The European Parliament awarded the Ukrainian director, political prisoner Oleg Sentsov the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The award ceremony took place in Strasbourg on December 12 at the plenary session.
Since Sentsov was not released to take his award, instead of him, his award was given to his sister Natalia Kaplan. In Strasbourg, she made a speech and read a letter from Oleg Sentsov.
Full text of the report can be read here.
The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is an annual distinction of the European Parliament. It was founded in 1988 and is awarded in four areas, in particular in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Ukrainian director Oleg Sentsov was arrested in May 2014. In August 2015, the North Caucasus District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced him to 20 years of a strict regime colony for allegedly preparing terrorist attacks in the annexed Crimea.
