European Union’s Parliamentarians Nominate Bishop Rolando José Alvarez Lagos of Nicaragua for their Highest Award the Sakharov Prize
European Parliamentarians from different parties nominated Bishop Rolando José Alvarez Lagos and human rights defender Vilma Nuñez de Escorcia for the Sakharov Prize 2023. This nomination is a valuable recognition of the serious situation in Nicaragua and the efforts made by the Nicaraguan civil society for freedom in the country. Vilma Nuñez and Monseñor Rolando Alvarez have decided to remain in Nicaragua despite the risk to their lives and integrity. They are one of the most courageous symbols of the struggle for the defense of human rights in the country.
Since 2018, Bishop Rolando José Alvarez Lagos has been a victim of persecution for his homilies in which he reflects on the country’s crisis, state repression and victims of human rights violations. In August 2022, he was placed under house arrest. On February 9, 2023, the regime banished 222 political prisoners. José Alvarez refused to board the plane and was therefore transferred to prison. On February 10, without accusation or trial, he was arbitrarily sentenced to 26 years in prison and his nationality was withdrawn, among other penalties. Since that day he has been imprisoned, stateless, in one of the country’s torture centers and his physical and psychological condition is unknown, in flagrant violation of all his human rights.
MEPs and political groups presented their candidates for the Sakharov Prize 2023 on Wednesday. The vote on the three finalists will take place in October.
The Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Committee on Development hosted the presentation of the nine nominations for the 2023 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, the highest tribute paid by the EU to human rights work. Each nominee must have the support of at least 40 MEPs, and each individual Member can support only one nominee.
The nine nominations for the 2023 Sakharov Prize are:
- Jina Mahsa Amini and the women of Iran nominated by the European People’s Party (EPP);
- The fight for women’s rights in Iran, namely Zhina Mahsa Amini and the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement, nominated by the Socialists and Democrats (S&D);
- Mahsa Amini and the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement, Iran, nominated by Renew Europe Renew);
- Afghan education activists: Marzia Amiri, Parasto Hakim, and Matiullah Wesa, Afghanistan, nominated by 59 MEPs;
- The pro-European people of Georgia and Nino Lomjaria, former Public Defender of Georgia, nominated by the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR);
- Elon Musk, United States, nominated by Identity and Democracy (ID);
- Vanessa Nakate, climate activist, Uganda, nominated by Greens/European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA);
- Vilma Núñez de Escorcia and Monsignor Rolando José Álvarez Lagos, Nicaragua, nominated by 43 MEPs;
- Women fighting for free, safe and legal abortion: Justyna Wydrzyńska - Poland, Morena Herrera - El Salvador and Colleen McNichols - United States, nominated by The Left.
Background and next steps
Every year in September, MEPs and political groups nominate candidates for the Sakharov Prize.
Signed nominations accompanied by supporting evidence are then assessed in a joint meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) and the Committee on Development. A shortlist of three candidates is drawn up in a vote by the Foreign Affairs and Development committees, and then submitted for a final decision to the Conference of Presidents (EP President Metsola and political group leaders).
The winner will be announced in October and the award ceremony will take place during the December plenary sitting in Strasbourg.
Sources: https://www.fidh.org/en/region/americas/nicaragua/nicaragua-vilma-nunez-and-bishop-alvarez-nominated-for-european
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20230918IPR05432/sakharov-prize-2023-nine-nominations-announced
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