Charlie Kirk nominated for Sakharov Prize

The Europe of Sovereign Nations Group in the European Parliament has nominated American activist Charlie Kirk for the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, for which Serbian students have also been nominated.

The right-wing group Europe of Sovereign Nations, led by the Alternative for Germany party, nominated Kirk for his "defence of the right to free expression and the norms of peaceful democratic dissent," according to an internal memo seen by Politiko.

Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative activist and close ally of US President Donald Trump, died on Wednesday after being shot during a public rally at a college. He was the co-founder and executive director of the youth organization Turning Point USA.

Trump announced that he would posthumously award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Kirk, whom he described as a "giant of his generation" and a "champion for freedom."

The Brussels portal states that Kirk has little chance of being awarded posthumously, as his supporters are few.

Other groups in the EP have nominated, in addition to Serbian students, Palestinian journalists and humanitarian workers, the Budapest Pride Parade, and dissidents in Georgia and Algeria for the award.

According to Politika, the award will most likely go to Polish-Belarusian journalist and human rights activist Andrzej Pochobut, a critic of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who is in prison in Minsk, because he is supported by the strongest political group, the European People's Party and the European Conservatives and Reformists.

The students in Serbia were nominated for the Sakharov Prize by the group Rebuild Europe, saying that their struggle reflects the key principles of the European Union and represents "inspiration beyond Serbia's borders."

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is the European Union's highest recognition for work in the field of human rights.

It is awarded to individuals, groups and organizations for outstanding contributions to the protection of freedom of expression.

The winner will be chosen in October, after the foreign affairs and development committees narrow the selection to three candidates.