The three Rwandan inmates that had been nominated for the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize 2012 have been dropped from the final list, RNA reports.
Ingabire Victoire, Bernard Ntaganda and Deogratias Mushyayidi did not pass through the EU parliament’s Foreign affairs and Development Committees which voted on Tuesday.
Ingabire was jailed 14 October 2010, for allegedly collaborating with a terrorist organization, dividing the people of Rwanda and denying the 1994 genocide against Tutsi which claimed a million lives.
The committees voted to retain only three finalists for the 2012 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. They include: Belarusian Ales Bialiatski; Russia’s Pussy Riot trio; and Iranians Nasrin Sotoudeh and Jafar Panahi.
Reports say backing for the Rwandan nominees came from Spanish organizations which were behind the indictment of 40 Rwandan officials back in 2008 for alleged role in the deaths of Spanish nationals after the genocide.
In striking off the Rwandan nominees, the EU parliament select committees said those blocks which selected Ingabire, Ntaganda and Mushyayidi, had not taken due diligence to thoroughly review the candidates.
The final winner from among the finalists (laureate) will be announced on Friday, 26 October following a decision of the EU Parliament’s Conference of Presidents.
The winner will receive €50,000 and be invited to attend the award ceremony on 12 December in Strasbourg (France).
Leave a Reply