They Defend Our Freedoms [antikvár]

ForewordAntonio TajaniPresident of the European ParliamentAs the Sakharov Prize celebrates its thirtieth year, I believe that it is as relevant now as it was when Nelson Mandela and Anatoli Martch-enko first received the award in 1988.The fight for human rights remains high on the European Parliament's agenda.The Sakharov Prize for Freedom ofThought is a flagship initiative in our broader engagement on human rights, which are at the core of our shared values.The Sakharov Prize has been awarded to many outstanding personalities. Overtime, the prize has become much more than a yearly ceremony, it has grown into an important tool for laureates. The European Parliament connects them to the Sakharov Prize Network and supports laureates as ambassadors promoting the spirit of the Initiative. Together with the laureates, we have launched the Sakharov Fellowship for human rights defenders to support activists worldwide.This book is about all those whojust as the laureatesfight for their rights and fairer soci-eties while motivating others to do the same. I can only express my admiration and support for the four courageous Sakharov Fellows -four amongst many - whose emblematic lives and work are the subject of this book. I would also take the opportunity to thank to the eminent journalist and writer, Eric Fottorino, who both tells their stories and offers us a thought provoking essay on human rights in the world, as well as the four renowned photographers - Jérőme Sessini, Bieke Depoorter, Enri CanaJ, Newsha Tavakolian - whose pictures do so much bring these stories to life.In recent years, platforms for civil society have progressively shrunk in many places around the world. Organisations promoting their fellow citizens'fundamental rights are sometimes accused of being foreign agents, while intimidation, imprisonment and torture are used to silence their voices. Fundamental rights are also challenged in Western society and within the borders of the European Union. Global terrorism threatens our citizens'