Channel Title: Geneva Summit Channel Description: On the eve of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s main annual session, the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy assembles each year hundreds of courageous dissidents and human rights victims, activists, diplomats, journalists and student leaders to shine a spotlight on urgent human rights situations that require global attention. The Geneva Summit is sponsored by a coalition of 25 human rights NGOs from around the world. This annual conference builds on the success and momentum of the previous gatherings, which have been widely acclaimed in the international human rights community. Human rights heroes, activists and former political prisoners from China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Venezuela and other countries testify about their personal struggles for human rights, democracy and freedom, and join hands to plan action strategies. The Geneva Summit has been featured in media around the globe, including CNN, Agence France Presse, AP, The Australian, the W <video> Pedro Pizano at the 2024 Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy Description: Pedro Pizano, Assistant Director for Democracy Programs at the McCain Institute, delivers his introductory remarks at moderator for the Courageous Journeys: Defending Human Rights in Latin America panel at the 2024 Geneva Summit. Geneva, Switzerland | May 15, 2024 </video> <video> 2024 Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy Opening Video Description: </video> <video> Brandon Silver presents the 2024 Geneva Summit Courage Award Description: Brandon Silver, Director of Policy and Projects at the Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights, delivers his introductory remarks as he presents the 2024 Geneva Summit Courage Award to Aliasghar Ramezanpour and Pouria Zeraati on behalf of Iran International. Geneva, Switzerland | May 15, 2024 </video> <video> @IRANINTL's Pouria Short at #GenevaSummit2024: "We are not scared." Description: “But, if the attacks and the plots and the threats are to silence us and to scare us, it’s not working. We are not scared.” — Pouria Zeraati at #GenevaSummit2024 #FreeIran #IRGCTerrorists #PressFreedom </video> <video> Hillel Neuer — UN Opening, Geneva Summit 2024 Description: Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of United Nations Watch, on behalf of the 25 NGO co-sponsors of the Geneva Summit, addresses the United Nations opening of the 16th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy | May 14, 2024. </video> <video> Empty Chair Ceremony dedicated to Raif Badawi | 2024 Geneva Summit Description: An empty chair on the stage of the 2024 Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy was dedicated to Saudi human rights hero Raif Badawi, presented by Geneva student Nora Feldbaum. In 2006, he created a website called “The Saudi liberals,” which aimed to open a public discussion about freedom, liberalism, and the possibility to replace forced religious interpretations with ideas from the enlightenment. Raif criticized the violations of the religious police, and alerted everyone to the danger of extremism. In 2012, he was arrested in the city of Jeddah and charged with "insulting Islam through electronic channels" and "going beyond the realm of obedience." When a judge told him that he should repent and apologize for his “crimes,” or otherwise face consequences, Raif calmly responded, “I committed no crime for which I need to repent or apologize.” It was a simple but fateful sentence, made of pure belief in his and his fellow citizens’ right to freedom of expression, opinion and belief. Raif was convicted of “insulting Islam” and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and 1,000 lashes. Here at the Geneva Summit, his wife Ensaf Haidar and his children Najwa, Terad and Miriyam, who are based in Canada, came to advocate for his release. Yet Raif was made to unjustly suffer in prison for a full decade, released only in 2022. Sadly, however, Raif is still not free. He is banned from leaving Saudi Arabia to reunite with his family, and banned posting on the internet, for another eight years. We urge the Saudi authorities to immediately lift all restrictions preventing Raif from reuniting with his family. We also call for them to immediately release from jail his lawyer, Waleed Abulkair, and from house arrest, his sister and fellow human rights advocate, Samar Badawi. If Saudi Arabia has embarked on a new path, of moderation and reform, then why are they punishing Raif and his fellow Saudi human rights activists? Today, we say to Raif Badawi: the world has not forgotten you. We stand in solidarity with your struggle for basic human rights and freedom. We will not stop speaking out until you are free to go, and free to reunite with your wife and children. #GenevaSummit2024 </video> <video> “End hypocrisy & double standards inside international bodies"—Carolina Barrero at #GenevaSummit2024 Description: “My call to action to you is to end hypocrisy and double standards inside international bodies. There should be no seat at the U.N. Human Rights Council for the most strategic ally of Putin in Latin America.” — Carolina Barrero at the #GenevaSummit2024 #FreeCuba #libertad </video> <video> Joelle Fiss presents the 2024 Geneva Summit International Women's Rights Award Description: Joelle Fiss, Member of the Grand Conseil of the Canton of Geneva, presents the 2024 Geneva Summit International Women's Rights Award to Fatou Baldeh. </video> <video> Empty Chair