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| Europe |
| Shortlist for Europe’s Top Human Rights Prize |
| 2003-10-01 |
| OK, put the coffee down: U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, slain U.N. envoy to Iraq Sergio Vieira de Mello and former chief weapons inspector Hans Blix made the shortlist Wednesday for Europe’s top human rights prize. The shortlist, which was decided on by the European Union assembly’s foreign affairs committee, included International Atomic Energy Agency head Mohamed El Baradei for his work with Blix in Iraq. Bwahahaha!! Jailed Iranian journalist Akbar Ganji was also named for his protest against the Tehran government. If he had protested against Bush he might have been a contender The decision on the winner of this year’s "Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought" and the $58,000 prize that goes with it will be made Oct. 16. Named for the late Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, the prize is awarded annually by the European Parliament to defenders of human rights and democracy. Good thing he’s dead and can’t comment on the nominees. There was wide agreement among the six main political groups in the 626-member legislature to honor U.N. staff for their role in trying to prevent war in Iraq and in reconstruction efforts now under way. Kofi - failed, Blix - failed, Mohamed - failed, Akbar - jailed, Vieira - KIA. Vieira de Mello and nine other U.N. staffers were killed in an Aug. 19 suicide bomb attack on the U.N.’s Baghdad headquarters. The parliament gave the 2002 prize to Cuban dissident Oswaldo Paya. Other winners include former South African president Nelson Mandela, East Timorese independence leader Xanana Gusmao and Ibrahim Rugova, the Kosovo leader. I’d say it should be between Vieira and Akbar, with Vieira getting my vote for his work in East Timor and dying at his desk in Iraq. I’m afraid I know very little about Akbar. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #7 OK, Akbar it is. |
| Posted by: Steve 2003-10-1 8:53:10 PM |
| #6 "The European Parliament awards the "Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought", in memory of Andrej Sakharov to honour individuals or organisations for their work on behalf of human rights and fundamental freedoms and against oppression and injustice." I think the UN is the perfect candidate. After all it was the UN which liberated the Iraqis from Saddam's oppression and injustice, and gave them their human rights back, true??? And the brave Mr Blix who stood up like a true bold Scandinavian hero against the merciless U.S. oppression (and right now languishing in Guantanamo jail and is tortured daily), oh yes, he truly deserves the prize. This noble endeavor must be rated higher than the deeds of Akbar Ganji: This Iranian journalist with the reformist daily Sobh-e-Emruz was arrested on 22 April 2000 when he returned from a conference in Berlin that the Iranian authorities considered "anti-Islamic" and "anti-revolutionary." On 13 January 2001, he was sentenced to 10 years in jail and to banishment. He had to answer 10 charges, based on complaints filed by the ministry of intelligence, the police and a former minister of intelligence. The prosecutor accused him of "acting against national security", "circulating propaganda against the Islamic system", and "insulting religious figures." He was also accused of publishing articles accusing senior officials of involvement in the murder of regime opponents and intellectuals in 1998. In May 2001, his sentence was reduced from 10 years to six months. In July 2001, the Supreme Court increased it to 6 years. In October 2000, he received the International Press Freedom Award from the CJFE (Canadian Journalists for Free Expression). He is being held at Teheran's Evine prison. |
| Posted by: True German Ally 2003-10-1 8:07:57 PM |
| #5 Does the winner get an all-expense paid vacation in Gorky?... |
| Posted by: mojo 2003-10-1 5:16:28 PM |
| #4 Kofi as EVEN a nominee is totally inconceivable to me. His name is analagous with impotence. In fact, rumor has it that one pharmaceutical company is considering marketing a pill that has the opposite effect of Viagra and naming it the "Kofi Kocktail." A designer drug version of saltpeter...that's it.....that's the ticket. |
| Posted by: TerrorHunter4Ever 2003-10-1 4:41:59 PM |
| #3 Will Jimmeh be the MC? |
| Posted by: PBMcL 2003-10-1 3:57:43 PM |
| #2 Knowing the EU, I figure they'll give it to the dead guy and pocket the 58G's. That'll buy at least a couple of nice banquets or look good in some EU bureaucrat's Swiss bank account. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-10-1 3:51:48 PM |
| #1 Let's think this through. If Kofi gets the award he'll probably have to fly somewhere and attend an awards ceremony. That means there'll be a 48-72 time period during which he can't posssiby screw anything else up. |
| Posted by: Matt 2003-10-1 3:20:51 PM |