http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBVd1BZoQ_s
Press Release
22 April 2013
For Immediate release
Today in Dublin Front Line Defenders launched a new documentary film on the work of Cambodian human rights defender Mam Sonando one of 6 Finalists for the 2013 Front Line Defenders Award for Human rights Defenders at Risk. The Award will be presented to the overall winner by the President of Ireland Michael D Higgins at a ceremony in Dublin on 03 May. Mam Sonando was chosen as one of the 6 finalists from a a total of 100 nominations from all over the world.
We invite you to share this film with your colleagues and friends. The film is part of a promotional campaign organised by Front Line Defenders to celebrate the courage and commitment of all 6 finalists for this year's Front Line Defenders Award, each of whom has dedicated his/her life to defending the rights of others without thinking of the risks that they themselves would be forced to confront.
Every year Front Line Defenders presents the Front Line Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk to a human rights defender who has made an outstanding contribution to the cause of human rights. Previous winners of the Award have included human rights defenders from Syria, the Russian Federation, Afghanistan, Guatemala, DRC, Uzbekistan and Sudan.
You can view all 6 film profiles of the finalists here. http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/front-line-award-human-rights-defenders-risk
The finalists for the 2013 Front Line Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk are:
- Mam Sonando – Cambodia
- Mansoureh Behkish – Iran
- Ruth Mumbi – Kenya
- David Rabelo Crespo – Colombia
- Bahtiyor Hamraev – Uzbekistan
- Biram Dah Ould Abeid – Mauritania
“There will always be people who choose to work for the promotion and protection of human rights. No matter how governments try, they will never get rid of them all, and as each one falls, another is there to continue the fight against injustice. It doesn’t matter whether their work is for a few years or for life, what governments don’t understand is that you will never quench the spirit of human rights defenders. It is in their blood and in their breathing” added Ms Lawlor.
“The Front Line Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk is a celebration of that unquenchable spirit which unites human rights defenders around the world in a movement to create more just and equal societies”.
The winner of the 2013 Front Line Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk will be announced at a ceremony in Dublin later in the year.
Photographs available from Front Line Defenders for no cost reproduction.
For further information please contact:
Jim Loughran, Head of Communications, Front Line Defenders
Tel+353 (0)1 212 37 50
Mobile +353 (0)87 9377586
BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
Finalists for Front Line Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk 2013
Mam Sonando (Cambodia) has devoted his life to helping the poor and disenfranchised of Cambodia, fighting for their rights while also following the non-violent precepts of his Buddhist faith. He is a journalist and the Director of one of only three independent radio stations in Cambodia where the state has almost complete monopoly over the media, and crackdowns on free speech have led to widespread self-censorship. He is also founder and president of a national organisation called the Association of Democrats, which actively promotes democracy and human rights. He was arrested In early July 2012 and despite there being absolutely no evidence to link him with the so-called secessionist movement, he was found guilty on 1 October 2012 of instigating insurrection and incitement to take up arms against the state and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.
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