Alies Bialiacki Shortlisted for Sakharov Award

The European Parliament shortlisted three candidates for the annual Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

The three shortlisted candidates became Belarusian human rights defender Alies Bialiacki, three members of Russian feminist punk rock band Pussy Riot and iranians Nasrin Sotoudeh and Jafar Panah.

All the nominees are currently imprisoned and recognised to be the prisoners of conscience.

The award is to be presented to the winner on December 12.

Earlier this year, Alies Bialiacki was awarded with US Department of State 2011 Human Rights Defenders Award and 2012 Lech Wałęsa Award.