Ukraine war: Nobel Prize invitation to Russia and Iran withdrawn

The Nobel Foundation has reversed a much-criticised determination to invitation Russia, Belarus and Iran to this year's awards ceremonial successful Stockholm.

"We recognise the beardown absorption successful Sweden," the instauration said.

Russia and its state Belarus were not invited past twelvemonth pursuing Russia's penetration of Ukraine, portion Iran was near retired implicit its quality rights record.

Ukraine had criticised this year's determination and hailed Saturday's U-turn arsenic "a triumph for humanism".

The awards ceremonial is held successful Stockholm connected 10 December - the day of the decease of Alfred Nobel, the antheral who established the fund.

There, the king of Sweden honours laureates successful medicine, physics, literature, and economics. The Nobel Peace Prize ceremonial is held connected the aforesaid time successful the Norwegian capital, Oslo.

In its announcement connected Saturday, the Nobel Foundation defended its earlier decision, saying "it is important and close to scope retired arsenic wide arsenic imaginable with the values and messages that the Nobel Prize stands for - for example, done past year's wide governmental connection with the bid prize awarded to quality rights fighters from Russia and Belarus arsenic good arsenic to Ukrainians who enactment with documenting Russian warfare crimes".

But it acknowledged that the absorption had "overshadowed this message".

"We, therefore, take to repetition past year's objection to regular signifier - that is, to not invitation the ambassadors of Russia, Belarus and Iran to the Nobel Prize grant ceremonial successful Stockholm. As before, each ambassadors volition beryllium invited to the ceremonial successful Oslo," the instauration said.

Saturday's announcement does not code different portion of the earlier connection that has caused further interest successful Sweden.

It centres connected the invitation to "all parties that person parliamentary practice successful Sweden done antiauthoritarian elections".

This includes the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats - a enactment founded by Nazi sympathisers, who had been shunned by the mainstream for decades.

It won astir a 5th of votes successful past year's wide election.

Its leader, Jimmie Akesson, has said helium volition not be aft being invited for the archetypal time.

"Unfortunately I'm engaged that day," helium wrote connected Facebook connected Thursday.