An Anglican bishop from Zimbabwe was Tuesday named winner of a Swedish human rights prize for "having given voice to the fight against oppression, reproted dpa"
Bishop Sebastian Bakare was also cited for his work to promote "freedom of speech and of opinion in a difficult political situation."
He was due to accept the 2008 Per Anger prize at a ceremony in Stockholm on November 10, Johan Perwe of the government agency Living History Forum told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
Bakare, installed as bishop of Harare earlier this year, was also due to be keynote speaker at a human rights conference in Lulea, northern Sweden.
The agency said Bakare was an "important voice" who has "received threats as a result of his open and clear criticism of the government, his condemnation of local police brutality and his defence of human rights" in Zimbabwe.
The prize, worth 150,000 kronor (18,900 dollars), was created in 2004 in honour of Swedish diplomat Per Anger and honours "people and organizations that risk their own safety to defend the rights of the individual against oppression and inhumanity."
Anger was a close associate of Raoul Wallenberg, credited with saving thousands of Hungarian Jews during World War II.
The Living History Forum has been commissioned with promoting issues relating to tolerance, democracy and human rights.
Last year, Colombian human rights group, Organizacion Femenina Popular (OFP), received the Per Anger Prize.