For the first time, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is bringing its Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF) online. “While the circumstances may keep us apart, our commitment to supporting activists in their struggle against authoritarian regimes is stronger than ever. Join us online from September 24-25 for the only virtual conference that puts human rights at the top of the global agenda. The political and health crises of the past six months have reminded us how authoritarians use human tragedy to advance their own agendas. Corrupt regimes around the world have exploited the COVID-19 pandemic to impose restrictions on freedom of speech, to arrest peaceful protesters, and to silence dissent. The courage and determination of activists and citizens alike have been tested, yet they remain resilient in the face of tyranny.”
Confirmed speakers for the 2020 Oslo Freedom Forum include:
- Taiwan’s Digital Minister Audrey Tang
- Twitter and Square CEO Jack Dorsey
- Uyghur journalist Gulchehra Hoja
- Thai opposition leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit
- Gambian anti-rape activist and survivor Fatou Toufah Jallow
- Exiled Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Nathan Law
- North Korean defector Eunhee Park
- Sudanese doctor and pro-democracy activist Mohamed Nagi Alassam
- Russian investigative journalist Lyudmila Savchuk
- Cuban environmentalist and LGBTQ+ rights activist Ariel Ruiz Urquiola
- “Who Owns Huawei?” author and professor Christopher Balding
- Oscar-winning film director Bryan Fogel
More speakers to be announced soon.
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 