Oct 6, 2015 | Multimedia items, News, Video clips
Selected by a jury of 10 Global Human Rights organizations, including the ICJ, Ahmed Mansoor could not come to Geneva to collect the 2015 Award, as he has been banned from travelling. Robert Sann Aung (Myanmar) and Asmaou Diallo (Guinea) receive Martin Ennals Prizes.
Emirati blogger and prominent human rights defender Ahmed Mansoor is one of the very few independent voices to whom international NGOs can turn for a credible independent assessment of human rights developments in the United Arab Emirates.
He regularly raises concerns on arbitrary detention, torture, international standards for fair trials, non-independence of the judiciary, and domestic laws that violate international law.
Since 2006, he has focussed on initiatives concerning freedom of expression, civil and political rights.
He successfully campaigned in 2006-2007 to support two people jailed for critical social comments, who were released and the charges dropped.
Shortly after, the Prime Minister of UAE issued an order not to jail journalists in relation to their work.
He has faced repeated intimidation and harassment, including imprisonment in 2011 after being convicted of “insulting officials” and sentenced to three years’ in prison, although he was released after eight months.
Since being jailed in 2011, he has been denied a passport and banned from travelling.
The Martin Ennals Jury has publically urged the government of the UAE to lift this travel ban and allow him to travel.
“Ahmed Mansoor continues to pay the price for speaking out on human rights issues in his country, we urge his government to lift the travel ban,” said Martin Ennals Foundation Chair Micheline Calmy-Rey.
“There is little attention for the massive crackdown on free expression and assembly in the UAE, and Ahmed Mansoor is one of the few independent voices who refuses to be silenced,” said Olivier van Bogaert, ICJ Director of Media and Communications, and ICJ Representative on the MEA Jury.
“Without him, we would probably not know that behind the UAE’s shopping malls, high-rise towers and tourism hub, there is a nasty underside, there are dark prisons where inmates are hidden for years without trial, and tortured,” he added.
Honored with a Martin Ennals Prize, Robert Sann Aung (Myanmar) has courageously fought against human rights abuses since 1974.
He has been repeatedly imprisoned in harsh conditions, physically attacked as well as regularly threatened. He was disbarred from 1993 – 2012.
Currently, he represents students detained for peacefully protests.
Asmaou Diallo (Guinea) founded l’Association des Parents et Amis des Victimes du 28 septembre 2009 (APIVA), after the Guinean military attacked peaceful demonstrators on that day.
APIVA assists those affected, and supports them to testify in court proceedings.
Background
The “Nobel Prize of Human Rights”, the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (MEA) is a unique collaboration among ten of the world’s leading human rights organizations to give protection to human rights defenders worldwide.
Strongly supported by the City of Geneva, the award is given to Human Rights Defenders who have shown deep commitment and face great personal risk. Its aim is to provide protection through international recognition.
The Jury is composed of the following NGOs: ICJ, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First, Int’l Federation for Human Rights, World Organisation Against Torture, Front Line Defenders, EWDE Germany, International Service for Human Rights, and HURIDOCS.
Contact:
Michael Khambatta, Director Martin Ennals Foundation, t: +41 79 474 8208, e: khambatta(a)martinennalsaward.org
Olivier van Bogaert, ICJ Director of Media and Communications, and ICJ Representative on the MEA Jury, t: +41 22 979 38 08, e: olivier.vanbogaert(a)icj.org
Watch the Martin Ennals Award Ceremony 2015:
Watch the Ahmed Mansoor film:
Apr 22, 2015 | Multimedia items, News, Video clips
The three final human rights defenders who will compete for the award are Ahmed Mansoor (United Arab Emirates), Robert Sann Aung (Myanmar) and Asmaou Diallo (Guinea). The ICJ is member of the MEA Jury.
The Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (MEA) is the main award of the human rights movement and as such can be labelled as the Nobel Price for human rights.
It is a unique collaboration among ten of the world’s leading human rights organizations to give protection to human rights defenders worldwide.
This award is selected by the International Human Rights Community (members of the jury are ICJ, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First, International Federation for Human Rights, World Organisation Against Torture, Front Line Defenders, EWDE Germany, International Service for Human Rights and HURIDOCS).
It is given to Human Rights Defenders who have shown deep commitment and face great personal risk. The aim of the award is to highlight their work and protect them through increased visibility.
The 2015 Award will be presented on Oct. 6th at a ceremony hosted by the City of Geneva.
Since 2006, Ahmed Mansoor (United Arab Emirates) has focussed on initiatives concerning freedom of expression, civil and political rights.
He successfully campaigned in 2006-2007 to support two people jailed for critical social comments. They were released and the charges dropped.
Shortly after, the Prime Minister of UAE issued an order not to jail journalists in relation to their work.
He is one of the few voices within the United Arab Emirates who provides a credible independent assessment of human rights developments.
