Belgium: Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny awarded Sakharov Prize for human rights

Subscribe to our channel! The European Parliament has awarded the 2021 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, announced European Parliament Vice-President Heidi Hautala in Brussels on Wednesday. “Alexei Navalny has [shown] great courage in his attempts to restore the freedom of choice to the Russian people,“ said Hautala, describing him as an ’anti-corruption activist and an advocate for change.’ Hautala went on to emphasise the commitment of the European Parliament to stand by those who ’yearn for a life without fear’, stating, “Together, we will see that freedom will prevail, that democracy will prevail.“ In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “we respect this body [European Parliament], but no one can make us respect such decisions“. A group of Afghan women, including human rights activists and a journalist, were also among this year’s finalists, as well as the imprisoned former Bolivian head of state Jeanine Anez.