MOSUL, Iraq — The European Parliament has announced the list of nominees for the annual Sakharov Prize, awarded to honor people or institutions who have dedicated their lives to defending human rights and freedom of thought.
Among the nominees for this year’s prize is Syriac Chaldean Archbishop of Mosul, Iraq Najib Mikhael Moussa. Archbishop Moussa is credited with saving Christians during the Islamic State occupation of the city in 2014, as well as preserving more than 800 historical manuscripts dating back between the 13th and 19th century.
Notable past recipients of the Sakharov Prize include Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan, Reporters Without Borders, and Pakistani youth activist for female education Malala Yousafzai.
The award was named after Andrei Sakharov, a Soviet nuclear physicist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
The winner of the award is usually announced in October, with the award ceremony held in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on the 10 December (Human Rights Day) each year.