Jailed Belarusian opponent Kolesnikova wins European rights award

FILE PHOTO: Politician and representative of the Coordination Council for members of the Belarusian opposition Maria Kolesnikova attends a news conference in Minsk, Belarus August 24, 2020. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko/File Photo

PARIS (Reuters) - Jailed Belarusian opposition leader and activist Maria Kolesnikova on Monday won the ninth Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize which honours outstanding civil society action in the defence of human rights.

Kolesnikova's sister Tatsiana Khomich attended a ceremony on the activist's behalf on the opening day of the autumn plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France.