Tanzania’s Tundu Lissu Nominated for European Parliament’s 2026 Sakharov Prize

Tanzanian opposition leader and CHADEMA chairman Tundu Lissu has been put forward for the European Parliament’s 2026 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, one of Europe’s most prominent honours recognising the defence of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The nomination has been advanced by the European People’s Party (EPP) Group, the largest political group in the European Parliament, which has described Lissu as representing the defence of democracy, political pluralism, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms.

In presenting its case, the group has highlighted what it views as the considerable personal cost Lissu has faced during his political career and described his candidacy in terms of personal courage, democratic conviction and geopolitical relevance.

The nomination does not mean Lissu has won the award. Candidates put forward by political groups and members of the European Parliament go through a selection process before a shortlist is established and the eventual laureate is chosen.

Established in 1988 and named after Soviet physicist and dissident Andrei Sakharov, the Sakharov Prize is awarded annually by the European Parliament to individuals, groups or organisations recognised for defending human rights and freedom of thought.

Lissu’s nomination comes against the background of sustained European attention to his case.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution in May 2025 concerning his arrest and prosecution after he was detained following a political rally in Mbinga on April 9. He was subsequently charged with treason, an offence carrying a potential death sentence under Tanzanian law. The European Parliament called for his fundamental rights and due process to be respected.

The nomination therefore places Lissu’s political and legal circumstances before the European Parliament again, this time through one of its most internationally recognised human-rights awards.

Previous Sakharov laureates include figures and movements from different parts of the world who have been recognised for human-rights, democratic or freedom-of-expression work. The prize has been awarded annually since Nelson Mandela and Anatoly Marchenko became its first recipients in 1988.

The EPP itself has successfully nominated several previous laureates and describes the Sakharov Prize as the European Parliament’s annual recognition of individuals and groups dedicated to defending human rights and freedom of thought.

For Lissu, the nomination adds another international dimension to a political career that has repeatedly attracted attention beyond Tanzania.

Whether he ultimately reaches the shortlist or wins the 2026 prize will depend on the subsequent stages of the European Parliament’s selection process. For now, the EPP’s decision places the Tanzanian opposition leader among the figures it wants European lawmakers to consider for the institution’s leading human-rights honour.