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Three finalists of the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize 2019

The selection panel of the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, which rewards outstanding civil society action in the defence of human rights in Europe and beyond, has announced the shortlist for the 2019 Prize on October 27:

  • Mr Ilham TOHTI (China) The nominee is a renowned Uyghur public intellectual in China. He has worked for over 20 years to foster dialogue and understanding between Uyghurs and Chinese. In September 2014, he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
  • Mr Buzurgmehr YOROV (Tajikistan) The nominee is a human rights lawyer in Tajikistan who has represented, for nearly 20 years, individuals persecuted for their political beliefs and activism. He has been a vocal opponent of the Government and has publicly condemned the Government and law enforcement bodies for their human rights abuses on countless occasions. Mr Yorov is in prison since 2015 (sentenced to 28 years).
  • Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) was established in 2003. It works on promoting reconciliation through building connections between young people across the Balkans, from different ethnic groups, regions and countries, to enhance the participation of young people in the transitional justice process, work together for human rights and to build links that will prevent the re-emergence of the ethnic conflict that devastated the region for so many years.