The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has awarded its annual Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize to veteran Russian activist Lyudmila Alekseyeva. The 88 years old Alekseyeva is one of Russia’s most outspoken and respected rights advocates. PACE President Anne Brasseur,  who chaired the selection panel, said Alexeyeev had “inspired many generations of activists in Russia, but also abroad, to commit themselves to the struggle for justice.

In an emotional speech to the assembly, Alekseyeva said receiving the prize was a “recognition of all Russian human rights defenders who work in very hard circumstances.”

Points to Note

• Alekseyeva joined the Soviet dissident movement in the 1960s before going on to become a founding member of the Moscow Helsinki Group.
• Forced to emigrate from Russia to the United States in 1977, she returned to her homeland in 1989 to continue her work.
• The 60,000 euro ($66,000) annual prize honors individuals or organizations judged to have undertaken “outstanding civil society action in defense of human rights in Europe and beyond.”
• Now in its third year, it is awarded by PACE in partnership with the Vaclav Havel Library in Prague and the Czech Charter 77 Foundation.
• The prize went to Belarusian human rights activist Ales Byalyatski in 2013 and to Azerbaijani human rights activist Anar Mammadli in 2014.