On 21 April 2020, – for the first time – a group of 14 former winners of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders rallied around their follow laureates lingering in jail. They signed a joint letter to the Permanent Representatives to the UN of Bahrain, China, Iran and the United Arab Emirates:
Your Excellencies:
As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads, we the undersigned, winners of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, are calling for the release of all imprisoned human rights defenders around the world, who are at tremendous risk due to the virus. We add our voices to the calls of international leaders, of hundreds of civil society organizations and thousands of mobilized citizens, to grant clemency towards vulnerable prisoners during this health crisis, including our fellow award-winners who are imprisoned for their defense of human rights in four countries:
- Ilham Tohti (China), Martin Ennals Laureate, 2016
- Ahmed Mansoor (United Arab Emirates), Martin Ennals Laureate, 2015
- Nabeel Rajab and Abdullah Al-Khawaja (Bahrain), Martin Ennals Finalists 2012
- Nasrin Sotoudeh (Iran), Martin Ennals Finalist 2012
…..
Today we are deeply concerned about the continued imprisonment of defenders across the world, despite their exposure to and high risk of contracting COVID-19. Numerous health authorities and human rights organisations have denounced the risks of COVID-19 for prisoners held in crowded conditions. …[ See e.g. also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2020/04/23/civicus-and-600-ngos-dont-violate-human-rights-while-responding-to-covid-19/; https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2020/04/14/un-guidelines-for-use-of-emergency-powers-in-time-of-covid-19-pandemic/%5D
Despite the tragedy of lives lost and significant economic damage, we believe this crisis will also present opportunities for a better world. Now is the time to remedy the unjust detention of these individuals. By releasing our brothers and sisters – Ilham, Ahmed, Nabeel, Abdullah, and Nasrin – the leaders of your nations would demonstrate their capacity for mercy and responsibility. We therefore call on your government to free our fellow Martin Ennals Award winners immediately, as well as all human rights defenders in detainment, so that their physical integrity is ensured, and they can receive appropriate medical and psychological support.
Signed:
Huda al-Sarari
Yemen, Laureate 2020
Norma Librada Ledezma
Mexico, Finalist 2020
Sizani Ngubane
South Africa, Finalist 2020
Abdul Aziz Mohamat
Sudan, Laureate 2019
Eren Keskin
Turkey, Finalist 2019
Marino Córdoba
Colombia, Finalist 2019
Mohamed Zaree
Egypt, Laureate 2017
Karla Avelar
El Salvador, Finalist 2017
Asmaou Diallo
Guinea, Finalist 2015
Adilur Rahman Khan
Bangladesh, Finalist 2014
Mona Seif
Egypt, Finalist 2013
Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Finalist 2012
Arnold Tsunga
Zimbabwe, Laureate 2006
Clement Nwankwo
Nigeria, Laureate 1996
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Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 
June 10, 2020 at 00:02
[…] JON GAMBRELL for Associated Press reproted on 9 June, 2020 that Bahrain has freed prominent human rights defender Nabeel Rajab amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, allowing him to serve out the remainder of his internationally criticized prison sentence from home. See recent post: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2020/04/24/martin-ennals-award-laureates-rally-to-demand-freedom-f… […]
November 9, 2020 at 12:56
[…] https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2020/04/24/martin-ennals-award-laureates-rally-to-demand-freedom-f… […]
May 10, 2021 at 12:33
[…] There is no autonomous, discursively self-administering civic sphere, and journalistic freedom is to a large degree restricted. Emirati journalist Ahmad Mansoor, who won the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders in 2015, has been in prison again since 2017, serving a 10-year sentence for allegedly using social media platforms to threaten public order and publish false and misleading information. See also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2020/04/24/martin-ennals-award-laureates-rally-to-demand-freedom-f… […]
November 17, 2021 at 02:01
[…] Mary Lawlor, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, has called for the release of Khawaja on his 60th birthday, but her calls have been unheeded. See also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2020/04/24/martin-ennals-award-laureates-rally-to-demand-freedom-f… […]