Dalai Lama nominated for 2008 Sakharov prize

Dharamsala, Sept 5 (PTI) Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has been nominated for the European Union Parliament's 2008 Sakharov prize, sources in the Tibetan government-in-exile said here Friday.

He is among the eight nominees vying for the honour. Other probables for the prize include Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, France-Colombian ex-hostage Ingrid Betancourt, jailed Chinese pro-democracy campaigner Hu Jia, Belarussian political prisoner Alexender Kozulin, a release said.

Three candidates will be shortlisted by the EU
Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee on September 22 and the
winner will be announced in mid-October.

The prize will be presented at Strasbourg plenary
session on December 16.

The 2008 Sakharov prize named after Soviet dissident
Andrel Sarkharov marks the 20th year since the award was
first instituted.

Among the previous winners of the prize are former South
African president Nelson Mandela, Burmese opposition leader
and Nobel laureate Aung Suu Kyi, ex-UN secretary Kofi Annan
and Chinese dissident WEI Jingsheng. PTI