The European parliament awards its annual "freedom of thought" award to three Russian human rights activists

The European parliament has awarded its annual Sakharov prize to three Russian activists. They are Oleg Orlov, Lyudmila Alexe-yeva and Sergei Kova-lev from the human rights organization Memorial. The prize was also awarded in memory of murdered activist Natalya Este-mirova, who was found dead in the Republic of Ingushetia in Russia's southern Caucasus region in July.