Previous Sakharov laureates

Read more about the laureates of the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought from previous years.

Sakharov prize 2021

Sakharov prize 2020

Sakharov prize 2019

Sakharov prize 2018

Sakharov prize 2017

Sakharov prize 2016

  • Iraqi Yazidi activists Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar receive Sakharov Prize

    Islamic State survivors and Iraqi Yazidi activists Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar received today Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The two women were honoured by Parliament for standing up for the persecuted Yazidi minority and the victims of sexual violence by Islamic State. “More than 3,500 children and women are still held hostage as slaves under Daesh. Every day they die a thousand times,” Aji Bashar said in her acceptance speech.

  • Sakharov Prize 2016: MEPs present their nominations

    Can Dündar and fellow defenders of freedom of thought and expression in Turkey, the Crimean Tatar leader Mustafa Dzemilev, the Yazidi survivors and public advocates Nadia Murad Basee and Lamiya Aji Bashar as well as Uyghur scholar Ilham Tohti are this year's nominees for the Sakharov Prize. MEPs formally presented them at a meeting of the foreign affairs and development committees and the human rights subcommittee on Thursday 6 October. The laureate will be announced on 27 October.

Sakharov prize 2015

  • Sakharov Prize: "Raif Badawi was brave enough to say no to their barbarity"

    "Raif Badawi was brave enough to raise his voice and say no to their barbarity. That is why they flogged him," said Ensaf Haidar, the wife of jailed Saudi human rights activist Raif Badawi, accepting the 2015 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought on his behalf in Strasbourg on 16 December. Badawi was honoured by the European Parliament for his fight for freedom of speech and thought in Saudi Arabia.

  • Sakharov Prize: the nominations for 2015 presented

    The nominations for Parliament´s 2015 Sakharov Prize were formally presented this Monday 28 September at a joint meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Development committees and the Human Rights subcommittee. The Sakharov prize is awarded every year to honour exceptional individuals who combat intolerance, fanaticism and oppression. The winner will be selected in late October.

Sakharov prize 2014

  • Sakharov laureate Denis Mukwege: "Women's bodies have become a true battlefield"

    "Women's bodies have become a true battlefield and rape is being used as a weapon of war," said Congolese gynaecologist Denis Mukwege as he accepted the 2014 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in Strasbourg on Wednesday 26 November. Dr Mukwege was honoured by the European Parliament for dedicating his life to helping thousands of victims of gang rape and brutal sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

  • Sakharov Prize 2014: Meet the nominees

    They may have different jobs - gynaecologist, religious leader, journalist – but they all share a commitment to defending human rights. The nominations for the Parliament’s 2014 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought will be formally presented on Tuesday 23 September at a joint meeting of the foreign affairs and development committees and the human rights subcommittee. Follow the meeting live from 16.15 CET. The winner will be announced in October.