Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards

Thor Halvorssen, President of the Human Rights Foundation, writes in the foreword that ‘since our launch 15 years ago, the Human Rights Foundation has created a global network of support for hundreds of the bravest and most influential dissidents in the world. These individuals dedicate their lives, often at great personal risk, to challenging authoritarian governments that violate the most basic rights of 4.18 billion people in 94 countries across the globe. In order to better serve these individuals and turn the tide toward a freer and more open world, we are challenging ourselves to significantly grow our reach and impact in 2020. .. the Human Rights Foundation exists to challenge tyranny and promote freedom in closed and closing societies. So how do we accomplish that?:

We engage in political prisoner legal advocacy

We educate a global audience through media and events that reach millions of people every month

We conduct research and analyses that change government policy across the world;

We produce high-impact reports and publications focusing on human rights and authoritarianism; and

We directly support individual activists and civil society organizations on the frontlines of democratic change