The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, awarded each year by the European Parliament, has been given to two Iraqi Yazidi women who were held as sex slaves by ISIL and now campaign for human rights.
European Parliament President Martin Schulz gave the prize, honouring individuals and organisations who defend human rights and fundamental freedoms, to Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar.
After escaping sexual enslavement, they both became spokespeople for women affected by the Islamist group’s campaign of sexual violence and for the persecuted Yazidi minority.
