Marielle Franco (posthumous), Claudelice Silva dos Santos and Chief Raoni have been shortlisted for the European Parliament’s 2019 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, after a vote at a joint meeting of the European Parliament’s Committees on Development and Foreign Affairs today.

The Left nominated the three human rights defenders in recognition of their fight for human rights, environmental justice, and against police brutality and the far right in Brazil.

Miguel Urbán (Podemos, Spain) welcomed the decision:

“The shortlisting of Marielle Franco, Claudelice Silva dos Santos and Chief Raoni sends a strong message of support for human rights, social justice, the environment and rights of women and the LGTBI community and against the repression and the rise of hate speech in Brazil”.

“While the EU celebrates progress in the Mercosur trade agreement negotiations, ignoring human rights violations in Brazil, we want to bring them and their struggles to the European Parliament.”

“Marielle, Claudelice and Raoni remind us of the need for solidarity and mutual support. That is why we threw our weight behind this triple candidacy that aims to represent, beyond names, social movements and resistance in Brazil,” Urbán concluded.

The winner will be decided in the Conference of Presidents on Thursday 24 October and a ceremony held on 18 December in Strasbourg.