Ceremony dedicated to Vladimir Kara-Murza | 2024 Geneva Summit Description: An empty chair on the stage of the 2024 Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy was dedicated to Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian opposition leader and one of Vladimir Putin’s most outspoken critics, presented by Geneva student Michelangelo Tedesco. Despite the risks, Kara-Murza has dedicated his life to combatting the brutality, oppression and corruption of the Putin regime. Alongside his mentor Boris Nemtsov, a leading opposition figure who was assassinated in 2015, Kara-Murza was instrumental in pushing for the Global Magnitsky Act to sanction human rights violators in Russia. Kara-Murza survived poisoning attempts in Russia in 2015 and then again in 2017, retribution for his vocal opposition to Putin. Kara-Murza fell into a coma and nearly died after each attempt, but neither managed to stop his activism. When Putin’s regime invaded Ukraine in 2022, Kara-Murza heroically returned home to Moscow from the U.S. in order to protest. He said: “How can I ask my fellow Russians to stand up to Putin if I’m too afraid to do it myself?” Shortly after his return, hours after he denounced Putin’s war crimes on CNN, Kara-Murza was taken away. He became the first activist charged with high treason, all for his opposition to the regime and its war on Ukraine. He now serves a 25-year sentence, in a Siberian penal colony. His wife Evgenia based in the US with their three children, is traveling the world to advocate for his release. Evgenia spoke here, at last year’s Geneva Summit, to raise awareness about her husband’s situation and to carry on his fight for democracy in Russia. In January of this year, Vladimir Kara-Murza was transferred to solitary confinement, where he remains today. His health is deteriorating severely. Just last week, he was honored with the Pulitzer Prize, for commentary written from his prison cell. Today, we say to Vladimir Kara-Murza: we continue your fight for democracy in Russia, and we will not be silent until you are released. </video> <video> "If we act collectively and swiftly, we can save the FGM law in The Gambia” — Fatou Baldeh Description: “There is no doubt in my mind that if we act collectively and swiftly, we can save the FGM law in The Gambia,” said Fatou Baldeh, recipient of the #GenevaSummit2024 International Women’s Rights Award. #EndFGM </video> <video> Aliasghar Ramezanpour, News Director of @IRANINTL At #GenevaSummit2024 Description: “The reason that Iranian authorities, IRGC, Ministry of Intelligence, Raisi, Khamenei are so angry about us,” said news director of @IRANINTL Aliasghar Ramezanpour at #GenevaSummit2024 last week, “it’s not just about the information that we are publishing. They have great concerns because it’s coming from Iranian journalists.” </video> <video> Brandon Silver at the 2024 Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy Description: Brandon Silver, Director of Policy and Projects at the Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights, delivers his introductory remarks at moderator for the Beyond the Great Firewall: Brave Voices of Dissent in China panel at the 2024 Geneva Summit. Geneva, Switzerland | May 15, 2024 </video> <video> Dr. Kylie Moore Gilbert addresses the Islamic regime in Iran Description: Dr. Kylie Moore Gilbert addressed the Islamic regime in Iran at the #GenevaSummit2024: “Your days murdering, executing, raping, torturing and persecuting are numbered.” #WomenLifeFreedom </video> <video> “I was arrested by Sepah, the IRGC, in September 2018 at Tehran airport" — Dr. Kylie Moore Gilbert Description: “I was arrested by Sepah, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in September 2018 at Tehran airport having visited Iran for just two and a half weeks,” testified Dr. Kylie Moore Gilbert at #GenevaSummit2024. “Scared, confused and alone I was thrown into the notorious du alef unit of Evin prison, where I was held under conditions of extreme deprivation, including spending a terrifying twelve months in solitary confinement.” #FreeIran #WomanLifeFreedom #IRGCTerrorists </video> <video> Job Sikhala at #GenevaSummit2024: "I have been arrested 68 times... I was always found innocent.” Description: “In my political career, spanning more than three decades I have been arrested 68 times by the authorities in Zimbabwe. In nearly all those cases, I was always found innocent.” — Job Sikhala at #GenevaSummit2024 </video>

Description

On the eve of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s main annual session, the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy assembles each year hundreds of courageous dissidents and human rights victims, activists, diplomats, journalists and student leaders to shine a spotlight on urgent human rights situations that require global attention.

The Geneva Summit is sponsored by a coalition of 25 human rights NGOs from around the world. This annual conference builds on the success and momentum of the previous gatherings, which have been widely acclaimed in the international human rights community.

Human rights heroes, activists and former political prisoners from China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Venezuela and other countries testify about their personal struggles for human rights, democracy and freedom, and join hands to plan action strategies.

The Geneva Summit has been featured in media around the globe, including CNN, Agence France Presse, AP, The Australian, the W

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