Sakharov Prize 2013: Russian Civil Society and Opposition Support Nomination of Mikhail Khodorkovsky

For this year's Sakharov Prize, the EU Parliament nominated at my suggestion the imprisoned vocal critic of the Kremlin Mikhail Khodorkovsky. His nomination for the Freedom of Thought Prize found broad support in the Russian civil society and opposition.

The representatives of different Russian civil rights organization like Ljudmila Alexeyeva, Sergei Kovalev and Oleg Orlov, Sakharov Prize laureates in 2009, welcomed this decision. The Russian opposition politicians, such as Garry Kasparov (United Civil Front) and Boris Nemtsov (Republican Party of Russia - Party of People's Freedom) expressed their hope in a letter to MEPs that Mikhail Khodorkovsky will be included in the shortlist of candidates. After selection of three finalists at the joint meeting of the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Development on the 30th September, the decision on one laureate will be made by the President of the European Parliament and the leaders of the parliamentary parties. The Sakharov Prize will be awarded in November in Strasbourg.

more information:

• Justification to the nomination of Mikhail Khodorkovsky
• nominees for the Sakharov Prize 2013