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
Hillel Neuer
Executive Director, UN Watch
Speakers and Participants
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United Nations
Welcome with Hillel Neuer
International lawyer, writer and Executive Director of UN Watch Hillel Neuer gives the opening address at the 10th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. Full Remarks Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Hillel Neuer. I am the executive director of United Nations Watch. On behalf of the 25
Human Rights
Fighting Oppression, Defending Human Rights with Taghi Rahmani, Antonietta Ledezma, Jared Genser, Chito Gascon
Full Transcript Jared Genser: Thank you so much to all three of you for bringing to life the struggles that each of you are undertaking in your own countries, to restore democracy and achieve fundamental human rights for your families, for your country, and for your people. I’m going to
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
Uyghur Persecution
Witnessing China’s Re-Education Camps with Kalbinur Sidik
Kalbinur Sidik, Uyghur activist, witness to Chinese reeducation camp atrocities and survivor of forced sterilization, addresses the 15th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for her remarks in Uyghur and the corresponding video, followed by the English translation. Full Remarks: Uyghur ھازىر ، جۇڭگودا جازا لاگېرلىرىدا
Authoritarism in Cuba with Rosa Maria Paya
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
Human Rights
Blasphemy in Pakistan with Peter Bhatti
Peter Bhatti, brother of Pakistan’s first and only Christian Federal Minister who was assassinated for opposing Pakistan’s blasphemy laws and Chairman of the non-profit International Christian Voice, addresses the 12th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy — see quotes below, followed by the full prepared remarks. On Pakistan’s
Political Prisoners
My House is a Prison with Antonietta Ledezma
Antonietta Ledezma, daughter of former Mayor of Caracas and political prisoner, Antonio Ledezma, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the arrest of her father Antonio Ledezma, Mayor of Caracas: “For the longest hours of my
Tibet
Arrested for Demanding a Free Tibet with Nyima Lhamo
Nyima Lhamo, Tibetan human rights activist, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On her uncle’s unjust imprisonment: “At the time of my uncle’s arrest, I was only 12 years old. I was hopeful that he would be
Human Rights
Call to Action: Carrying the Torch of Human Rights Forward with Brandon Silver
Brandon Silver, international human rights lawyer, 2024 Magnitsky Award laureate, and the Director of Policy & Projects at the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, addressed the 17th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2025. Full Remarks: Congratulations President-elect Edmundo González and leader María Corina
Political Prisoners
Iran: Forced to Flee with Maryam Malekpour
Maryam Malekpour, sister of Saeed Malekpour, Iranian developer serving life sentence in Evin prison on spurious charges, addresses the 10th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On Iran’s abduction and imprisonment of Saeed Malekpour: “Our nightmare began on October
Press Freedom
Confronting Erdogan with Yavuz Baydar
Yavuz Baydar, Editor-in-Chief of Ahval, a trilingual Turkish news service, addresses the 7th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Good morning everyone, thanks for joining us to discuss and debate issues around this noble cause. I have come here from Turkey, which
Press Freedom
The Last Newspaper Left with Miguel Henrique Otero
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
Democracy
My Fight for a Free Cambodia with Mu Sochua
Mu Sochua, Cambodian political opposition leader and president of the Khmer Movement for Democracy, addresses the 16th annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy | May 15, 2024
Political Prisoners
Opening Address with Evgenia Kara-Murza
Human rights activist, wife of jailed Russian prisoner of conscience and opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza, Evgenia Kara-Murza, addresses the 15th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for her remarks. Full Remarks Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, I am deeply honoured and deeply humbled to be standing on this
Democracy
Purged by Erdogan with Yavuz Aydin
Yavuz Aydin, Turkish judge purged by President Erdogan now living in exile, addresses the 12th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy — see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the coup events and subsequent purge: “Even before this coup attempt was done, the High Council met
Democracy
How To Topple A Dictator with Bobi Wine
Ugandan pop-star turned 2021 presidential candidate and opposition leader, Bobi Wine, speaks at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On deciding to speak out: “My fame wouldn’t change the reality – that I was just a boy from
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
Human Rights
Bloggers for Freedom with Nazanin Afshin-Jam, Bart Woord, Pavel Marozau, Esra'a Al Shafei
A panel including former Secretary General of the International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY), Bart Woord; Belarusian and Estonian civic activist, media manager, and web producer, Pavel Marozau; international human rights activist and President and co-founder of Stop Child Executions, Nazanin Afshin-Jam; and dissident blogger from Bahrein creating virtual spaces
Political Prisoners
Eritrea and the World’s Longest Imprisoned Journalist with Betlehem Isaak
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
Religious Freedom
Pakistan: On Death Row for Blasphemy with Philippe Robinet, Ashiq Masih
Ashiq Masih, husband to Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman sentenced to death after being convicted of blasphemy, sits down with Philippe Robinet at the 7th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Transcript Moderator: I just wanted to tell you that in this
Political Prisoners
2021 Moral Courage Award with Daria Navalnaya
Daria Navalnaya, pro-democracy activist and daughter of poisoned and jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny – winner of the 2021 Moral Courage Award, addresses the 13th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On father Alexei Navalny’s political activism: “He spent
Human Rights
Venezuela: Building Unity to Challenge Oppression with Hasler Iglesias
Venezuelan youth leader who went into hiding to escape arrest by the Maduro regime, Hasler Iglesias, addresses the 15th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for his remarks. Full Remarks We humans develop a strong sense of belonging to our motherlands. And for me, that’s Venezuela. But my story
Democracy
Beyond Bars: A Story of Defiance and Hope with Nguyen Tien Trung
Vietnamese pro-democracy activist and former political prisoner, Trung Tien Nguyen, addresses the 16th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for his remarks. Full Remarks: Right now, as I stand here today, nearly 100 million Vietnamese people are suffocating under the Communist Party of Vietnam’s authoritarian
Political Prisoners
Geneva Summit 2016 Courage Award with Antonietta Ledezma
Antonietta Ledezma, daughter of Caracas mayor Antonio Ledezma, in jail on politically-motivated charges, addresses the 8th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On her father’s arrest: “The last 15th of February of 2015, 120 armed policemen smashed into my father’s
Human Rights
The Islamic Republic Murdered My Son for Protesting with Maryam Diyor
Maryam Diyor, mother of Abolfazl Amir-Ataei, who was killed at age 16 by the regime for protesting, addressed the 17th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2025. Full Remarks (Translated from Persian): Salutations to the Crown Prince, Reza Pahlavi. On September 16th, 2022, the Islamic