#Heroes

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2012 goes to Iranians Nasrin Sotoudeh, an imprisoned human rights defender and lawyer, and Jafar Panahi, a film director who with his work called attention to the hardships suffered by Iran's poor. EP president Martin Schulz made the announcement in plenary on Friday 26 October.

Nominations come from a political group or at least 40 MEPs. The foreign affairs and development committees decided on the three finalists on 9 October and from these three political group leaders chose this year's laureate on 26 October.

See full Press Release: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/content/20120921FCS52015/html/Sakharov-Prize-for-Freedom-of-Thought-2012-5-nominees