European Parliament: Sakharov Prize to democratic opposition in Belarus. Sassoli, “we are by your side”

The democratic opposition in Belarus has been awarded the European Parliament’s 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. “It is an honour to announce it”, European Parliament President David Sassoli said in a tweet. “They have on their side something that brute force can never defeat: the truth. Do not give up on your fight. We are by your side”, the president encouraged. This peaceful movement that for weeks has been marching in the streets to protest against the illegal election of President Lukashenko is subjected to brutal crackdowns and arrests. The latest figure to be detained by police is poet and translator Dmitrij Strocev, who was arrested yesterday, 21 October, on his way to work. It was the EP Conference of Presidents that selected the laureate from a pool of three finalists which also included the environmental activists from Honduras and the Archbishop of Mosul. The prize will be awarded in a ceremony at the Parliament on 16 December.
Valentina Bombelli