DR Congo doctor Denis Mukwege wins Sakharov prize

Today, we are treating 10 cases per day and this is horrible”Dr Denis Mukwege

Ukraine protest group Euromaidan and Azerbaijani activist Leyla Yunus came second and third respectively.

Two years ago, Dr Mukwege survived an assassination attempt after condemning the continued use of sexual violence in DR Congo by forces fighting to control the country's vast mineral wealth.

In a BBC Newsday interview, he said the prize was in recognition of the more than 30,000 rape survivors treated at the hospital in the eastern city of Bukavu over the last 16 years.

"It was wonderful to see the world stand up and take care of them," he said.

Women in eastern DR Congo continued to be raped in front of their husbands and children to "dehumanise" them and "destroy" families, he said.

"Today, we are treating 10 cases per day and this is horrible," Dr Mukwege told the BBC.

The Sakharov prize - named after famous Soviet scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov - is awarded each year for the promotion of human rights and democracy around the world.

Last year, it was awarded to Pakistani child education activist Malala Yousafzai.

Previous winners of the prestigious prize included Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi.