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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Uyghur Persecution
China’s Persecution of Uyghurs, with Abduweli Ayup
Uyghur activist, linguist, and former political prisoner Abduweli Ayup, addresses the 16th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for his remarks. Full Remarks: Good morning. I’m Abduweli Ayup. I’ve been fascinated by the Uyghur language since I was young. Every year, around March 21st,
Democracy
Presentation of the 2025 Courage Award with Sal Brinton
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
Human Rights
Beyond Geneva: Advancing Human Rights in 2016 with Alfred Moses
Ambassador Alfred H. Moses, Chair of UN Watch, former U.S. Ambassador to Romania, Special Presidential Envoy for the Cyprus Conflict, and Special Counsel to President Jimmy Carter, addresses the 8th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the Geneva Summit:
Human Rights
The Islamic Republic’s Crackdown on Dissent with Mahan Mehrabi
Mahan Mehrabi, sister of Iranian political prisoner Mahmoud Mehrabi, addressed the 17th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2025. Full Remarks (Translated from Persian): Greetings to all, greetings to the Prince of Iran. Greetings to my people. I would like to thank the Prince of
Human Rights
Presentation of the Geneva Summit 2017 Courage Award with Astrid Thors
Astrid Thors, a former OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities and Finnish MP, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. Presenting the 2017 Moral Courage Award to former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed: “Mister President, your work shows how
Press Freedom
Covering An Uprising with Moayad Iskafe
Moayad Iskafe, a Syrian journalist who played a central role at the start of the Syrian uprising by organizing a network of local journalists to break Assad’s media siege, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks
After Liu Xianobo’s Nobel Prize: The Situation of Human Rights in China with Yang Jianli, Paulina Neuding, Bahtiyar Omer, Ti-Ana Wang, Dechen Pemba
A panel including Chinese-Canadian dissident whose father, Wang Bingzhang, is a prisoner of conscience in China, Ti-Anna Wang; leading Chinese dissident and pro-democracy activist, Yang Jianli; Uyghur rights activist and Chairman of the ‘Norway Uyghur Committee,’ Bahtiyar Omer; Tibetan dissident and founder of ‘High Peaks Pure Earth,’ a website that
Authoritarianism
Escaping North Korea to Freedom with Kim Yumi
Kim Yumi, North Korean defector who escaped by boat to South Korea with her family in 2023, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026. Full Prepared Remarks: Hello. It is my honour to stand here today and meet all of you.
Women's Rights
The Girl Who Escaped ISIS with Farida Abbas Khalaf
Full Transcript Moderator: Good day to you all, my name is Jonny Gould. I am British radio and television broadcaster and journalist and today we are going to relate the story of Farida Abbas Khalaf, a Yazidi girl, from a village called Kocho in the Sinjar mountains in northern Iraq.
Democracy
The Future of Liberal Democracy with Yang Jianli, Hillel Neuer, Javier El-Hage, Fouzia Elbayed, Subhas Gujadhur, Ladan Boroumand
A panel including co-founder of the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for the Promotion of Human Rights and Democracy in Iran, Ladan Boroumand; former Chief Legal Officer at the Human Rights Foundation, Javier El-Hage; Moroccan women’s rights advocate and former Member of Parliament, Fouzia Elbayed; Director and Senior Analyst at the Universal
Women's Rights
2018 International Women’s Rights Award with Julienne Lusenge
Congolese activist Julienne Lusenge who fights rape as a weapon of war is awarded the 2018 Women’s Rights Award before addressing the 10th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On protracted war in the Democratic Republic of Cong (DRC): “Before
Tibet
Authoritarianism in Tibet with Dicki Chhoyang
Dicki Chhoyang, Minister for Development and International Relations for the Central Tibetan Administration, addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Dicki Chhoyang: Thank you for the very nice introduction. I want to start speaking about
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
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
United Nations
Reflections on the 75th Anniversary of the UN Charter with Alfred Moses
Alfred Moses, Chair of UN Watch, former U.S. Ambassador to Romania, Special Presidential Envoy for the Cyprus Conflict, and Special Counsel to President Jimmy Carter, addresses the 12th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the UN Charter: “Human
Women's Rights
Trailblazer: Jailed for Showing her Hair with Shaparak Shajarizadeh
Shaparak Shajarizadeh, who became a leader in the “Girls of Revolution Street” and White Wednesday civil disobedience movements in Iran and who was famously arrested in February 2018 for removing her headscarf in defiance of Iran’s compulsory hijab laws, receives the Women’s Rights Award and addresses the 12th Annual Geneva
Blasphemy
Blasphemy and Honor Killings with Philippe Robinet
Philippe Robinet, Director General of Calmann-Lévy Books and founder and President of Kero Books, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Hilel Neuer […] by Monsieur. Philippe Robinet, who has come to us directly from Paris. Before I pass
Free and Fair Elections – Case Study: Iran with David Suurland, Stephane Bussard
Stéphane Bussard, former Le Temps US correspondent in New York, and David Suurland, a Ph.D. and co-founder of the Foundation for Freedom of Information who has written extensively on political Islam, address the 2nd Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks David
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
How the UN can Save Asia Bibi from Execution with Anne-Isabelle Tollet
Anne-Isabelle Tollet, French journalist, novelist, and screenwriter, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Anne-Isabelle Tollet: I am very honored to be here today and speak to you today about Asia Bibi. She is a 42-year-old wife and
Political Prisoners
Held Hostage in Iran with Richard Ratcliffe
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
Political Prisoners
Presentation of the 2025 Defender of Freedom Award with Vladimir Kara-Murza
Vladimir Kara-Murza, Russian opposition leader, author, historian, filmmaker, and survivor of two poisoning attempts and harsh imprisonment, presented the 2025 Defender of Freedom Award to Irwin Cotler at the 17th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2025. Full Prepared Remarks: Executive Director Neuer, Your Excellencies,
Democracy
Belarus: Fearless in the Face of Tyranny with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Belarusian opposition presidential candidate and human rights activist who was forced to flee Belarus after rigged elections, addresses the 13th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On imprisonment of husband Sergei: “When our daughter asks where he
Long Live the Troublemakers with Yang Jianli
Yang Jianli, leading Chinese dissident and pro-democracy activist, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Thank you. Hello. “Long live troublemakers!” I was just copying what Richard Gere said a little more than a year ago at a Tom
Press Freedom
The Pen and the Sword with Asli Erdoğan
Asli Erdoğan, renowned Turkish novelist imprisoned for more than four months following the summer 2016 coup attempt, addresses the 10th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On repression in Turkey before and after the coup: “I still have burn marks