Monday, October 15: Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers, New York City

Dinner Host: Meredith Vieira

2007 Award Honoree: Fariba Davoodi Mohajer

Distinguished Guests: General Joseph P. Hoar, USMC (ret.), Major General Fred E. Haynes, USMC (ret.), and other senior retired military leaders.

Special Guest and Presenters: Sam Waterston, Sigourney Weaver

Speaking Out for Iranian Women

2007 Human Rights First Award Honoree

Fariba Davoodi Mohajer believes that her rights as a woman, mother, human rights activist, and Iranian citizen are indivisible. She has dedicated her life to challenging laws that discriminate against Iranian women, including the lack of legal recourse for victims of violence against women. As a founder of the One Million Signatures Campaign for women’s rights, Fariba has been a leading voice in this struggle. As a result of her activism, she has been detained and beaten, and her family has been threatened. Despite this persecution, she continues to devote herself to the cause of human rights in Iran.

Speaking Out for the Rule of Law

Several of the leaders, April 2007

In the aftermath of Abu Ghraib, Human Rights First began to work with more than forty retired generals and admirals who were deeply concerned about U.S. policies that sanction torture and dishonor the values that American servicemembers fight to protect. These retired officers are working with us to bring detainee treatment back into line with the Geneva Conventions and ensure that torture is never again a part of U.S. policy. We will recognize the leadership of these extraordinary men and women whose commitment to human rights is grounded in the principles on which this country was founded.

Speaking Out for Iraqi Refugees

More than 2 million Iraqi refugees have fled to other countries from persecution and violence in Iraq. Another 2 million are displaced within Iraq. Some have fled religious or ethnic persecution. Others have been targeted because of their work for the U.S. government or the media. Iraqis who have served as translators for U.S. forces, for example, have been attacked and threatened.

Human Rights First’s Lifeline for Iraqi Refugees project is working to secure a comprehensive response to the Iraqi refugee crisis. The United States has a tradition of giving refuge to the persecuted and assistance to the victims of war. Yet we have failed to open our doors to Iraqi refugees. We ask the United States to bring some of the most vulnerable refugees to safety through a major resettlement initiative and to lead the international community in providing aid for refugees and those displaced within Iraq.

Human Rights First is speaking out for Iraqi refugees. The stability of the region, the moral credibility of the United States and the protection of human rights are all at risk.

Speaking Out for Excellence in Television

Human Rights First created this award to honor a TV program that self-consciously uses the medium to raise awareness about a human rights problem. We are giving the award to a TV show that depicts torture and interrogation in a nuanced, realistic fashion. Too often on TV torture is presented as effective and even patriotic. On programs like 24 and Sleeper Cell, torture is routinely employed by heroes and the problems associated with this practice are rarely explored. A handful of shows have resisted this formulaic depiction. They offer their viewers – and notably, young people considering a career in the armed services – a more complete view of what can happen in the interrogation booth at a time when these issues are being hotly debated in the United States and overseas. In giving this award, we recognize the awesome power of TV to not only entertain, but also to educate and inspire. MORE»

Previous Human Rights Award Honorees