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'Alternative Nobel Prize' for Syria aid group, Turkish paper

September 22, 2016

Four laureates share this year's Right Livelihood Award. Turkish critical daily "Cumhuriyet" and the Syria Civil Defense group were among them, with an Egyptian feminist and Russian rights activist also honored.

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Syrien neue Gefechte trotz Waffenruhe
Image: Reuters/K. Ashawi

Right Livelihood chief Ole von Uexkull named the award winners on Thursday in Stockholm. The 750,000-kronor ($87,000 or 78,000-euro) prize was to be shared between a Syrian rescue group called Syria Civil Defense and also known as the White Helmets.

Around 3,000 members of the organization work to rescue people from bombed houses, fight fires and offer personal help. Von Uexkull said they were nominated for the prize for their "outstanding bravery, compassion and humanitarian engagement in rescuing civilians."

Turkish newspaper "Cumhuriyet" shared the award for fighting for freedom of the press in Turkey. Russian human rights activist Svetlana Gannushkina, founder of the Civic Assistance Committee that offers migrants legal and educational assistance. Egyptian feminist activist Mozn Hassan and her organization Nazra for Feminist Studies, won the award for their efforts in promoting gender equality and women's rights.

The annual Right Livelihood Award is more commonly known as the "alternative Nobel Prize," it tends to target lower-profile or grass-roots activists less likely to attract the Nobel Committee's attention. The winners were chosen out of 125 nominations from 50 countries.

mg/msh (AP, dpa)