At the plenary meeting of the European Parliament, the Coordination Council, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Maria Kalesnikava, Olga Kovalkova, Veronica Tsepkalo, Sergei Tikhanovsky, Ales Belyatsky, Sergei Dylevsky, and Stepan Putilo were awarded the Sakharov Prize.
«This is the award of all Belarusians! Leaders who took responsibility; doctors who showed solidarity; journalists who told the truth; students and teachers who spoke out against violence in universities; volunteers who helped victims; all Belarusians who choose democratic Belarus; all who persist in demanding compliance with the law; and those who sit in prisons for the right to be free». Comments were made by Olga Kovalkova, a member of the Presidium of the CC.
The Sakharov Prize was founded in 1988 and is awarded annually by the European Parliament. It is presented to people and organizations that have made exceptional contributions to the struggle for human rights worldwide.
