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2024 Welcome with Hillel Neuer

 

International lawyer, diplomat and Executive Director of UN Watch, Hillel Neuer delivers opening remarks at the 16th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy

Speakers and Participants

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Free and Fair Elections – Case Study: Iran with Shaheen Sariri

Shaheen Sariri, former representative of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI), a non-political and non-governmental organization comprised of advocates who defend human rights in Iran, addresses the 2nd Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full remarks    

Women's Rights

2024 International Women’s Rights Award with Fatou Baldeh

Gambian women’s rights activist and survivor fighting to end Female Genital Mutilation Fatou Baldeh addresses the 16th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for her remarks. Full remarks: Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Members of the Press, Ladies and Gentlemen, good afternoon to you all.  I am

Political Prisoners

Empty Chair: Ahmadreza Djalali, Sentenced to Death in Iran on False Charges

Mathieu Johansson, a student at Ecole Moser in Geneva, presented the empty chair for Ahmadreza Djalali at the 17th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2025. Full Remarks: The empty chair on this stage is dedicated to Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali, an innocent man facing execution

Tibet

Presentation of Geneva Summit 2019 Courage Award with Dhondup Wangchen

“I realized the true meaning of freedom and how freedom is more important than one’s life.” On abuse of Tibetans: “Without the support I received from the international community, I would be long dead.” “The moment the Tibetan person is labelled — that is just a dead body.” “When I

Political Prisoners

Arbitrary Arrest in Cuba with Juan Carlos Gutiérrez

Juan Carlos Gutiérrez, human rights lawyer who represents prominent Venezuelan opposition leaders and political prisoners including Leopoldo López and Juan Guaido, addresses the 11th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On arrest and imprisonment of Dr. Eduardo Cardet: “Dr. Cardet

Political Prisoners

Sacrificing Everything to Save Democracy in Hong Kong with Sebastien Lai

Sebastien Lai, leader of the international #FreeJimmyLai campaign and son of imprisoned pro-democracy newspaper publisher Jimmy Lai, addressed the 17th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2025. Full Prepared Remarks: Chinese New Year’s was just a few weeks ago. Since I was young, every year

Tortured by the Libyan Regime with Kristiyana Valcheva

Kristiyana Valcheva, a Bulgarian nurse who was wrongfully accused by the Libyan regime of participating in the poisoning of 400 Libyan children, imprisoned, and tortured, addresses the 1st Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full remarks      

Torture and Cruel and Inhuman Treatment with Ahmad Batebi

Ahmad Batebi, an Iranian activist and prisoner of conscience who later fled to the United States, addresses the 1st Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full remarks   So I will speak about things that have not already been said, and I will

Human Rights

Speaking out against ISIS with Abdalaziz Alhamza

Abdalaziz Alhamza, award-winning journalist and co-founder of Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, which exposes the atrocities committed by the Assad regime and ISIS, addresses the 11th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On becoming a citizen journalist: “The local

Human Rights

Torture and Cruel and Inhuman Treatment with Parvez Sharma

Pavez Sharma, an Indian filmmaker, author, and journalist, addresses the 1st Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full remarks   Some of the largest and most bitter battles in this new century are going to be fought on the front lines of religion.

Political Prisoners

SOS Nicaragua with Berta Valle

Nicaraguan journalist and wife to imprisoned presidential candidate Félix Maradiaga, Berta Valle, addresses the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On Summit Alumnus Félix Maradiaga: “In 2019, my husband Félix Maradiaga stood here on this stage and said that he

Democracy

“Russia will be without Putin” with Zhanna Nemtsova

Zhanna Nemtsova, Russian activist and daughter of murdered opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On a resurgent Russian authoritarianism: “The title of the panel, as you know, is “The Return of Authoritarianism”, and

Political Prisoners

Tortured Just for Tweeting with Areej al-Sadhan

Sister to wrongly imprisoned Saudi aid worker Abdulrahman al-Sadhan, Areej al-Sadhan, addresses the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the state of Saudi Arabia: “My brother Abdul Rahman al-Sadhan is currently in solitary confinement, facing a 20 year

Women's Rights

Fighting Female Genital Mutilation with Marie-Claire Kakpotia

Survivor and activist fighting to end Female Genital Mutilation, Marie-Claire Kakpotia, addresses the 15th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for her remarks. Full Remarks I am very honored to speak here today and I want to thank the Geneva Summit for giving me the opportunity to break the

Tortured by the Libyan Regime with Ashraf El Hajouj

Ashraf El Hajouj, a Palestinian-Bulgarian medic who was the principal defendant in Libya’s so-called “HIV Trial,” addresses the 1st Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full remarks        

Democracy

After the Arab Spring with Fouzia Elbayed

Fouzia Elbayed, Moroccan women’s rights advocate and former Member of Parliament, addresses the 7th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Hillel Neuer: Elbayed is a member of parliament in Morocco. She is the founder of the Network of Parliamentarians Against the Death

Democracy

Venezuela’s Fight for Freedom with Pedro Urruchurtu Noselli

Pedro Urruchurtu Noselli, Venezuelan opposition advisor wanted on politically motivated charges who took refuge for more than 400 days inside the Argentine embassy in Caracas, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026.   Full Prepared Remarks: On January 3, 2026, U.S. military

Authoritarianism

North Korea: Escape from Starvation and Oppression with Songmi Han

North Korean escapee and survivor of extreme poverty, oppression, and abandonment, Songmi Han, addresses the 15th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for her remarks. Full Remarks My mom gave me two lives. First, when she gave birth to me in 1993. Second, when she rescued me from North

Press Freedom

Press Freedom in Turkey with Orhan Kemal Cengiz

Orhan Kemal Cengiz, a Turkish human rights lawyer and journalist, addresses the 8th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy –  see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On press freedom in Turkey: “Then they started to sue journalists who said that Erdogan is a dicator, or Erdogan

Summit Opening with Hillel Neuer

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

Women's Rights

2025 International Women’s Rights Award with Massouda Jalal, Husna Jalal

Former Minister of Women’s Affairs and the first woman to run for president Massouda Jalal, and her activist daughter, Husna Jalal, will be awarded the International Women’s Rights Award on behalf of all Afghan women’s rights activists at the 17th annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy to Afghanistan’s