2025
Brian Dooley
Brian Dooley from Ireland is Senior Advisor at the Washington DC-based NGO Human Rights First. He received the award for having dedicated his career to advocating human rights and bringing greater global attention to less visible issues.
2024
The Forgotten Children of War Association
The Forgotten Children of War Association, Ajna Jusi?, Alen Muhi? and Lejla Damon, recieved the award for their pioneering work on behalf of war children, a group that is often forgotten.
2023
Ingrid Gjessing Linhave and the Demenskoret choir with Kim Wigaard
Linhave, Demenskoret and Wigaard received the prize for their work on NRK's groundbreaking documentary series?Demenskoret?('the dementia choir'), where they brought questions concering the human rights of dementia patients to light.?
2022
Andrea Pet?
?Andrea Pet?, historian and professor of gender studies at Central European University, is a fearless defender of academic freedom and institutional autonomy. She represents disciplines that come under attack when European regimes move in a more authoritarian direction.
2021
Jens Petter Gitlesen
Jens Petter Gitlesen from Norway has championed the rights of people with disabilities for many years. Through his efforts, he has contributed to ensuring that the human rights of disabled people are fulfilled to a greater extent.
2020
Marcelline Budza
Marcelline Budza from the Democratic Republic of Congo is an agronomis and entrepreneur. She is the founder of the coffee cooperative Rebuild Women's Hope Association, which brings together more than 5,000 women, and has made it possible for many women to regain financial independence and become active participants in society and the economy.
2019
Seyran Ates
Seyran Ates is a lawyer, author and imam in the liberal Ibn Rushd-Goethe mosque in Berlin. In her work, Seyran Ates has raised awareness of how important it is that all citizens must respect universal human rights and democratic rules of play.
2018
Nora Sveaass
Nora Sveaass, professor in Psychology?at the University of Oslo has worked with refugees, human rights violations and psychological consequences of this, as well as treatment and rehabilitation of people exposed to torture and other serious abuse.
2017
Ishtar G?zaydin
Ishtar G?zaydin is a Turkish academic, social commentator and human rights defender. Dr. G?zaydin is an important representative for academics who are being persecuted worldwide.
2016
Diana Kordon
?Argentinian psychiatrist, anti-torture activist and human rights defender Dr. Diana Kordon has provided psychological assistance and treatment for trauma to victims of torture and gross human rights violations in Argentina for more than 40 years.
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Previous winners: 1986–2015
2015: Deeyah Khan
Artist and champion of women's rights Deeyah Khan has shed an important light on women's rights and freedom of speech. She has also focused on the dangers of radicalization among youth
2014: Fabrizio Gatti
Italian author and journalist Fabrizio Gatti received the award for his reporting and books on the extortion and exploitation of desperate migrants on their journey through the deserts of Africa and across the Mediterranean, the drowning accidents and the push-backs that refugees encounter at the hands of border guards and coastguards in their attempts to reach Europe.
2013: Manfred Nowak
Professor Nowak is regarded as one of the foremost advocates of human rights internationally. Through his efforts as the UN’s Special Rapporteur on Torture from 2004 to 2010, and also through a wide range of other assignments for international organizations, governments and NGOs, he has manifested an indefatigable and courageous defence of fundamental human rights.
2012: Robert Quinn
Robert Quinn at Scholars at Risk received the award for his relentless work to protect the human rights of academics and for having inspired and engaged others to stress the importance of academic freedom.
2011: Nawal El Saadawi
Saadawi received the award for her tireless efforts and active international engagement. Her contributions to improving women’s social and intellectual freedom and legal status were particularly highlighted.
2010: Sonja Biserko
Biserko received the award for her tireless efforts and active international involvement in human rights. Especially for her efforts in working with refugees, documentation of war crimes and women's rights.
2009: Nils Johan Lavik
Lavik received the award for his long-term commitment and work for refugees in Norway, and to have contributed to enhancing knowledge of and respect for human rights among doctors and medical staff.
2008: Erik M?se
M?se received the prize for his tireless efforts and his active international involvement for many years for the promotion of human rights.
2007: Khaled Abou El Fadl
El Fadl received?the prize for his prolific and insightful analysis of Islamic Law and Human Rights.
2006: Ole Henrik Magga
Magga was awarded for his tireless efforts and active international involvement for the Sami indigenous people in Norway and recognition of ?indigenous peoples worldwide through a number of years.
2005: Theo van Boven
Theo van Boven received?the prize for?his long-lasting and fruitful contribution to fight torture, enforced disappearance and other severe violations of human rights.
2002:??Asma Jahangir
The Pakistani lawyer and human rights activist received?the prize for her fight against honour killings in her home country, and her international work as UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.
2001: Magen David Adom (MDA) and the Palistine Red Cresent Society (PRCS)
They received?the prize for their outstanding humanitarian contribution during the present conflict in the Middle East.
2000: Radhika Coomaraswamy
The Sri Lankan director of the International Centre for Ethnic Studies in Colombo, and the United Nations special rapporteur on violence against women, including its causes and consequences.
1998: Maria Paz Rojaz Baeza
The Chilean doctor and human rights activist, received?the prize as a recognition of her work with torture victims and her involvement in human rights issues in South America.
1996: Felice Lieh Mak
A Chinese professor of psychiatry who has actively fought against laws of discrimination (forced abortion, mentally retarded) proposed by the Chinese authorities.
1995: Adam Demaci
The Kosovar-Albanian author received?the prize?for his non-violent opposition to the Serb occupation.
1994:?Kristian Ottosen
Ottosen received?the prize for his lifetime work of documenting the fate of all Norwegians who were captured by the Nazis and incarcerated in Germany during World War II.
1993: Gerhard Schoenberner
Schoenberner received?the prize for his activities to teach Germans about the terrors of the Nazis.?
1992: Lopez and Marcelliano
Lopez and Marcelliano received?the prize for?their fight against violence and torture in the Philippines.
1991: Eigil Nansen
Nansen received the prize for his work with refugees and human rights.
1990: Georg Klein
The Swedish pathologist received the prize for his life long dedication to?humanistic work.
1989: Inge Genefke
Genefke received?the prize for her work at the rehabilitation centre for torture victims in Copenhagen.
1988: Robert Lifton
Lifton received?the prize for his study on the aftermath of the atomic bomb and the psychology of Nazi-KZ-doctors.
1987: A. Koragin
The Russian psychiatrist received?the prize for his fight against the political misuse of psychiatry.
1986: Elie Wiesel
Wiesel got the prize for his outstanding contribution toward the humanization of humanity and thereby to the cause of peace.