Sergei Kovalev

The dissident and human rights activist Sergei Kovalev was born in 1930 in Eastern Ukraine. By education, he was a Doctor of Biophysics. In 1974, Kovalev was sentenced to exile for criticising the authorities. He was the President of the human rights organisation – Memorial. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, he became a member of the Russian Duma. He opposed the war in Chechnya and negotiated with Shamil Basayev. Kovalev received the Prize for defending human rights and in recognition of the work of Memorial.

Photo: KEW Archives