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Amnesty International Human Rights Defender Award

Media Release

For Immediate Use

2 December 2009

 

Amnesty International Human Rights Defender Award: Shortlist Announced

Five people have been shortlisted for the inaugural Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand (AIANZ) Human Rights Defender Award.

Patrick Holmes, CEO of AIANZ said ‘We were delighted to receive such a wide range of nominations in our first year and it is encouraging to know that we have such a high calibre of human rights defenders working both here in New Zealand and across the Pacific region’.

‘For those who work in the field of human rights, the struggle never ends.  The job of human rights defenders is incredibly important, yet those on the frontline often go unrecognised’ says Holmes.

‘This award aims to rectify the absence of that recognition here in our own region’, he adds

Shortlisted candidates (in alphabetical order):

·         Shamima Ali, Executive Director of the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC), Suva

·         Sue Bradford, former Green MP and activist, Auckland

·         Kathleen Dunstall, Secretary for the Howard League for Penal Reform, Christchurch

·         Deborah Manning, former refugee advocate and counsel for Ahmed Zaoui, now Geneva-based

·         The Very Reverend John Stewart Murray, peace activist, Kapiti Coast
 

Background

Across New Zealand and the Pacific, thousands of people work to end grave abuses of human rights.  This award will annually go to one person who has shown extraordinary dedication and commitment to the struggle.  The winner of the Human Rights Defender Award will be announced in Auckland on December 10th, International Human Rights Day.

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The judging panel was Meg Poutasi, Chief Executive of the Pacific Co-operation Foundation; Rosslyn Noonan Chief Commissioner of the NZ Human Rights Commission and Amnesty’s Patrick Holmes.

Christchurch artist Michael Reed was commissioned to produce a medallion to be presented to the winner.  Speaking about his involvement in the project Michael commented ‘I have a great respect for Amnesty and its work. As I believe that art should engage with the wider world the opportunity to design an award for Amnesty, acknowledging the defence of human rights was a great opportunity’. 
 

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