The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) and the 20-million strong Ukrainian diaspora it represents congratulate Oleh Sentsov on being selected as the recipient of the 2018 European Parliament Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.
European Parliament President Antonio Tajani said in his announcement:
“Through his courage and determination, by putting his life in danger, the filmmaker Oleh Sentsov has become a symbol of the struggle for the release of political prisoners held in Russia and around the world.
By awarding him the Sakharov Prize, the European Parliament is expressing its solidarity with him and his cause. We ask that he be released immediately. His struggle reminds us that it is our duty to defend human rights everywhere in the world and in all circumstances.”
The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is awarded each year by the European Parliament to honour individuals or organizations for their efforts to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms. The recipient is selected by the European Parliament political group leaders.
The Prize will be awarded during a ceremony scheduled for 12 December 2018 in Strasbourg, France.
“We congratulate Oleh Sentsov on being named the recipient of the 2018 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and we applaud the European Parliament on the very strong statement it has made with its choice in defence of all illegally detained by the Russian Federation political prisoners,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.