts to bring attention to corruption in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government.
The organization announced on Oct. 20 that Navalny had won the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, which is named after the Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov.
The award has previously been given to South African President Nelson Mandela and Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai.
It comes with a $59,000 prize and is presented at a ceremony in Strasbourg in mid-December. Navalny is unlikely to attend because he is currently in jail for allegedly violating a 2014 suspended sentence related to an embezzlement charge.
He was arrested upon his return to Russia from Germany, where he had been hospitalized in August of 2020 after being poisoned by a nerve agent known as Novichok. Navalny blamed the attack on the Kremlin. He nearly died and spent five months recovering.
Navalny is considered Putin’s biggest critic.
“Awarding Navalny the prestigious human rights prize marks a symbolic rebuke of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has been at odds with the EU for years — particularly since Russia’s unilateral annexation of Crimea in 2014,” reports Business Insider.
Navalny thanked the EU for the award via Twitter, which he has access to through his lawyer. He called the award an “honor” and a “great responsibility.”
I came into the meeting room, took off my ushanka hat and heard from the lawyer: "Congratulations on being awarded the Sakharov Prize." (1/10)
— Alexey Navalny (@navalny) October 21, 2021
“Money loves silence”, as those throw people into prisons all over the world, torture them, deprive them of the right to a fair trial and fair elections, love to repeat. (6/10)
— Alexey Navalny (@navalny) October 21, 2021
“I dedicate my prize to all kinds [of] anti-corruption fighters around the world: from journalists to lawyers, from officials (there are some, yes) and deputies to those who take to the streets to support this fight. I wish them perseverance and courage even in the scariest of moments,” Navalny said. “I am just one of those many who fight corruption, because I consider it not only as the cause of poverty and degradation of states, but also as the main threat to human rights.”
Navalny added, “I wish them perseverance and courage even in the scariest of moments.”
According to Reuters, the Kremlin said it could not be forced to respect the EU’s decision.
4 responses to “EU Awards Jailed Kremlin Critic Alexei Navalny Top Human Rights Prize ”
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Andrei Sakharov gets an award for calling out corruption in Russia while he is in jail in Russia but Julian Assange gets nothing while he sits in a UK jail. The EU has its priorities in order.
Andrei Sakharov is soviet scientist and his name is used for an award to push western neoliberal cult upon Russians.
Navalny is the “corruption” guy.
Those slavic names, huh!? ;-)))
… Do not forget, he is a member of the New Russian Communist Party. I forget what it’s name is. So we add that to antisemitism, xenophobia, homophobia, and you get an all around good guy! Yeah. Let him stay in jail.
This HANNAH CLAIRE BRIMELOW person forgets to mention Alexej Navalnyj’s antisemitism, xenophobia and homophobia: his participation in “day of anger” or “russian march” in 2011. His views on migrants, jews and LGBTQ+ comunity.
But who cares, if it goes against Putin.
This gatekeeping and one-sided storytelling starts to annoy. Very much.
I can get this kind of “news” on CNN, NBC, etc.
Yet again ignorance and unawareness or/and malice.