OUR MISSION
Human Rights First builds respect for human rights and the rule of law to help ensure the dignity to which everyone is entitled and to stem intolerance, tyranny, and violence. More »
Human Rights First builds respect for human rights and the rule of law to help ensure the dignity to which everyone is entitled and to stem intolerance, tyranny, and violence. More »
Honoring human rights defenders
Ludmilla Alexeeva
and Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam
Honorary Chair |
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Dinner ChairsPhilip A. Lacovara Sybil Shainwald |
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Dinner Co-ChairsDeborah Miller and William D. Zabel |
Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam of Sudan
Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam is the Chair of the Sudan Social Development Organization, an organization that monitors human rights abuses in Darfur, Sudan and reports on the Sudanese government’s role in the slaughter and carnage there. In an attempt to silence Dr. Mudawi, the Sudanese authorities have jailed him three times in the past 18 months – at times in solitary confinement – without access to a lawyer, his family or medical attention. While Dr. Mudawi is currently out of jail continuing his human rights work, the charges against him – including espionage, which carries a possible death sentence – have not been dropped.
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View a short video by clicking on one of the links below.
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Ludmilla Alexeeva, the Chair of the Moscow Helsinki Group, is the doyenne of Russia's human rights community. Thirty years ago, she was one of the original Soviet-era dissidents who spoke out against repression. Today, she is not afraid to raise her voice in the renewed fight for rights in Russia, including criticizing policies on hate crimes as well as the war in Chechnya, and is a mentor to the new generation of dissidents. Alexeeva published the seminal book Soviet Dissent in 1985. She also served as President of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights – an umbrella group of human rights organizations from 38 countries –- from 1999 to 2004.
Click here to view speech.
View a short video by clicking on one of the links below.
View Windows Media Video
| Honorary Chair Thomas R. Pickering |
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| Chairs Michael Lacovara Philip A. Lacovara Sybil Shainwald |
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| Co-Chairs Andi and Tom A. Bernstein Deborah Miller and William D. Zabel |
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| Host Committee Chairs Gail Furman Virginia and Robert Joffe |
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| Host Committee Elsie and Bernie Aidinoff Kelly and Jay Sugarman James E. Brumm Lynda M. Clarizio Deborah and Craig Cogut Betsy and Alan D. Cohn Mitchell and Monica Dolin Donald F. Donovan and Jennifer Lake A. Whitney Ellsworth Edward P. Evans Leslie Gimbel and Marc Kusnetz John J. Gibbons Karen Goodheart Kerry Kennedy Helen & Martin Kimmel Steven J. Kolleeny Mathilde Krim Jo Backer Laird Joann and Robert Todd Lang Kenneth Lapatine Steven S. Lash Mark Lawrence-Apfelbaum Jill L. Rosenberg Philip H. Rudolph Steven H. Schulman Steven R. Shapiro Judith E. Siegel-Baum John S. Siffert Harold Snyder Beryl Snyder James M. Stillwaggon Trish and George A. Vradenburg Sigourney Weaver Basil P. Zirinis, III |
Dinner Committee Mig Boyle Matthew Dontzin and Ginger Harris Helen and Peter Haje Michelle Ores Llewellyn Wells Lynn Witkowski |