ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—Yezidi genocide survivor turned campaigner Nadia Murad has been nominated for the 2016 Václav Havel Prize.
Describing Murad as “a young, brave Yazidi woman, who managed to flee ISIS in northern Iraq,” the selection committee said she was nominated for her work as a human rights activist.
“Today a human rights activist, she brings the plight of the Yazidi community, in particular the forced sexual enslavement and human trafficking of women and children captured by ISIS, to the forefront of international attention.”
The Václav Havel Prize is awarded annually by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), with the Václav Havel Library and Charta 77 Foundation. The prize honours “outstanding civil society action in the defence of human rights in Europe and beyond,” explains the Václav Havel Library.
Václav Havel was a playwright and leader of Czechoslovakia’s Velvet Revolution in 1989 that brought an end to communism in the eastern European country. He became the president of Czechoslovakia and, after the country split, the president of the Czech Republic.
Murad tweeted that she was "honored" by the nomination.
There are two other nominees for the prize this year. Gordana Igric is a journalist from Serbia who is an advocate for the freedom of speech and has reported on war crimes committed during the Balkan wars.
The third nominee is the International Institute for Human Rights – René Cassin Foundation, which promotes human rights and peace through research and education, especially in conflict and post-conflict zones.
This is the fourth year of the prize, which includes a €60,000 award. It will be awarded in Prague on October 12.
Previous winners are Belarusian writer and activist Ales Bialiatski, Azerbaijani advocate for fair elections Anar Mammadli, and Russian human rights defender Ludmilla Alexeeva.
Nadia Murad has been nominated by Iraq for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Describing Murad as “a young, brave Yazidi woman, who managed to flee ISIS in northern Iraq,” the selection committee said she was nominated for her work as a human rights activist.
“Today a human rights activist, she brings the plight of the Yazidi community, in particular the forced sexual enslavement and human trafficking of women and children captured by ISIS, to the forefront of international attention.”
The Václav Havel Prize is awarded annually by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), with the Václav Havel Library and Charta 77 Foundation. The prize honours “outstanding civil society action in the defence of human rights in Europe and beyond,” explains the Václav Havel Library.
Václav Havel was a playwright and leader of Czechoslovakia’s Velvet Revolution in 1989 that brought an end to communism in the eastern European country. He became the president of Czechoslovakia and, after the country split, the president of the Czech Republic.
Murad tweeted that she was "honored" by the nomination.
Honored to be selected as one of three candidates shortlisted for the 2016 Václav Havel Prize by @PACE_News. https://t.co/rLoel9FvFz
— Nadia Murad (@NadiaMuradBasee) September 6, 2016
There are two other nominees for the prize this year. Gordana Igric is a journalist from Serbia who is an advocate for the freedom of speech and has reported on war crimes committed during the Balkan wars.
The third nominee is the International Institute for Human Rights – René Cassin Foundation, which promotes human rights and peace through research and education, especially in conflict and post-conflict zones.
This is the fourth year of the prize, which includes a €60,000 award. It will be awarded in Prague on October 12.
Previous winners are Belarusian writer and activist Ales Bialiatski, Azerbaijani advocate for fair elections Anar Mammadli, and Russian human rights defender Ludmilla Alexeeva.
Nadia Murad has been nominated by Iraq for the Nobel Peace Prize.
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