This year, the Sakharov Prize “For Freedom of Thought” was awarded to the Ukrainian people and their leaders

The Andriy Sakharov Prize "For Freedom of Thought" in 2022 was awarded to the Ukrainian people and their elected leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelensky.

This was informed by the head of the European Parliament Roberta Metzola during her speech. The European Parliament is the founder of this award.

"They stand up for what they believe in. Fighting for our values. They defend democracy, freedom and the rule of law. They risk their lives for us," she noted.

In addition to Ukrainians and their leaders, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and the Colombian Truth Commission, which was engaged in national reconciliation and settlement of the civil war in the country, were also among the nominees.

Officially, the Sakharov Prize was awarded to "the brave Ukrainian people represented by their president, elected leaders and civil society."

• The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is an annual honor of the European Parliament, awarded for achievements in the following areas: protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms; development of democracy and defense of the rule of law; respect for international legislation; protection of minority rights. This award is, in particular, for the Ukrainian director Oleh Sentsov.