Illegally convicted Ukrainian film director Oleh Sentsov, who is imprisoned in Russia, is among the finalists for the 2018 Sakharov Prize.
"The finalists for the 2018 Sakharov Prize are: Oleg Sentsov, 11 NGOs saving migrant lives across the Mediterranean Sea and Nasser Zefzafi," the European Parliament announced on October 9, 2018.
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This year's finalists for Parliament's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought were chosen by the foreign affairs and development committees on October 9.
This year's prize winner will be selected on October 25 by Parliament President Antonio Tajani and the leaders of the political groups. The prize, consisting of a certificate and EUR 50,000 will be awarded in a ceremony in the Parliament in Strasbourg on December 12.
The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, named in honor of the Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, is awarded each year by the European Parliament. It was set up in 1988 to honor individuals and organizations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms. The year 2018 marks 30 years since the Sakharov Prize was first conferred.
