Human Rights and
International Democratic Solidarity

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Promotion of the Political Opening in Cuba

02-03-2017

CADAL nominates Laritza Diversent from Cubalex for two international Human Rights awards

La nominación de la activista cubana al Premio Front Line Defenders y al Premio Gwanju para los Derechos Humanos contó con el apoyo de la ex presidente de Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla.

The Puente Democrático program of CADAL nominated Laritza Diversent, Director of Cubalex for the Front Line Defenders Award 2017 for defenders of the Human Rights at risk. Furthermore CADAL selected the Human Rights lawyer in Cuba for the Gwanju Prize for Human Rights 2017, which is going to be handed over on May 18th by the May 18 Memorial Foundation.

Laritza Diversent

The nominations emphasize the great work of Laritza Diversent, lawyer of Human Rights together with Cubalex. Diversent recently attended the audiences conducted by the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights and incurred an active presentation in the universal System of Human Rights. She also showed activism concerning the island. Last September, state security burst in the office of Cubalex. They impounded work documents and equipment. Besides that the director and her team of Cubalex were interrogated and five of them were obligated to undress.

The Front Line Defenders Award 2017 for defenders of the Human Right at risk was created in 2005 to honour the work of the Human Right defenders who peacefully contribute to promote and protect the Human Rights, risking their own life for others.

By handing over this prize the intention is to get attention on the work of the defenders of Human Rights and to contribute to the personal security of the awardee. Beyond the symbolic significance, the prize grants 15,000 Euros to guarantee that the work of the activist or the organization will be continued.

According to their web page Front Line was founded in 2001, with the specific objective to protect the defenders of Human Rights at risk, who work peacefully for some or all rights, which are implied in the universal declaration of the Human Rights. Front Line´s main aim is to give an answer to the needs of defenders at risk. This includes the following tasks like giving protection, creating networks, training and giving a better access to the international protection for activists.

The Gwanju Prize for Human Rights promotes the spirit of the democratic movement at the 18th of May of the town Kwangju in South Korea. The prize is awarded to a person or an organization that has fought to improve and broaden Human Rights, democracy and peace in their community without using any violence.

The Gwangju prize for the Human Rights was handed out first in 2000. From all the persons who received it, Aung San Suu Kyi (2004), Malalai Joya (2006) and Binayak Sen (2011) are the ones who stand out. The purpose of this prize is to get international attention about the Human Right defenders and to contribute to the personal security of the awardee.

 
 
 

 
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