Archive
After an eventful year in which Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko illegally downed a plane carrying a dissident blogger and orchestrated a migrant crisis on Europe’s eastern border, I talked to democratic opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (GS’21).
GENEVA, December 30, 2021 — An international coalition of 70 lawmakers, human rights activists and representatives of UN-accredited non-governmental organizations today urged the chair of the UN’s top human rights body to convene a special session
Media Mentions of the Geneva Summit’s #LettertoLai Campaign, launched 8th December 2021 […]
Interviewed by Dylan Rogers. After elections denounced by President Biden as a “pantomime”, I sat down with Berta Valle, the wife of imprisoned opposition leader Felix Maradiaga (GS’19)
Interviewed by Dylan Rogers. Shortly after Russia went to the polls this September, I sat down with opposition leader Lyubov Sobol (GS’20). At 34 Sobol occupies an idiosyncratic place in Russia’s pro-democracy movement. She has been with the now-imprisoned Alexei Navalny from the start, joining his anti-corruption campaign in 2011.
Interviewed by David Naftulin. I sat down with pioneering Afghan women’s rights hero Dr. Massouda Jalal (GS’10), who just weeks ago was forced to flee her country as the Taliban took power. Originally a medical professor, psychiatrist and pediatrician, Dr. Jalal became one of Afghanistan’s most influential activists after the
A conversation with Geneva Summit speaker Rosa María Payá (GS’16), one of Cuba’s most renowned human rights activists.
Editor’s Note: On July 15, 2016, the day of the failed coup attempt in Turkey, there were 14,500 judges and prosecutors. One of them was Yavuz Aydin (GS’20) who, among 4,500 other jurists, was purged by the Erdogan regime, smeared as a terrorist, and ultimately exiled—all for the crime of
Editor’s Note: Tania Bruguera (GS’21) is a top enemy of the Cuban government. As a political performance artist, Tania is committed to telling the world the truth about the situation on the island which has sparked the ire of the regime. She has been repeatedly arbitrarily detained, beaten, interrogated and
Media Mentions of 2021 Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy For videos, photos, transcripts, media mentions, quotes, and more, click here. Los Angeles Times article on the 2021 Geneva Summit and Moral Courage Award recipient and jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny: “Ahead of G-7 and U.N. talks, political dissidents and
GENEVA, June 8, 2021 — Russian political prisoner Alexai Navalny today won a prestigious human rights award as Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Belarus, and Zimbabwe came under scrutiny at an annual assembly of dissidents and former political prisoners. The
GENEVA, June 8, 2021 — Despite government efforts to silence her, a Cuban dissident artist has managed to submit testimony about the regime’s gross and systematic abuses to an annual human rights assembly of activists and former political prisoners, in which she expresses concern over “the potential consequences that I will have to confront for
GENEVA, June 7, 2021 — China, Syria, Turkey, Cuba, and Pakistan were among governments that came under scrutiny today at an annual assembly of dissidents and former political prisoners who have been oppressed by some of the world’s worst abusers. The 13th annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, organized by a cross-regional coalition of
Interviewed by David Naftulin.
I spoke with upcoming 2021 Geneva Summit speaker Nathan Law (GS’21), a pioneering Hong Kong activist. Nathan rose to prominence as a leader of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy Umbrella Movement in 2014.
GENEVA, May 19, 2021 – An international coalition of 25 human rights organizations has announced that its prestigious International Women’s Rights award will be presented to Gulalai Ismail, a prominent campaigner for Pakistani women’s rights who fled the country after authorities falsely accused her of a litany of serious offenses for her advocacy work. The Pakistani
LA HABANA – 7 de Mayo 2021 – Hoy, a las 12:30 PM (Hora de México), la artista y referente del movimiento pro-democracia cubano, Tania Bruguera, dará una conferencia de prensa para dar detalles sobre la denuncia que ha presentado contra el conductor televisivo, Humberto López. López, que encabeza el
Interviewed by Hilary Miller. Editor’s Note: In January 2019, Chau Van Kham, a 72-year-old Vietnamese-Australian, was arrested in Ho Chi Minh after meeting with a fellow democracy activist. After authorities detained him on fake charges of conspiring against the Vietnam government, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Mr.
GENEVA, April 19, 2021 – A cross-regional coalition of 25 human rights organizations announced today that its prestigious international human rights award will go this year to Alexey Navalny, a political prisoner in Russia whose current condition is so severe that U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan yesterday warned Moscow that “there will be
Maria Alejandra Aristeguieta is the former Ambassador-designate in Switzerland of Venezuela interim President Juan Guaido. Interviewed by Hilary Miller. Editor’s Note: More than having a meticulous and full understanding of the policy failings and economic turmoil in Venezuela, Maria Alejandra Aristeguieta (GS’20) feels deeply how the humanitarian crisis is affecting
Interviewed by Hilary Miller. Editor’s Note: Dr. Elham Manea (GS’20) stands out in the human rights arena. The internationally renown scholar’s rich insight and nuanced examinations of the interplay between the Islam and the West, and also of the complexities of the Middle East, complement her unambiguous calls for reform
Interviewed by Hilary Miller. Editor’s note: Just a few years ago, Evan Mawarire (GS’18) was the pastor of a small church in Harare. Today, the Zimbabwe clergyman and democracy activist draws a global audience for empowering citizens to challenge the rampant corruption, injustice and poverty in his home country. Our
Interviewed by Hilary Miller. Editor’s Note: Bill Browder (GS’18) is simultaneously a profile in courage and one of the most vilified men by the Russian regime. The financier turned human rights activist set out to hold the Kremlin to account following the horrific murder of his lawyer Sergei Magnitsky. After
Interviewed by Hilary Miller. Editor’s Note: Denise Ho (GS’20) is a woman moved by the courage of her own convictions. The award-winning Hong Kong-based singer, songwriter and actress is an ardent LGBT rights activist and has become a leading figure in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement. She has committed herself to
Interview by Hilary Miller. Please introduce yourself and your cause for advancing human rights in the Philippines. My name is Vicente M. de Lima II, and I am the brother of Senator Leila de Lima, a duly elected senator of the Republic of the Philippines who was unjustly detained
Interviewed by Hilary Miller. Please introduce yourself, your organization, and your human rights work. My name is Shaparak Shajarizadeh, and I am an Iranian women rights activist. My activism began when I stood up against the compulsory hijab law in Iran, but then I had to leave my country.