Speeches

United Nations

Welcome with Hillel Neuer

International lawyer, writer and Executive Director of United Nations Watch, Hillel Neuer, opens the Geneva Summit on behalf of the Summit coalition of 25 NGOs at the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. Full Remarks Distinguished members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the United Nations and

Human Rights

Opening Address with Irwin Cotler

Irwin Cotler, Founder and Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On political prisoners:  “We have a responsibility to not only speak up but to act.” “It’s our responsibility

Democracy

“Russia will be without Putin” with Zhanna Nemtsova

Zhanna Nemtsova, Russian activist and daughter of murdered opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On a resurgent Russian authoritarianism: “The title of the panel, as you know, is “The Return of Authoritarianism”, and

Political Prisoners

Exposing Putin’s Prisons with Anastasia Zotova

Anastasia Zotova, wife of jailed Russian dissident Ildar Dadin, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. Reading letter by her husband, political prisoner Ildar Dadin, then imprisoned in the Karelia prison: “On Sept. 11, 2016, they came to

Authoritarianism

The Battle for a Free Turkey with Can Dündar

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,

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

Human Rights

Introduction to Fighting Oppression, Defending Human Rights with Jared Genser

Jared Genser, international human rights lawyer, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the Summit’s giving a voice to the voiceless: “What we’re gonna be doing is hearing from three people on the front lines about their own

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

Arbitrary Executions

Duterte’s Drug War with Chito Gascon

Chito Gascon, Chair of the Human Rights Commission of the Philippines, addresses the 9th Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks.  On the fragility of human rights and democracy: “The Philippine case is a case of how quickly institutions such as rule of law, human rights,

Political Prisoners

Iran’s Abusive Legal System with Taghi Rahmani

Taghi Rahmani, Iranian journalist and human rights activist, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On his imprisonment: “I was tortured physically many times but there are many prisoners that have suffered more than I have.” “I personally

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

Artivism

Art for Human Rights with El Sexto, Danilo “El Sexto” Maldonado

Danilo “El Sexto” Maldonado, a Cuban artist and human rights activist, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On persecution in Cuba: “I have been a victim of many arbitrary detentions, searches, confiscations of my art material

Democracy

A Day in the Life of Venezuela’s Diaspora with María-Alejandra Aristeguieta-Álvarez

Coordinator of Geneva Summit coalition partner Iniciativa Por Venezuela, Maria-Alejandra Aristeguieta, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. Full Remarks Hello, I’m Maria-Alejandra Aristeguieta from Iniciativa por Venezuela. It’s a tiny organization based in Switzerland. For the past 15-17 years we have been fighting for Venezuelan

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

Modern Slavery

Ending Slavery with Biram Dah Abeid

Biram Dah Abeid, leader of the anti-slavery campaign in Mauritania, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On slavery in Mauritania: “I, a regular visitor to the hellish and life threatening jails of my country, where on

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

Democracy

Geneva Summit 2017 Courage Award with Mohamed Nasheed

Mohamed Nasheed, former President of the Maldives and Geneva Summit Courage Award winner, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On his abuse by authorities in the Maldives:  “I’ve spent the good half of my adult life in

Democracy

Voices for the Voiceless with Médard Mulangala

Médard Mulangala, a Congolese human rights activist and opposition leader, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the DRC’s crossroads moment:  “This is a critical moment in the history of my country because, in the next few

Authoritarianism

Saudi Arabia Uncovered with James Jones

James Jones, an award-winning documentary filmmaker, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the reluctance of the outside world to condemn Saudi Arabia’s human rights violations: “Unlike North Korea and unlike ISIS, Saudi Arabia is not a

Corruption

Being a Banker to North Korea with Kim Kwang-Jin

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

Political Prisoners

Surviving Solitary Confinement with Dang Xuang Dieu

Dang Xuang Dieu, a formerly imprisoned Vietnamese human rights activist, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On what inspired his activism: I had witnessed injustices every day and felt like I had to do something. I looked