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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Crimes Against Humanity: Slavery, Genocide and Concentration Camps – In Our Own Time? with Abidine Merzough
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
Political Prisoners
Scarred by North Korea with Timothy Cho
North Korean torture survivor and two-time defector from the regime, Timothy Cho, speaks at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On growing up in North Korea: “I was born into a beautiful family in North Korea. My parents
Democracy
The Tragedy of Zimbabwe with Fadzayi Mahere
Constitutional lawyer and opposition spokesperson arrested repeatedly in Zimbabwe, Fadzayi Mahere, speaks at the 15th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for her remarks. Full Remarks Two years ago, I woke up in an overcrowded jail cell in Zimbabwe’s Maximum Security Prison. No water. No toilet. No underwear.
Political Prisoners
Political Prisoners as a Looking Glass into a Resurgent Authoritarianism with Irwin Cotler
Irwin Cotler, Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights and former Canadian Justice Minister and MP, addresses the 11th Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the threat to democracy: “We are witnessing a resurgence of global authoritarianism on
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
Iran: Jailed, Tortured & Abused by the Regime with Ebrahim Mehtari
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,
Authoritarianism
Voices for the Voiceless with Daniel Mekonen
Daniel Mekonnen, Eritrean human rights lawyer and scholar, addresses the 8th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the importance of the Geneva Summit: “I feel very honoured to have the opportunity of speaking in front of you today, in
Human Rights
The Abolitionist Who Won’t Be Silenced with Biram Dah Abeid
Biram Dah Abeid, Mauritanian antislavery campaigner and founder of Mauritania’s Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement (IRA), receives the Courage Award and addresses the 12th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy — see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On slavery in Mauritania: “Our parents,
Resisting Authoritarianism: Human Rights, Democracy and the Dissident Movement with Marlon Zakeyo
Marlon Zakeyo, a Zimbabwean lawyer and activist, addresses the 1st Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Bonjour, good morning, mangwanani, to all of the participants here. To my fellow Zimbabweans wherever they are and to all friends of Zimbabwe throughout
Why Cuba Jailed, Tortured and Exiled Me with Néstor Rodríguez Lobaina
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
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
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
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
Rising Powers and International Rights Compliance: Case Study of China with Yang Jianli
Yang Jianli, leading Chinese dissident and pro-democracy activist, addresses the 2nd Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. Full remarks John Suarez: Mayor of Geneva, Isabel Rochat, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I’d also like to point out that today is
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
Tibet
Risking Everything for Tibet with Golog Jigme
Golog Jigme, Tibetan monk and human rights activist jailed and tortured by China for making 2008 documentary “Leaving Fear Behind,” addresses the 10th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On being tortured: “It isn’t possible to share all the torture
Human Rights
Do Human Rights Matter? with Alfred Moses
Alfred Moses, UN Watch Chair and a former special advisor to President Carter, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the legacy of the fall of the Berlin Wall: “After the Berlin Wall came down, and
Uyghur Persecution
The Campaign to Stop China’s Destruction of the Uyghurs with Rahima Mahmut
Rahima Mahmut, Uyghur human rights activist, translator, and singer, addressed the 17th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2025. Full Remarks: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. It is an honor and privilege to be here with you today. In 1989, I was one of thousands
Authoritarianism
Now Is The Time: Reforming Cuba with Manuel Cuesta
Manuel Cuesta, a Cuban historian, political activist and founder of the Progressive Arch, a forum bringing together diverse organisations militating for change in communist Cuba, 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 […] I’d
Democracy
Charting the Path to Democracy in Belarus with Veronica Tsepkalo
Exiled Belarusian opposition figure and chair of the Belarus Women’s Foundation, Veronica Tsepkalo, addresses the 16th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for her remarks. Full Remarks: Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, dear honorable guests! First, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to
Democracy
Targeted by Turkey with Nurcan Baysal
Nurcan Baysal, Kurdish author, journalist and human rights defender who in 2017 was awarded the “Brave Women Journalists Award” by the Italian Women Journalists Association, addresses the 11th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On being targeted by the Turkish
Democracy
Fighting Authoritarianism with Javier El-Hage
Javier El-Hage, chief legal officer of the Human Rights Foundation, addresses the 10th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On learning the importance of liberty: “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots
Democracy
The Fragility of Freedom and Democracy with Nathan Law, András Simonyi, Can Dündar
Full Transcript Moderator: Earlier this year, the whole world was reminded of just how fragile democracy is. We all saw the scenes on television of rioters here in the US storming the US Capitol. The erosion of freedom and democracy is something we have seen in many other countries around
United Nations
Does Maduro Belong on the UNHRC? with María-Alejandra Aristeguieta-Álvarez
Maria-Alejandra Aristeguieta-Alvarez, Ambassador-designate in Switzerland of Venezuelan interim President Juan Guaido, addresses the 12th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy — see quotes below, followed by the full prepared remarks. On the failings of the UN: “The Universal HR system has been documenting and underlining the increasing deterioration of
Democracy
Opening Address with James Kirchick
James Kirchik, journalist, author, and visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, addresses the 11th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the universality of human rights: “Don’t let anyone tell you that certain cultures are immune to democracy or individual
