Yazidi Activist Wins Vaclav Havel Award

The Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize - which honours outstanding civil society action in defence of human rights - was awarded on Monday to Nadia Murad, a Yazidi rights activist who was kidnapped and detained by Islamic State, ISIS, in Iraq in 2014.

Murad was awarded at a special ceremony on the opening day of the autumn plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on Monday.

"A young, brave Yazidi woman, who managed to flee ISIS in northern Iraq. 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 selection panel said when nominating Murad.

The other two nominees were BIRN regional director Gordana Igric and the International Institute of Human Rights - René Cassin Foundation, which has worked since 1969 to promote human rights and peace.

Ahead of the ceremony in Strasbourg, Igric said that her own nomination highlighted key issues facing the media and sends a message that human rights and media freedom in the Balkans are not and must not be forgotten.

"We in the Balkans are working in a corrupt media scene, with corrupt politicians and corrupt media, where public institutions are being hijacked by parties or their leaders.

"Although assistance is needed, change must come from journalists themselves. BIRN will continue to do what it has been doing from the start - monitor politicians, highlight issues that Balkan countries are facing, expose wrongdoings, maintain professional standards and fight for a free media scene," Igric said.

The Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize is awarded each year by the Parliamentary Assembly...