JURY OF IRISH PARLIAMENTARIANS SHORTLISTS VIETNAMESE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER DR CU HUY HA VU FOR 2012 FRONT LINE DEFENDERS AWARD FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS AT RISK
Every year the Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk is awarded to one individual, or group of individuals, who has made an outstanding contribution to the cause of human rights. This year the Front Line Defenders Award received a total of 107 nominations from 46 countries.
The jury consisting of: Mr Pat Breen TD, Senator Averil Power, Minister for Education Mr Ruairi Quinn TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr Simon Coveney TD, Ms Noeline Blackwell Director, FLAC (Free Legal Aid Centres) and Ms Mary Lawlor, Executive Director, Front Line Defenders, today announced the list of the five human rights defenders who have been shortlisted for this year’s Award. The overall winner of the Front Line Defenders Award 2012 will be announced at a ceremony in Dublin’s City Hall on 08 June.
The shortlisted nominees for the 2012 Front Line Defenders Award are:
Cuba: Ms Ivonne Mallezo Galano
Malawi: Rafiq Hazat
Vietnam: Dr Cu Huy Ha Vu
Egypt: Mona Seif
Syria: Ms Razan Ghazzawi
”Every year I am humbled and inspired by the stories of individual courage and the utter dedication of these courageous and determined human rights defenders who put their own lives on hold and risk their freedom, their livelihoods and even their lives in defence of the rights of others”, said Mary Lawlor Executive Director of Front Line Defenders in Dublin.
“Sentenced to 7 years imprisonment in 2011 Dr Cu Huy Ha Vu has paid a high price for his courage and commitment to defending the human rights of others. He has been harassed, intimidated and finally imprisoned for challenging abuse of power and the denial of their rights to ordinary people. The range of popular support he has received within Vietnam and which continues to grow , including from Catholic parishioners, urban bloggers, academics, writers, journalists, and dissidents, senior Vietnamese Communist Party members, technocrats, land rights petitioners, and ordinary citizens such as teachers, small business owners, workers, farmers, and taxi drivers is a clear indication of why he deserves to be short listed for the 2012 Front Line Defenders Award”. she added.
The winner will receive €15,000 to enable them to continue their vital work for human rights. It is also hoped that winning the Front Line Defenders Award will act as an additional form of security and help them to develop their network of media and advocacy contacts.
“Front Line Defenders is proud to recognise these brave and dedicated individuals all of whom remain at grave risk today because of their legitimate human rights work” added Ms Lawlor.
The winner of the 2012 Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk will be announced on June 8th in Dublin. Stay up to date on the work of these and other human rights defenders around the world at www.frontlinedefenders.org
For further information please contact:
Jim Loughran, Front Line Defenders, Head of Media
Tel +353 1 212 3750 mob +353 (0)87 9377586
