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GENEVA, February 9, 2026 — The Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, a cross-regional coalition of more than 30 human rights organizations, announced today that Marzieh Hamidi will receive the 2026 Geneva Summit International Women’s Rights Award. Hamidi was Afghanistan’s national champion in Taekwondo, and has become a powerful
GENEVA, February 21, 2025 — The Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, a cross-regional coalition of more than 30 human rights organizations, presented its Defender of Freedom Award to Professor Irwin Cotler, international human rights lawyer, legal scholar, former Canadian justice minister, and nominee for next year’s Nobel Peace Prize, for his renowned advocacy
Media Mentions of the 2025 Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy For information about our 2025 speakers, videos, photos, transcripts, quotes, and more, click here. Reuters article on Sebastien Lai: “Jimmy Lai’s son urges US, UK to get father out of Hong Kong jail”. Also published in The Straits
GENEVA, February 13, 2025 — The Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, a cross-regional coalition of more than 30 human rights organizations, announced today that its Defender of Freedom Award will honor Professor Irwin Cotler, international human rights lawyer, legal scholar, former Canadian justice minister, and nominee for next
Dr. Massouda Jalal (right) with daughter Husna Jalal (left) photographed after being exiled to the Netherlands (Photo: Marieke van der Velden) GENEVA, February 13, 2025 — A cross-regional coalition of more than 30 human rights organizations announced today that Dr. Massouda Jalal and her daughter Husna Jalal will receive the
GENEVA, February 11, 2025 — The Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, a cross-regional coalition of more than 30 human rights organizations, announced today that its prestigious Courage Award will this year honor Venezuelan President-Elect Edmundo González and opposition leader MarÃa Corina Machado for their inspiring leadership in struggling
GENEVA, January 8, 2025 — Leading dissidents and courageous activists worldwide will gather in Geneva, Switzerland, on February 18, 2025, for the Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy at the Centre International de Conférences Genève. The Summit, hosted by a coalition of over 25 human rights organizations, will showcase the voices
Prominent dissidents expose severe human rights violations in nations like Iran, China, Russia, Zimbabwe, Cuba, and more. “We live in a world where terrorists are invited on red carpets, and activists have to fend for their own lives,” testified Gazelle Sharmahd, daughter of Jamshid Sharmahd, a journalist currently on death
GENEVA, May 13, 2024 —  A cross-regional coalition of 25 human rights organizations announced today that its prestigious human rights award will go this year to Iran International, to be accepted by news director Aliasghar Ramezanpour and TV news presenter Pouria Zeraati. Ramezanpour was convicted in absentia two years ago by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court for the crime of
GENEVA, May 7, 2024 —  A cross-regional coalition of 25 human rights organizations announced today that Gambian women’s rights activist Fatou Baldeh will be honored with the Geneva Summit Women’s Rights Award. She campaigns to end female genital mutilation, a practice that she survived and now dedicates herself to ending. Baldeh will receive the prestigious
GENEVA, April 2, 2024 — Leading dissidents and courageous activists worldwide will gather in Geneva, Switzerland on May 15, 2024, for the 16th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy at the Centre International de Conférences Genève. The Summit, hosted by a coalition of 25 human rights organizations, will showcase the voices of the
Around 1 million girls can’t go to school in Afghanistan, UN says By CBC Kids – October 11th, 2023 Click Here for the original story. HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Nila Ibrahimi fled Afghanistan in August 2021 because it wasn’t safe for her and her family. Many girls in
By Sam Namias As Kim Jong Un’s hermit kingdom becomes an increasingly closed and dangerous country, I interviewed North Korean human rights activist and two-time defector Timothy Cho (GS’22). We discuss Cho’s inspiring personal story and outlook on life, the importance of the Geneva Summit, and what the international community should do to support those trapped
Zimbabwe election: Voters go to the polls with fear and change on their minds Jordan King | Aug 23, 2023 Click Here for the original article Polls are opening for the sourthern African country to elect its new leader (Pictures: EPA/Getty)Â Zimbabweans are choosing their next president today, in the
By Emma Waxlax Ahead of the 26th anniversary of the Hong Kong Handover on July 1st, I interviewed prominent Hong Kong activist Frances Hui (GS’23). Amidst a worsening crackdown on democratic freedoms in Hong Kong, we discuss Hui’s experiences confronting CCP oppression, the situation in her home city today, and
‘Iran’s armed forces murdered my mum, it’s time the UK called them terrorists’ By: Gergana Krasteva | Jul 2, 2023 Click here for the original article Members of the Iranian community rally in solidarity with Mahsa (Jina) Amini (Picture: AP) A woman whose mother was killed by 167 shotgun pellets
By Emma Waxlax On May 29th, Uganda’s President Museveni signed into law the Anti-Homosexuality Act, a bill that expands already existent legislation targeting homosexuals, trans and gender non-conforming people. Sparking condemnation across the international community, the bill prescribes the death penalty for certain sexual relations involving individuals of the same-sex,
Media Mentions of the 2023 Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. For videos, photos, transcripts, quotes, and more, click here. CNN interview with Summit speakers, husband and wife Félix Maradiaga and Berta Valle: “‘An audit of the heart’: Nicaraguan dissident Felix Maradiaga and his wife Berta Valle on
15th Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy • Hi-res photos: Geneva Summit (May 17, 2023) | United Nations Opening (May 16)• Video of full event• Videos of individual speakers Remarks in video and transcript: • Abraham Jiménez Enoa, Prominent Cuban journalist forced into exile, grandson of the bodyguard to
GENEVA, May 18, 2023 —  A coalition of 25 human rights groups yesterday awarded its prestigious women’s rights award to Shima Babaei, an exiled Iranian women’s rights activist and former political prisoner. Click here for transcript and video of her remarks. Ms. Babaei received the 2023 International Women’s Rights Award at the 15th annual Geneva Summit for
On the 17th of May 2022 the 15th Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy formally began at the United Nations opening event, hosted at the Palais des Nations in Geneva and attended by leading diplomats from around the world. Photos and Videos can be found below: For all photos,
GENEVA, May 4, 2023 —  A cross-regional coalition of 25 human rights organizations announced today that its prestigious human rights award will go this year to Félix Maradiaga, a leading Nicaraguan opposition politician who was released this year after being subjected to 611 days in prison and solitary confinement. Maradiaga will receive the 2023 Courage Award on
GENEVA, May 2, 2023 —  A coalition of 25 human rights groups announced today that its prestigious women’s rights award will go this year to Shima Babaei, an exiled Iranian women’s rights activist and former political prisoner, in tribute to the courageous women and girl protesters of Iran. Ms. Babaei will receive the 2023 International
GENEVA, April 27, 2023 — Some of the world’s most prominent Russian dissidents will gather soon at the UN Human Rights Council for the first major event opposing Moscow’s recently-announced bid to rejoin the 47–nation body, from which it was removed last year on account of its gross violations in Ukraine. The Geneva
GENEVA, April 19, 2023 — Ahead of the U.N.’s first debate with its new commission of inquiry into Iran’s bloody crackdown against thousands of women’s rights protesters, a coalition of 25 human rights groups announced today that they will be bringing Iranian victims of atrocities and international experts to address a
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