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Reflecting on his six years as UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus, as his tenure comes to an end, Miklós Haraszti recalls “fighting an uphill battle” in the mandate, but how ultimately it has ensured international scrutiny of the human rights situation and provided a bulwark against some of the worst violations.

«Па прафесіі я юрыст. Нават не магу сказаць, праваабаронца я ці не», – сціпла прэзентуе сябе Дзіна Шаўцова, кіраўніца навучальнай праграмы ILIA-By, у межах якой яна і сама некалі вывучала міжнароднае права правоў чалавека; і ўжо амаль дваццаць гадоў Дзіна Шаўцова прасоўвае і абараняе свабоду веравызнання ў Беларусі.

In September 2018, Florian Irminger, former Head of Advocacy at Human Rights House Foundation, left the organisation to pursue a new role as the Executive Director of Penal Reform International. In this video, Florian reflects on his time at HRHF, and discusses what both organisations have in common.

Once set to pursue a career as an interceptor of foreign transmitters among troops stationed outside Moscow, Aleh Matskevich from Barysaŭ, Belarus, is now a human rights defender. He saw an independent Belarus emerging and it turned him into a different kind of man.

Праваабаронца з Барысава Алег Мацкевіч павінен быў перахопліваць замежныя перадатчыкі ў радыёвойсках пад Масквой, але станаўленне незалежнай Беларусі зрабіла яго іншым чалавекам.

For more than 20 years, Shahla Ismayil has worked to promote gender equality and further women’s empowerment and participation in Azerbaijan. Her life, achievements and inspirations tell a story of women’s rights, as well as a passion for her country and its development.

Armenian human rights defender, Lara Aharonian, has defended equality and fairness for all with a special focus on women rights and sexual minorities for more than 15 years.

Mamikon Hovsepyan is an Armenian human rights defender who has been promoting equality and diversity and defending human rights in Armenia for 15 years.

After threats by Russian special forces, Olga Skrypnyk had to flee from Crimea to mainland Ukraine. Rebuilding her life in Kyiv she is even more focused on human rights, but the annexation of Crimea has changed the direction of her work.