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
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

Executive Director, UN Watch

A panel including international human rights lawyer and advocate for the Chibok Girls, Emmanuel Ogebe; one of the hundreds of girls kidnapped by Boko Haram who is speaking under the pseudonym Saa; and journalist specializing in the Middle East and human rights, Tom Gross, at the 7th Annual Geneva Summit for Human

Blessed Mhlanga, Zimbabwean journalist and former political prisoner, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026. Full Prepared Remarks: Last year, I spent 73 days in pre-trial detention for another man’s speech at a press conference I did not even attend. This

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

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

More than 16-time imprisoned Tibetan activist and poet Tenzin Tsundue addresses the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On having his flag confiscated at the United Nations: “This is the national flag of Tibet and yesterday at the United Nations

Gibreil Hamid, President of the Darfur Peace and Development Center and critic of UN’s inaction on the genocide, addresses the 1st Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Gibreil Hamid: Thank you for your nice clear message to all of the

Yeon-Mi Park, a North Korean defector and activist, addresses the 7th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. Quotes: To Be Confirmed Full Remarks Good morning everyone. I was so depressed to hear all of these heartbreaking stories; it’s really difficult to

Michael Levitt, Canadian MP and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, addresses the 11th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the need for advocacy: “Unfortunately, we are seeing a resurgence of gross human rights violations around the word…And the

Kim Kwang-Jin, a former banker to the North Korea regime, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the emergence and operations of North Korea’s alternate economy: “Following the collapse of the global socialist market, an unexpected thing

Betlehem Isaak, Swedish-Eritrean writer, and daughter of journalist Dawit Isaak who has been detained in Eritrean prison without trial for 24 years, addressed the 17th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2025. Full Remarks: Eritrea has been called “Africa’s North Korea,” “The Hermit Kingdom,” “An

Owner and CEO of Venezuela’s last independent newspaper, El Nacional, Miguel Henrique Otero, speaks at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On bringing Chavez to power and seeing him become a dictator: “I met him numerous times, and at

Cuban Psychologist and journalist, Guillermo Fariñas Hernández, who has endured 23 hunger strikes and 11 years in prison for his defiance of the Cuban regime, addresses the 10th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On lack of democracy in Cuba:

Tamara Suju, a Venezuelan lawyer and human rights activist, addresses the 2nd Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Tamara Suju: Good afternoon. First of all, I’d just like to say thank you to the coalition for human rights and this

Chinese dissenter, human rights activist, and former political prisoner Rei Xia addresses the 16th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for her remarks. Full Remarks: Thank you all. Ladies and gentlemen, imagine one day you wake up and realize that you’ve turned into a caterpillar,

Afghan-Iranian Taekwondo athlete and advocate for women’s rights in Afghanistan, Marzieh Hamidi, recieved the International Women’s Rights Award at the 18th annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. Click here to view the presentation of the award by Sophia Aram. Full Remarks: I am not here to tell you

Mathilde Gahier, a student at the Institut Florimont in Geneva, presented the empty chair for Maria Kalesnikava 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 Maria Kalesnikava, an opposition leader and defender

Maria Baronova, Russian human rights activist, journalist and subject of “The Bolotnaya Case”, addresses the 7th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Hello. I am from Russia and as you know, things in my country are not as good as we would

Can Dündar, a Turkish journalist jailed and exiled for his reporting, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the family of human rights activists: “We are in a big family of freedom fighters from all over the world here,

Rebiya Kadeer, is an advocate of greater autonomy for China’s Uyghur population and a human rights activist, addresses the 2nd Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Rebiya Kadeer: First of all, I would like to congratulate all the women for

Rosa Maria Paya, one of Cuba’s leading human rights and democracy activists and the daughter of the late Oswaldo Paya, addresses the 8th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On dictatorship in Cuba: “Let me tell you that as a

A panel including scholar and practitioner of international religious liberty law, Angela Wu; Senior Research Fellow in International Regulatory Affairs for The Heritage Foundation, Brett Schaefer; expert on US constitutional law and freedom of speech, Floyd Abrams; director, teacher, columnist, and the co-founder of the journal ProChoix who has previously

15-year-old Hazara activist who narrowly escaped the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, Nila Ibrahimi, addresses the 15th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for her remarks. Full Remarks Good morning everyone. I’m incredibly honored to be here today with you at the Geneva Summit. Thank you so much for giving me the

Phuntsok Nyidron, one of Tibet’s longest held political prisoners, addresses the 2nd Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Phuntsok Nyidron: Good morning everybody. My name is Phuntsok Nyidron. I was born in Phenpo, a small village near Lhasa, the capital

Baroness Sal Brinton, Member of House of Lords and Human Rights Chair of Liberal International, delivers her remarks as she presents the 2025 Geneva Summit Courage Award to President-elect Edmundo González and opposition leader María Corina Machado. Full Remarks: Ladies and Gentlemen, Liberal International is a proud, long-time partner of

Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of imprisoned British-Iranian charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe who was arrested in Iran almost three years ago while on holiday with her infant daughter, addresses the 11th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the arrest and