Edelstam Prize
Edelstam Prize
The Edelstam Prize, named after Harald Edelstam, is awarded annually by the Harald Edelstam Foundation. The Edelstam Prize is awarded to a person who has shown outstanding contributions and courage in defense of Human Rights. The Edelstam Prize is named for the Swedish diplomat and ambassador Harald Edelstam (1913-1989). Harald Edelstam distinguished himself as diplomat by his professional competence, his bravery and his civic courage in the fight for Human Rights. He was an early proponent and symbol of what is today known as "Responsibility to Protect", and his memorable acts contributed to saving more than a thousand lives. The winner of the Edelstam Prize can be someone from the private sector or a public servant. The winner embodies Ambassador Harald Edelstam's spirit in a country/countries where Human Rights, according to international law, have been violated. The laureate demonstrates an ability to analyze and handle complex situations and to defend Human Rights. The candidate has, presumably in a complex situation, been able to take a decisive role in helping threatened people or directly saving human lives. Civic courage is a central parameter in the selection of the successful candidate.
Sl | Name | Country | Flag | Year | Awarded For |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 | Norma Esther Andrade | Mexico | 2022 | for outstanding contributions and exceptional courage in standing up for one's beliefs in the Defence of Human Rights. | |
5 | Osvalinda Marcelino Alves Pereira | Brazil | 2020 | for outstanding contributions and exceptional courage in standing up for one's beliefs in the Defence of Human Rights. | |
4 | Li Wenzu | china | 2018 | for outstanding contributions and exceptional courage in standing up for one's beliefs in the Defence of Human Rights. | |
3 | Juan Guzmán Tapia | Chile | 2016 | for outstanding contributions and exceptional courage in standing up for one's beliefs in the Defence of Human Rights. | |
2 | Benjamin Manuel Jerónimo | Guatemala | 2014 | for outstanding contributions and exceptional courage in standing up for one's beliefs in the Defence of Human Rights. | |
1 | Bahareh Hedayat | Iran | 2012 | for outstanding contributions and exceptional courage in standing up for one's beliefs in the Defence of Human Rights. |
Edelstam Prize Laureates (2030 ~ 2021)
Norma Esther Andrade
Edelstam Prize 2022
Ms. Norma Esther Andrade has throughout the years helped dozens of mothers to raise their legal cases and their work contributed to change the current legislation on femicides in Mexico. She has met with four presidents of the Repbublic of Mexico, and four governors of Chihuahua to demand the creation of institutions with the ambition to improve the protection of women against violence. Her efforts, together with many other women organizations, feminists and academics contributed to new institutions in the country to better protect women, such as FEVIMTRA (Special Prosecutor for Crimes of Violence against Women and Human Trafficking) and CONAVIM (National Commission to Prevent and Eradicate Violence against Women) under the presidency of Vicente Fox (2000-2006).
Nevertheless, the Chihuahua declaration many considers to be a cover-up for large-scale institutionalized crimes for decades, which is right in the core of Ms. Norma Esther Andrade’s campaigning for justice. The murder of women in Juárez has attracted global attention since 1993, given suspected police and government inaction to prevent the murders and bring perpetrators to justice. Police and government officials have been accused of responding with indifference to the crimes against women as well as exhibiting tolerance for such crimes, conducting inadequate and negligent investigations, ineffectively responding to the crimes, and failing to prevent and protect women from violence.
Osvalinda Marcelino Alves Pereira
Edelstam Prize 2018
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Edelstam Prize Laureate Osvalinda Marcelino Alves Pereira on April 24, 2024, after a prolonged illness. In 2020, Ms. Pereira became the first Brazilian woman to receive the Edelstam Prize. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and honor her courageous efforts to protect Brazil’s rainforests. Her legacy of fearless dedication will continue to inspire us all.
É com profunda tristeza que anunciamos o falecimento da laureada do Prêmio Edelstam, Osvalinda Marcelino Alves Pereira, no dia 24 de abril, 2024, após uma longa doença. Em 2020, a Sra. Pereira se tornou a primeira mulher brasileira a receber o Prêmio Edelstam. Estendemos nossas sinceras condolências à sua família e honramos seus esforços corajosos para proteger as florestas tropicais do Brasil. Seu legado de dedicação destemida continuará a nos inspirar a todos.
