European Parliament to announce Sakharov Prize winner today

Belarusian human rights activist Ales Byalyatski is among three shortlisted candidates.

The candidates, all recognized political prisoners, are in jails in their countries, Radio Svaboda reports.

Eighty three members of the European Parliament voted to nominate Ales Byalyatski, the head of Viansa human rights centre and vice president of the International Federation for Human Rights. Pussy Riot punk band gathered 46 votes. Iranian lawyers Nasrin Sotoudeh and Jafar Panahi had 12 votes of MEPs.

The winner will receive €50,000 and be invited to attend  the award ceremony on December 12 in Strasbourg. Three finalists were chosen from five nominations made by political groups or groups of more than 40 MEPs.