Announcing of the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize Laureate 2019
Today, on Monday 30 September, 2019, Ilham Tohti and Youth Initiative for Human Rights were ceremonially announced as laureates of the 2019 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. The award is presented by the Council of Europe in cooperation with the Václav Havel Library and the Charter 77 Foundation.
Mr Ilham TOHTI (China) is a renowned Uyghur scientist and professor of economics 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.
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.
The Václav Havel Library has organised an international conference in honour of the laureate – From Wall ro Wall – which will take place at the Prague Crossroads on 2 October, 2019.