Press

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Press releases

Canadian Human Rights Icon Irwin Cotler to Receive Defender of Freedom Award

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

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Venezuelan President-Elect Edmundo González and Opposition Leader María Corina Machado to Receive 2025 Courage Award

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 María Corina Machado for their inspiring leadership in struggling

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Dissidents from Russia, Cuba, Iran, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Tibet, Eritrea, and More to Spotlight Abuses at the 17th Geneva Summit

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

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Geneva Summit Exposes Systemic Abuses by World’s Most Oppressive Regimes

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

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25 Human Rights NGOs Announce: Targeted Iran International Journalists to Receive 2024 Courage Award

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

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Anti-FGM Campaigner Fatou Baldeh to Receive 2024 Women’s Rights Award

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

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Dissidents from Cuba, Iran, Venezuela, Nicaragua to Spotlight Abuses at 16th Geneva Summit

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

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Iranian Activist Wins International Women’s Rights Award, Presented by Top U.N. Official

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

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25 Human Rights NGOs Announce: Freed Nicaraguan Opposition Leader Félix Maradiaga to Receive 2023 Courage Award

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

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25 Human Rights NGOs Announce 2023 International Women’s Rights Award Winner

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

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Dissidents to Oppose Russian Bid to Rejoin UNHRC

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

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China Abuses To Be Spotlighted at Geneva Rights Summit

GENEVA, April 12, 2023 — An international coalition of 25 human rights groups announced today that Chinese abuses in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong will go under an international  spotlight at this year’s 15th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. The event will take place next to the United Nations Human Rights Council on May

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Dissidents to Meet at U.N. for Human Rights Summit

GENEVA, March 30, 2023 — An international coalition of 25 human rights organizations announced today that it will hold its 15th annual gathering of pro-democracy dissidents — courageous activists from around the globe who are standing up against dictatorships — on May 17, 2023, in Geneva, Switzerland. On May 16, the 2023 Geneva Summit

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Rights Groups Worldwide Demand Russian Dissident’s Release

Above: Russian dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza addresses the United Nations opening session of the 10th Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, February 19, 2018. (Oliver O’Hanlon)GENEVA, May 2, 2022 –Today, a coalition of 25 human rights organizations called on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, along with all

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Ukrainian Advocate Calling for Russia Tribunal Announced as Rights Summit Speaker

GENEVA, March 31, 2022 – A cross-regional coalition of over 25 human rights NGOs announced today that Olga Aivazovska, a displaced Ukrainian civil society leader and one of the chief advocates for a special tribunal on Russian war crimes, will speak at the 14th Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. The announcement comes a day after

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Rights Summit To Spotlight Zimbabwean Opposition As Ruling Party Suffers Election Shock

GENEVA, March 27, 2022 – By-election results released Sunday revealed that Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party had suffered significant losses in a vote viewed as a dry run for the country’s 2023 general election. President Mnangagwa’s party lost 19 of the 28 constituencies contested to a growing opposition movement which will be spotlighted at

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25 Rights NGOs Announce Women’s Rights Award Winner: Zarifa Ghafari, Youngest Female Afghan Mayor

GENEVA, March 21, 2022 – A coalition of 25 human rights organizations announced today that its prestigious women’s rights award will go this year to Zarifa Ghafari, Afghanistan’s youngest female mayor and a survivor of three Taliban assassination attempts. Ghafari will receive the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy‘s 2022 International Women’s

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As China Considers Arming Russia in Ukraine, Dissidents Unite In Geneva

GENEVA, March 14, 2022 — A coalition of 25 human rights groups announced today that leading dissidents from Hong Kong, Tibet and China will come together to express their support for democracy at the 14th Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. The announcement comes as US officials reveal Russia has requested military assistance from China in

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Rights Groups Spotlight Abuses In Oil Rich Regimes As West Seeks New Energy Sources

GENEVA, March 9, 2022 — A coalition of 25 human rights NGOs announced today that dissidents from Saudi Arabia and Venezuela will deliver keynote remarks at the 14th annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. The move comes as Western countries seek to replace Russian energy with resources from the repressive regimes. Areej al-Sadhan, sister to Saudi

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Countries That Backed Russia At UNGA To Be Spotlighted At Rights Summit

GENEVA, March 7, 2022 — On Wednesday the United Nations voted to “deplore” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and demand the withdrawal of Russian forces. Now the four states that voted with Russia and against the historic resolution—Eritrea, Belarus, Syria and North Korea—are coming under fire and will be featured at the upcoming Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on

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25 Rights NGOs Respond to Ukraine Invasion By Hosting Russian Opposition Leader

GENEVA, February 24, 2022 —  A coalition of 25 non-governmental human rights groups announced today that Russian opposition leader and chief of staff to the imprisoned Alexei Navalny Leonid Volkov will speak at the 14th annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. Volkov will expose Russia’s human rights abuses at home and abroad at the

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25 Human Rights NGOs Announce Enes Kanter Freedom as 2022 Courage Award Winner

GENEVA, February 22, 2022 —  A cross-regional coalition of 25 human rights organizations announced today that its prestigious human rights award will go this year to Enes Kanter Freedom, a NBA athlete and activist currently risking his career for speaking out against China’s persecution of ethnic Uyghurs. Freedom will receive the Geneva Summit’s