Summits
Bahtiyar Omer, a Uyghur rights activist and Chairman of the ‘Norway Uyghur Committee,’ addresses the 3rd Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks
Ti-Anna Wang, a Chinese-Canadian dissident whose father, Wang Bingzhang, is a prisoner of conscience in China, addresses the 3rd Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks
A panel including Chinese-Canadian dissident whose father, Wang Bingzhang, is a prisoner of conscience in China, Ti-Anna Wang; leading Chinese dissident and pro-democracy activist, Yang Jianli; Uyghur rights activist and Chairman of the ‘Norway Uyghur Committee,’ Bahtiyar Omer; Tibetan dissident and founder of ‘High Peaks Pure Earth,’ a website that
Yang Jianli, leading Chinese dissident and pro-democracy activist, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Yang Jianli: Thank you Hillel. Good morning my friends and good day. I say good day because anytime friends join together to
International lawyer, diplomat and Executive Director of UN Watch, Hillel Neuer delivers opening remarks at the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Ladies and gentlemen, welcome, my name is Hillel Neuer. I’m the Executive Director of UN watch. I have the honour
Michel Tran Duc, Viet Tan activist, pro-democracy organizer, and the son of an exiled Vietnamese intellectual, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Catherine Fiankan-Bokonga: I now give the floor to Mr. Michel Tran Duc from Vietnam, who arrived
A panel including Viet Tan activist, pro-democracy organizer, and the son of an exiled Vietnamese intellectual, Michel Tran Duc; senior UN correspondent at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Catherine Fiankan-Bokonga; Zimbabwean human rights activist and Director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project, Jestina Mukoko; and one of the leading activists
Jestina Mukoko, Zimbabwean human rights activist and Director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Jestina Mukoko: Good morning ladies and gentlemen. It gives me great pleasure to stand before you and
Zoya Phan, one of the leading activists in Europe for democracy in Myanmar, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Catherine Fiankan-Bokonga: We are going to start with Ms. Zoya Phan from Burma, who was forced to leave her
Joo-Il Kim, North Korean defector and the founder of Free NK, a London-based online publication aiming to draw attention to the Kim-Jong Un regime’s abuses, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Joo Il Kim: Hi, I’m a North Korean
Kalden Tsomo, Tibetan activist and UN Advocacy Officer at the Tibet Bureau Geneva, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Kalden Tsomo: Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Before I proceed, allow me to make a slight correction in
Nestor Rodriguez Lobaina, prominent Cuban pro-democracy activist, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Moderator: We continue with Nestor Rodriguez Lobaina. As I said before, he is the President of the Movement of Young Cubans for Democracy, who
World-famous Chinese dissident, RenWanding, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Ren Wanding: In 1989, I drafted [a] human rights declaration of China and I founded the China human rights coalition. I participated in the Tiananmen Square protest
A panel including, Director General of Calmann-Lévy Books and founder and President of Kero Books, Philippe Robinet; founder of Fondation Surgir, a human rights organization which supports feminist groups in Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and Switzerland, Jacqueline Thibault; and French journalist, novelist, and screenwriter, Anne-Isabelle Tollet, address the 4th Annual Geneva
Jacqueline Thibault, founder of ‘Fondation Surgir,’ a human rights organization which supports feminist groups in Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and Switzerland, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Philippe Robinet: […] as blasphemy laws and honor killings, the “Fondation Surgir”, lives
Philippe Robinet, Director General of Calmann-Lévy Books and founder and President of Kero Books, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Hilel Neuer […] by Monsieur. Philippe Robinet, who has come to us directly from Paris. Before I pass
Anne-Isabelle Tollet, French journalist, novelist, and screenwriter, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Anne-Isabelle Tollet: I am very honored to be here today and speak to you today about Asia Bibi. She is a 42-year-old wife and
A panel including journalist and commentator specializing in the Middle East and human rights, Tom Gross; Iranian activist who was arrested, jailed, tortured, and physically abused by the Iranian Regime after taking part in the Green Movement demonstrations of 2009, Ebrahim Mehtari; and an Egyptian blogger and political activist, Maikel
Maikel Nabil, Egyptian blogger and political activist, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Tom Gross: We have with us in this session, two very brave human rights and democracy activists, one from Egypt and the other
Ebrahim Mehtari, Iranian activist who was arrested, jailed, tortured, and physically abused by the Iranian Regime after taking part in the Green Movement demonstrations of 2009, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Tom Gross: In fact,
A panel including veteran war surgeon who smuggled himself into Homs in 2012 to help the Syrian people, Jacques Beres; Iranian freelance journalist and founder and Executive Director of ‘Foreign Policy Circle,’ Saba Farzan; and Syrian human rights activist who was arrested in 2011 for distributing pro-revolutionary flyers attacking the
