Aegean Boat Report is honoured that its founder, Tommy Olsen, has been awarded the Annette Thommessen Honorary Award 2026 by NOAS.
The award is given in recognition of many years of work documenting pushbacks, human rights violations and the treatment of people on the move at Europe’s borders.
For more than a decade, Aegean Boat Report has worked to ensure that people who are too often ignored, silenced or forgotten are seen and heard.
This recognition comes at a time when independent monitoring of Europe’s borders is more important than ever.
While Norwegian courts recently rejected Greece’s request to extradite Tommy Olsen, the European Arrest Warrant remains in place, highlighting the growing pressure faced by those who document and expose human rights violations.
We accept this award with gratitude, but also with a reminder:
People continue to drown at Europe’s borders.
Pushbacks continue.
Human rights violations continue.
As long as this happens, independent documentation remains essential.
This award is not only recognition of work already done. It is recognition of the importance of continuing that work.
Thank you to NOAS and the jury for this honour.
https://www.noas.no/nominasjonsprosess-annette-thommessens-hederspris-2026/