The imprisoned opposition politician Alexej Navalny and his anti-corruption foundation FBK have been awarded this year’s M100 media prize for their commitment to democracy and freedom in Russia. The close confidante of Navalny Leonid Volkov will receive the award at the award ceremony on October 6th in the palace theater of the New Palace in Potsdam, the organizers announced on Friday. The laudation will therefore be held by FDP leader Christian Lindner.
Volkov said he was “honored and proud” to receive the award on behalf of Navalnys and his anti-corruption foundation. “It is very important that his and our activities, with which we have drawn attention to corruption over the past 10 years and have spread the message of freedom through social media, are also recognized in Europe,” he said, according to the organizers.
Navalny is the most prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. About a year ago, the opposition was murdered with a neurotoxin, which he barely survived. After months of treatment and recovery in Germany, Navalny returned to Russia earlier this year, where he was immediately arrested. He was later sentenced to more than two years in a camp for allegedly violating probation requirements.
The M100 prize has been awarded annually since 2005 to people who campaign for European understanding as well as freedom of expression and freedom of the press. The Hungarian journalist Szabolcs Dull received the award last year. Other winners include the Italian writer Roberto Saviano, the Danish caricaturist Kurt Westergaard and the French satirical magazine “Charlie Hebdo”.