He regularly raises concerns on arbitrary detention, torture, international standards for fair trials, non-independence of the judiciary, and domestic laws that violate international law.
He was jailed in 2011 and since then has been denied a passport and banned from travelling.
“I’m very pleased to be nominated for the Martin Ennals award,” he said. “This recognition indicates that we are not left alone in this part of the world and I hope it will shed further light on the human rights issues in the UAE. It is not just full of skyscrapers, big malls and an area attractive to businesses, but there are other struggles of different sorts beneath all of that.”
Since his first year of University in 1974, Robert Sann Aung (Myanmar) has courageously fought against human rights abuses.
He has been repeatedly imprisoned in harsh conditions, physically attacked as well as regularly threatened.
His education was interrupted numerous times and he was disbarred from 1993 – 2012.
In 2012, he managed to regain his license to practice law. Since then he has represented jailed child soldiers, those protesting at a contested copper mine, peaceful political protesters, those whose land has been confiscated by the military, as well as student activists.
Throughout his career he has provided legal services, or just advice, often pro bono, to those whose rights have been affected.
“I feel humble and extremely honored to be nominated for this prestigious award. This nomination conveys the message to activists, human rights defenders and promoters who fight for equality, justice and democracy in Myanmar that their efforts are not forgotten by the world,” he said.
Asmaou Diallo (Guinea)’s human rights work started following the events of 28 September 2009 when the Guinean military attacked peaceful demonstrators.
Over 150 were killed, including her son, and over 100 women raped. Hundreds more were injured.
She and l’Association des Parents et Amis des Victimes du 28 septembre 2009 (APIVA), which she founded, work to obtain justice for these crimes and to provide medical and vocational support to victims of sexual assault, many of whom cannot return to their homes.
She has worked to encourage witnesses to come forward and supported them as they provided information and testimony to court proceedings.
As a result, eleven people have been charged, including senior army officers.
“Being among the nominees for the Martin Ennals Foundation encourages me to continue my fight for the protection and promotion of human rights in Guinea. I trust that this award will have a positive effect on the legal cases concerning the events of the September 28, 2009, and will be a lever for all defenders of human rights in Guinea,” she said.
Contact:
Olivier van Bogaert, Director Media & Communications, ICJ representative in the MEA Jury, t: +41 22 979 38 08 ; e: olivier.vanbogaert(a)icj.org
Michael Khambatta, Director, Martin Ennals Foundation, t: +41 79 474 8208 ; e: khambatta(a)martinennalsaward.org
Universal-MEA Final Nominees 2015-News-Press Release-2015-ENG (Official press release in English)
Universal-MEA Final Nominees 2015-News-Press Release-2015-FRE (Official press release in French)
Universal-MEA Final Nominees 2015-News-Press Release-2015-ARA (Official press release in Arabic)
Universal-MEA Final Nominees 2015-News-Press Release-2015-BUR (Official press release in Burmese)
UAE-MEA 2015 Bio Ahmed Mansoor-2015-ENG (full bio in PDF)
Myanmar-MEA 2015 Bio Robert Sann Aung-2015-ENG (full bio in PDF)
Guinea-MEA 2015 Bio Asmaou Diallo-2015-ENG (full bio in PDF)
Oct 7, 2014 | Multimedia items, News, Video clips
Alejandra Ancheita, founder and Executive Director of ProDESC, is one of the pioneers in seeking accountability for transnational companies in Mexican courts when local communities’ rights are not taken into account.
Alejandra Ancheita has worked with migrants, workers, and indigenous communities for over 15 years to protect their land and labour rights vis a vis transnational mining and energy companies.
These disputes have included violent attacks on those she is trying to protect.
In Mexico, there is a clear pattern of attacks, threats, criminalization, and murders of human rights defenders.
Alejandra Ancheita and ProDESC have been subjected to surveillance, a defamation campaign in the national media, and a break in at their offices.
“This recognition calls attention to the increasing violence being suffered by human rights defenders in Mexico, particularly women defenders,” she said. “I hope that it will provide better conditions and increased security not just for me, but for all human rights defenders in my country.”
“The ICJ is extremely pleased by the decision to pay tribute to the work of Alejandra Ancheita, not only because of her outstanding commitment and courage as an individual, but also because of the recognition that this award will provide to the area of human rights work that she has been dedicating herself to for many years,” said Olivier van Bogaert, ICJ Director of Media and Communications, and ICJ Representative on the MEA Jury.
The ICJ which also developed a longstanding work on economic, social and cultural rights, and on business and human rights, will devote the 2014 edition of its Geneva Forum for judges and lawyers to the role of courts in protecting economic, social and cultural rights.
The two other finalists, Cao Shunli (China) and Adilur Rahman Khan (Bangladesh), received Martin Ennals Prizes.
