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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Political Prisoners
Why Raif is in Prison with Ensaf Haidar
Ensaf Haidar, wife of liberal Saudi blogger Raif Badawi who was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for setting up an online platform for political and religious debate, addresses the 11th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks.
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
Press Freedom
Geneva Summit 2015 Courage Award with Elham Manea
Elham Manea accepts the Geneva Summit Courage Award on behalf of imprisoned Saudi blogger Raif Badawi and addresses the 7th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Dr. Elham Manea: Thank you very much. We stand united in our humanity. Your precious Courage
Yazidi Genocide
Presentation of Geneva Summit 2017 Women’s Rights Award with Shirin
Shirin, a former Yazidi ISIS captive, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On her capture by ISIS: “First, the men and women were separated. The men had to stay in Hardan, including my brother…We suspect they were
Next Generation: Youth, Eights Defenders and the Blogosphere with Diego Scharifker, Naomi Ichihara Røkkum
Diego Scharifker, a Venezuelan pro-democracy activist and former leader of the country’s student movement, addresses the 2nd Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Diego Scharifker: Good morning. I am immensely honoured to be with all you distinguished regional and worldwide
The Human Rights Situation in Sudan with John Dau
John Dau, Sudanese activist and one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan,” addresses the 3rd Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Thank you very much Kristen for your nice introduction. I appreciate it. By the way, this is my first time
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
Political Prisoners
Detained in Darkness with Nguyen Van Dai
Nguyen Van Dai, an exiled Vietnamese pro-democracy activist and lawyer who spent four years in Vietnamese prison for spreading propaganda against the state, addresses the 11th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On lack of civil liberties in Vietnam: “Discussing
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
Artivism
Artivism and Repression in Cuba with Tania Bruguera
Tania Bruguera, Cuban political performance artist who has been repeatedly arrested for her work, addresses the 13th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On being harassed by Cuba’s State Security: “Imagine yourself walking on the streets with a friend
Women's Rights
Geneva Summit 2015 Women’s Rights Award with Masih Alinejad
Masih Alinejad, Iranian women’s rights activist, journalist, and founder of the My Stealthy Freedom campaign, addresses the 7th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Hillel Neuer: I just want to say personally, what an honor it is for myself and my organization
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
Democracy
2025 Welcome with Hillel Neuer
Hillel Neuer, executive director of United Nations Watch, on behalf of 30 co-sponsoring NGOs, delivered the welcome address at the 17th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2025. Full Remarks: Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen: Welcome to the 17th annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and
Democracy
The Iranian Struggle for Freedom: A Call for Global Solidarity with Alireza Akhondi, Dr. Nargess Eskandari-Grünberg, Hillel Neuer, Hadrien Ghomi, Ali Ehsassi
A panel including Member of the French National Assembly outspoken for victims of repression in Iran, Hadrien Ghomi; Mayor of Frankfurt and former political prisoner in Iran, Dr. Nargess Eskandari-Grünberg; Member of the Swedish Parliament and leading campaigner for the EU to designate the IRGC as a terrorist entity, Alireza
Political Prisoners
China After Liu Xiabo with Yang Jianli
Chinese dissident and former political prisoner Yang Jianli addresses the 10th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On China’s harassment of human rights activists: “In mid- January 2018, a Beijing–based human rights lawyer, Yu Wensheng, while walking his son to
United Nations
Keynote Address: Reflections on the 10th Anniversary of the United Nations Human Rights Council with David Trimble
Lord David Trimble, key broker in the Good Friday agreement and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, addresses the 8th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the culture of the Human Rights Council: “We’ve got a Council which, while it has
Political Prisoners
The Political Pandemic: Resurgent Global Authoritarianism with Irwin Cotler
Professor Irwin Cotler, Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights and former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, addresses the 13th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On rising authoritarianism: “We are witnessing…a global political
Democracy
Iran: The 2018 Protests with Maryam Nayeb Yazdi
Human rights activist Maryam Nayeb Yazdi, founder of Persian2English.com, a website documenting Iranian human rights violations and co-founder of Oslo Women’s Rights Initiative, prepares to address the 10th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the recent protests in Iran:
Human Rights
Surviving Slave Labor with Il Lim
Il Lim, North Korean defector and former slave laborer, addresses the 7th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks I would like to tell you about my experience as an overseas worker. 19 years ago, on November 8th, 1996, I went to Kuwait
Tibet
Safeguarding Tibetan Culture with Kalden Tsomo
Kalden Tsomo, Tibetan activist and UN Advocacy Officer at the Tibet Bureau Geneva, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Kalden Tsomo: Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Before I proceed, allow me to make a slight correction in
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
Human Rights
Achieving Non-Violent Change in Iran with Maziar Bahari
Journalist and filmmaker Maziar Bahari, who was jailed and tortured by Iran, addresses the 10th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the recent protests in Iran: “The most surprising aspect of these protests was not the fact that people
Massacre in Syria: Victim Testimonies with Hadeel Kouki, Jacques Beres, Saba Farzan
A panel including veteran war surgeon who smuggled himself into Homs in 2012 to help the Syrian people, Jacques Beres; Iranian freelance journalist and founder and Executive Director of ‘Foreign Policy Circle,’ Saba Farzan; and Syrian human rights activist who was arrested in 2011 for distributing pro-revolutionary flyers attacking the
The Situation of Human Rights in China with Ti-Ana Wang
Ti-Anna Wang, a Chinese-Canadian dissident whose father, Wang Bingzhang, is a prisoner of conscience in China, addresses the 3rd Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks
Hong Kong
Fighting for Hong Kong with Joey Siu
Activist and advisor to Hong Kong Watch and the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, Joey Siu, speaks at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the fight for democracy in Hong Kong: “Over the years the people of Hong Kong have