On Wednesday 28 October 2020 Hassan Shire Sheikh, Executive Director of DefendDefenders, wrote the following obituary in memory of Diallo Abdul Gadiry
On behalf of AfricanDefenders (Pan African Human Rights Defenders Network) & DefendDendefenders (East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project) I would like to pay a tribute to a friend we honour and respect. His great love of people was rooted in his faith.
As African human rights defenders fraternity, our hearts are filled with sorrow as we mourn Diallo’s death. Loosing someone we love is nothing easy, Diallo’s passing is even more painful to us. Knowing that we were part of his life, we can realize that we were blessed to have been able to share in his life.
Diallo was a founding member of the West African Human Rights Defenders Network, a Steering committee member of AfricanDefenders and the Forum for the Participation of NGOs to the ACHPR Sessions. We can’t weigh the energy he invested, the enthusiasm and dedication he put to promote and protect human rights in West Africa. Given the difficulties of travelling within the continent, Diallo would often times cross rivers or ocean move through the desert, and use many inter-regional connections to attend sessions of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights to raise awareness or simply for solidarity with others.
We note numerous sacrifices and risks he made for the protection of the vulnerable. This courageous intellectual was an investigative journalist in West Africa who never shied away from controversial topics. Diallo leaves behind a legacy of enriched human rights defenders across West Africa and his loss will be felt deeply by many, especially those for whom he secured justice.
May the soul of our departed friend rest in eternal peace.
https://www.seneweb.com/news/Necrologie/guinee-deces-du-president-des-droit-de-l_n_332120.html
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 
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