Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2011

Also known as Zubeir Ahmed El-Sharif , this great-nephew of the last Libyan king and author of a failed coup d'état seems like an unlikely contender for a human rights prize, but his life and actions show how deceptive first impressions can be.

In the early 70s, shortly after a low-ranking Libyan officer staged a coup against King Idris, EL Senussi  wanted to rid Libya of Gaddafi and offer the country the choice between restoring the monarchy or installing a republic. But the coup failed and he was sentenced to death. For 18 years he received no visitors and the first nine years in prison were marked by solitary confinement and torture. The windows of his cell were blocked; he didn't see sunlight for years.

His wife died during this time, but he only learned of her death years later. In 2001, on the 32nd anniversary of Gaddafi's coup, he was pardoned . His health was ruined. He had spent 31 years in prison, six years longer than Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nelson Mandela.

As Libya's longest serving prisoner, he now serves on the National Transitional Council and represents political prisoners. He still wears the symbol of the royal family on his ring but calls himself a republican and sees no place for his family to rule Libya again. "A republic is better, because people want to share authority and not have it invested in one family or one person," he said in one interview.