The winner of the prestigious human rights award, named in honor of Soviet scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov, was announced by President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola on Oct. 19.
"They are standing up for what they believe in," Metsola wrote on Twitter. "Fighting for our values. Protecting democracy, freedom & rule of law. Risking their lives for us."
The award, officially known as the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, is given annually to individuals or groups deserving of particular recognition for their "outstanding contribution to protecting freedom of thought."
The prize comes with a €50,000 monetary award.
The award was won in 2018 by Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov, who undertook a hunger strike during a five-year prison sentence on sham charges in Russia.