Hadeel Kouki, Syrian human rights activist who was arrested in 2011 for distributing pro-revolutionary flyers attacking the regime of Bashar Al-Assad, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Saba Farzan: Hadeel is an incredibly courageous, young lady
Jacques Beres, a war surgeon who smuggled himself into Homs in 2012 to help the Syrian people, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Saba Farzan: Hello. Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Because we are the last panel
Hillel Neuer, international lawyer, diplomat, activist and Executive Director of UN Watch, addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Hillel Neuer: Welcome to the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. My name is Hillel Neuer. I’m
Mukhtar Mai, Pakistani author, women’s rights activist, and victim of “honor revenge,” addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Mukhtar Mai: I am thankful for the Geneva Summit and its organizers, and I am thankful to all the
Marina Nemat, Iranian author and former prisoner of conscience, addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Marina Nemat: Hello, good morning. Thank you so, so much for your time and for having me here with you today,
Colette Braeckman, member of the Editorial Board of the Belgian newspaper Le Soir and expert on sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks
Abidine Merzough, Mauritanian activist and European Coordinator of the Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement, addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Abidine Merzough: Ladies and gentlemen, I am happy to be able to inform
Dong-Hyuk Shin, advocate for human rights in North Korea and former prisoner at the notorious “Camp 14” North Korean labor camp, addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Dong-Hyuk Shin: I would like to thank everyone for coming
Kang Chol-hwan, North Korean defector and former inmate of the notorious Yodok concentration camp, addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Kang Chol-Hwan: It’s my honor to speak in front of you at the Geneva Summit. This
Professor Mukesh Kapila, public health and international development expert, addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy remotely via a video message– see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks James Kirchik: Mukesh Kapila, who is a professor of Global Health and Humanitarian Affairs at the
A panel including Minister for Development and International Relations for the Central Tibetan Administration, Dicki Chhoyang; Franco-Syrian politician, journalist, anthropologist, and leading figure in the opposition to Bashar Al Assad’s Syrian regime, Randa Kassis; Cuban pro-democracy activist and member of the Coordination Team of the Christian Liberation Movement (MCL), Rosa
Dicki Chhoyang, Minister for Development and International Relations for the Central Tibetan Administration, addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Dicki Chhoyang: Thank you for the very nice introduction. I want to start speaking about
Rosa Maria Paya, Cuban pro-democracy activist and member of the Coordination Team of the Christian Liberation Movement (MCL), addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Rosa Maria Paya: I want to thank the first two speakers, because I realize
Randa Kassis, Franco-Syrian politician, journalist, anthropologist, and leading figure in the opposition to Bashar Al Assad’s Syrian regime, addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy –see below her remarks in French, followed by the English translation. Full Remarks: French Bonjour, je vous remercie. Quand on parle
Regis Iglesias Ramirez, Cuban activist, former prisoner of conscience, and member the Christian Liberation Movement (MCL), addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks in Spanish. See below for English En Mayo de 2002 por primera vez desde
A panel including one of Kazakhstan’s most prominent independent journalists and former editor-in-chief and reporter at Uralskaya Nedelya, Lukpan Akhmedyarov; Moroccan human rights activist and intellectual, Kacem El Ghazzali; journalist and former Executive Director of the “Club Suisse de la Presse,” Guy Mettan; and Russian performance artist, political activist, and
Pyotr Verzilov, Russian performance artist, political activist, and founder of the news website MediaZona, adresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Extract from a September 2012 interview with President Vladimir Putin Reporter: I would like to talk
Lukpan Akhmedyarov, one of Kazakhstan’s most prominent independent journalists, former editor-in-chief, and reporter at Uralskaya Nedelya, addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Lukpan Akhmedyarov: Good afternoon. I am very sorry, I don’t speak English. I don’t
Kacem El Ghazzali, Moroccan human rights activist and intellectual, author of ‘Bahmut’, one of the most controversial blogs in the Arab world, adresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks GS13 – The Silencing of Critical Voices in
John Suarez, Executive Director at the Center for a Free Cuba, adresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks John Suarez: Thank you Hillel and I just want to say thanks to UN Watch for making this possible
Hillel Neuer, international lawyer, diplomat, activist and Executive Director of UN Watch, addresses the 8th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. Full remarks TBC
Irwin Cotler, Founder and Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, Emeritus Professor of Law at McGill University, former Member of Parliament, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and international human rights lawyer, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes
Dalia Ziada, one of Egypt’s leading human rights activists and Executive Director of the Center for Middle East and East Mediterranean Studies, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Dalia Ziada: Good morning. Thank you for the introduction,
Rakshinda Perveen, Pakistani survivor of gender violence, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Rakshinda Perveen: Respected guests of honour, Human Rights heroes, ‘sheroes’, mentors, teachers, friends, colleagues. Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. I would begin by saying
Tenzin Dhardon Sharling, the youngest member of the Tibetan Parliament in exile, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Tenzin Dhardon Sharling: Good morning everyone. First of all, a huge thanks to the UN watch for organizing
Annick Cojean, special correspondent at Le Monde and the author of the internationally acclaimed Gaddafi’s Harem, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Annik Cojean: Thank you, I’m sorry, I think I would speak in French, if you don’t mind. I can
A panel including visiting fellow at the Center on the United States and Europe and the Project on International Order and Strategy at the Brookings Institution, James Kirchik; journalist, former Executive Director of the Club Suisse de la Presse between 1998 and 2019, and former President of the Swiss Red Cross,
James Kirchik, visiting fellow at the Center on the United States and Europe and the Project on International Order and Strategy at the Brookings Institution, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks James Kirchik: I turned on the
Potkin Azarmehr, Iranian activist and blogger who left Iran for the UK after the revolution of 1979, since becoming a key activist resisting religious extremism and political intolerance in Iran, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. Quotes: To Be
Blind Chinese human rights lawyer Chen Guangcheng recieves the 2014 Geneva Summit Courage Award and addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Hillel Neuer: As I said when we opened today’s summit, all of our speakers today
William Browder, founder and CEO of Hermitage Capital Management and the largest foreign investor in Russia until 2005, when he was denied entry to the country as a consequence of his campaigning against corporate corruption, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.
Naghmeh Abedini, wife of Iranian-American Christian Pastor, Saeed Abedini, who was sentenced to 8 years in Iran’s infamously brutal Evin Prison in 2012 for his faith, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Naghmeh Abedini: Good afternoon, it’s
Biram Dah Abeid, “the Nelson Mandela of Mauritania,” founder of the Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement (IRA) and an antislavery campaigner, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Biram Dah Abeid: I thank you, dear
Dang Xuong Hung, a diplomat who defected from the Vietnamese Communist Party, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Dang Xuong Hung: Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, my name is Dang Xuong Hung. I am the former consul
Cuban democracy leader and rights activist Damaris Moya Portieles addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Danaris Moya Portieles: First of all, I would like to thank UN Watch and the organisers and the sponsors of this Geneva
Ahn Myeong Chul, North Korean former prison guard turned defector and human rights activist, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Ahn Myeong Chul: Good afternoon, my name is Ahn Myeong Chul. I would like to thank
Moayad Iskafe, a Syrian journalist who played a central role at the start of the Syrian uprising by organizing a network of local journalists to break Assad’s media siege, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks
Ali Al Ahmed, formerly Saudi Arabia’s youngest political prisoner, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Thank you so much for having me. My name is Ali Al Ahmed, I’m calling you from Washington DC. I wanted
Taha Bawa, co-founder of Goodwall, the humanitarian and environmental social network that encourages people to actively contribute to society and seek to inspire others, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks My name is Taha, and I’m here
Mayor of Frankfurt, former political prisoner in Iran
Sister of Iranian political prisoners Mahmoud and Maryam Mehrabi
Former Afghan Minister of Women’s Affairs and the first woman to run for President of Afghanistan
Zimbabwean opposition leader held for 595 days in pre-trial detention
Founder of Campaign for Uyghurs, sister of political prisoner Dr. Gulshan Abbas
Exiled Belarusian opposition figure and chair of the Belarus Women’s Foundation
Cuban playwright and democracy activist
Gambian women’s rights activist and survivor fighting to end Female Genital Mutilation
Human rights activist, promoter of democracy, and former World Chess Champion
President-elect of Venezuela
Uyghur human rights activist, translator, and singer
Swedish-Eritrean writer and daughter of Dawit Isaak
Daughter of Jamshid Sharmahd, fighting against her father’s unjust imprisonment and death sentence in Iran
Bolivian indigenous leader from the Sura Nation, member of the Bolivian Legislative Assembly
Iranian protestor shot by the regime and blinded in his left eye
Victim of brutality by the Cuban regime, shot twice at the 11J protests
Former Prime Minister of France
Uyghur activist who endured detention by Chinese authorities for advocating Uyghur rights
Member of Canadian Parliament, Chair of Foreign Affairs Committee
British-Australian academic, formerly held as a diplomatic hostage in Iran
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
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