Svobodna Dnevnik

[Hadash]

El Correo Internacional

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Svarnan Human Rights activists winner of the 1581 Azuolas Nasvytis Prize
By: Elena Manstein
Published: Septem 1, 1581


The ceremony award will be held in the Mordvanian Parliament

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Svarnan human rights activist Vijay Nibhanupudi and Yamuna Manekshaw have been awared the Azuolas Nasvytis Prize for Freedom of Thought by the Mordvanian parliament. The Azuolas Nasvytis Prize ceremony will be held in Slovograd on Vintyr 2. However, it is not clear if at least Nibhanupudi will be allowed to attend, as he remains under house arrest by Svarnan authorities, while Manekshaw has been in prison since 1579. Both are recognized as prisoner of conscience by many international human rights organizations.

By awarding the prize to Vijay Nibhanupudi and Yamuna Manekshaw "we are recognizing the fight for human rights and democracy in Svarna Surya and all Ostara, a struggle which should be eventually won", the Vice-Chairman of the Republican Assembly said.

Nibhanupudi and Manekshaw were nominated by Radical Social Republican Party and Republican Liberal Party MPs.

Florinthian Prime Minister Ben Blanckenship had been nominated for his contribution to peace during the Denil Accords, which ended the Kaljurand Civil War, and was considered a serious contender to receive the Azuolas Nasvytis Prize, which has been awarded for first time. However, Human Rights Committee of the Social and Economic Council rejected Blackenship nomination, as their members agree that it could be seen as a politization of the award.

Vijay Nibhanupudi is a lawyer and human rights activist which has campaigned for transparency and prison reform, while Yamuna Manekshaw is a writer and human rights activist who campaigned in the 1578 elections for the Chhoda Party. She wrote in support of President Amil Vyas' National-Communist Party-led government, although she distanced later, and was critical with the new government on rule of law reform and justice abuses. She, however, opposed the coup d'etat a year later and was arrested. Manekshaw was sentenced to 10 years of jail for corruption charges, in which most human rights associations believe a flawed case, while Nibhanupudi has been under house arrest since 1580.