Cao Shunli, who died in in detention in March 14th after being denied medical attention for known health conditions had vigorously advocated for access to information, freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly.
She disappeared in September 2013 shortly before boarding a flight order to participate in the Human Rights Council.
Chinese authorities only acknowledged her detention months later.
A special foundation is planned in her honor.
Since the 1990’s, Adilur Rahman Khan worked on a wide range of human rights issues, such as illegal detention, enforced disappearances, and extra-judicial killings.
Personally he is facing criminal prosecution for documenting the extrajudicial deaths of 61 people during demonstrations against the government.
His organization, Odhikar, is one of the few independent voices left in Bangladesh.
It is facing closure as donor funds destined for Odhikar are being blocked by the Prime Minister’s Office.
The “Nobel Prize of Human Rights”, the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (MEA) is a unique collaboration among ten of the world’s leading human rights organizations to give protection to human rights defenders worldwide.
Strongly supported by the City of Geneva, the award is given to Human Rights Defenders who have shown deep commitment and face great personal risk. Its aim is to provide protection through international recognition.
The Jury is composed of the following NGOs: ICJ, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First, Int’l Federation for Human Rights, World Organisation Against Torture, Front Line Defenders, EWDE Germany, International Service for Human Rights, and HURIDOCS.
Contact:
Michael Khambatta, Director Martin Ennals Foundation, t: +41 79 474 8208, e: khambatta(a)martinennalsaward.org
Olivier van Bogaert, ICJ Director of Media and Communications, and ICJ Representative on the MEA Jury, t: +41 22 979 38 08, e: olivier.vanbogaert(a)icj.org
Multimedia gallery:
Livestreaming of the Martin Annals Award 2014 Ceremony
Alejandra Acheita film:
Cao Shunli film:
Adilur Rahman Kahn film:
Nov 27, 2013 | News
Today, the True Heroes Foundation (THF), a work partner of ICJ, launched the first-ever digest of human rights awards on www.trueheroesfilms.org.
The number of human rights awards has surged with over 50 new awards created in just the last 13 years.
The THF Digest brings together in a searchable manner 117 such awards with key information on each of them and links to their websites.
The Digest provides for the first time an overview of hereto scattered information and gives a unique tool to those who want to make nominations.
Going back over 100 years, it covers for the moment only international and regional awards. National awards are (not yet) included.
For more information on the content of the Digest (what is covered and how) read carefully the section “About the Digest” on www.trueheroesfilms.org
For additional information: jhrp.oxfordjournals.org
Apr 24, 2013 | Feature articles, News
The three final nominees for the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders are Mona Seif (Egypt), Joint Mobile Group (Russia) and Mario Joseph (Haiti). The ICJ is one of the ten members of the jury.
The Martin Ennals Award is given to Human Rights Defenders who have shown deep commitment and face great personal risk. The aim of the award is to provide protection through international recognition.
Selected by ten leading human rights organizations (ICJ, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First, International Federation of Human Rights, Front Line Defenders, HURIDOCS, Diakonie – German Protestant Welfare, World Organization Against Torture and International Service for Human Rights) it is the world’s most important Human Rights Prize.
The 2013 Award will be presented on Oct. 8th at a ceremony hosted by the City of Geneva.
Mona Seif (Egypt) is the core founder of the” No To Military Trials for Civilians”, a grassroots initiative which is trying to stop military trials for civilians.
Since February 25, 2011, Mona has brought together activists, lawyers, victims’ families, local stakeholders and started a nationwide movement against military trials.
As part of the recent crackdown on the Freedom of Speech in Egypt she has been charged along with other Human Rights activists.
She noted that “International solidarity, and I mean people’s support not governments, empowers us to continue our battle and stop military trials for civilians“.
After the murder of several human rights activists working in Chechnya, Igor Kalyapin started the Joint Mobile Group. To reduce the risk they send investigators on short missions to Chechnya to document Human Rights abuses.
This information is then used to publicise these abuses to seek legal redress. Igor Kalyapin speaking of the effect of international publicity said “… when the international community is watching us it is more difficult for the authorities to take steps against us…”
Mario Joseph, Haiti’s most important Human Rights lawyer, has worked on some of the most important cases in Haiti, including the current case against the former dictator Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier.
His family received asylum in the United States in 2004, while he chose to return to Haiti. He has faced threats and harassment for much of his 20 years as a lawyer although it has intensified in recent months.
He says: “this recognition from the Ennals Award shines a vital spotlight on my work, and on the work of everyone who is fighting for human rights in Haiti. That spotlight will make our work safer and more effective.”
MEA-Short Summary-2013 (read the pdf)
MEA-MONA SEIF bio-2013 (read the pdf)
MEA-JOINT MOBILE GROUP bio-2013 (read the pdf)
MEA-MARIO JOSEPH bio-2013 (read the pdf)