Li Wenzu
Edelstam Prize 2018
Mrs. Li Wenzu is a Chinese citizen. Until the day of her husband’s arrest in July 2015, she led the ordinary life of a Chinese middleclass housewife, caring for the couple’s only child. Li Wenzu could have accepted the situation, and simply waited for her husband to be released, or could have a sought an individual resolution for her personal situation and of her husband’s case. Instead, in spite of the dangerous and hostile political environment, with outstanding courage, braving the risks and overcoming her suffering, Li Wenzu chose to become an activist herself, and organized with other fearless housewives the “709 Family” group, looking for and organizing the families of the 300 plus human rights lawyers arrested during the “709 Crackdown”, supporting them, and mobilizing them into action. This solidarity and mobilization of the families has proven crucial. They have filed lawsuits against the Public Security Bureau, and tirelessly and creatively lobbied and campaigned for the release of the detained lawyers and other activists. Li Wenzu organized the non-violent “Red Bucket Protest” and “Long March for Freedom” to raise the general awareness of the persecution of lawyers and other human rights activists who are opposed to China’s authoritarian regime. As a result of their actions of Li Wenzu and her fellow family members, most of the arrested lawyers have now been released, while 14 of them have been brought to trial and sentenced to prison terms. Mr. Wang Quanzhang, Li Wenzu’s husband, is the only detainee still disappeared since his arrest and disappearance three years ago.
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Juan Guzmán Tapia
Edelstam Prize 2016
The Edelstam Prize Jury’s motivation to give Judge Juan Guzmán Tapia of Santiago the Edelstam Prize is: Judge Juan Guzmán was the first judge appointed in Chile to decide about the criminal complaints filed against the former dictator Augusto Pinochet Ugarte. It seemed unlikely in advance that Guzmán, a conservative judge, would take the task very seriously, but these expectations proved soon to be wrong. Increasingly moved by his interviews with victims and the overwhelming evidence against General Pinochet he discovered, the judge went through a personal process of understanding until he finally persuaded the Chilean Supreme Court to waive Pinochet’s immunity. Then, Guzmán indicted the former dictator on counts of kidnapping and assassination. He performed investigations throughout the country in order to find the remains of ca. 1200 political prisoners who were still missing. Further, he established that the kidnapping of people who subsequently disappeared was a permanent crime to be prosecuted in spite of amnesties or statutes of limitation until the whereabouts of the missing person was determined. Guzmán indicted and convicted a great number of members of the armed forces. He showed great civic courage pursuing his investigations. In spite of threats against him, judge Guzmán opened an important path for justice in Chile, which many other judges followed until today. The Edelstam Foundation recognizes the need of international legislation promoting accountability for serious abuses against human rights, and the responsibility of states where violations have occurred, and the international community as well, in order to establish justice, ensure protection to victims, and avoid impunity. History should not repeat itself.
Benjamin Manuel Jerónimo
Edelstam Prize 2014
Mr. Benjamin Manuel Jerónimo
“Benjamín Manuel Jerónimo is a Mayan from Guatemala. Mayan communities, in spite of being the majority of the population, have been exploited, discriminated, and victimized in their own homeland for centuries. The worst period came between 1960 and 1996: egregious abuses of human rights were perpetrated in Guatemala during the internal armed conflict. According to the CEH (UN backed Truth Commission) 200,000 civilians were murdered and 50,000 forcefully disappeared. Most of them, 83%, were defenseless indigenous Mayans, being 93% of the abuses caused by the State. After the signature of the Peace Agreements, nobody was made accountable for these heinous crimes.
Benjamín considered that those responsible for the crimes should be brought to justice. It was not an easy task, since the discrimination, threats, retaliations and violence persist in Guatemala, and the rates of violent deaths double today those of the war. Benjamín represents the voice of the victims; courageous and tirelessly has worked for decades, in defense of human rights, truth and justice for the indigenous communities in his country, despite repeated threats against his life. His endeavor and commitment are an example and remember every day to the international community than most of the perpetrators in Guatemala remain unpunished.
Through for working the Association for Justice and Reconciliation (AJR), Benjamín has managed, overcoming the fear and breaking the silence, to organize the victims and collect their testimonies, playing an essential role in making finally possible the trial against the dictator Efraín Rios Montt, first time in history a former head of state has been made accountable in his own country for the crime of genocide.”
Bahareh Hedayat
Edelstam Prize 2012
Bahareh Hedayat
Motivation
The Edelstam Prize Jury’s motivation to give Mrs. Bahareh Hedayat the Edelstam Prize is: “Mrs. Bahareh Hedayat has through her outstanding courage and commitment to justice actively worked against the violation of the Human Rights in Iran. Despite of serious warnings and threats from the regime’s security and intelligence forces, she has repeatedly risked her own life and freedom when defending the Human Rights. She has been arrested upon several occasions, and is imprisoned right now for these reasons. The Harald Edelstam Foundation considers her a prisoner of conscience, and in consequence respectfully asks the authorities of the Republic of Iran to set her free.”