The prestigious award, which was won in the past by luminaries such as the former South African President Nelson Mandela is named after the Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov. It was established in December 1988 by the European Parliament as a means to honour individuals or organisations that were dedicated to the defence of human rights and freedoms.
Bjorn Hultin, political consultant in Sweden for the EU told Newsreel on Thursday that Tsvangirai’s nomination would send a message of enormous encouragement to all those striving for democracy and good governance not just in Zimbabwe but throughout Africa. He said under Tsvangirai’s leadership, the MDC has risen to protect the rights of the people in Zimbabwe in the face of deep rooted intolerance and persecution.