Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders

It was created in 1993 to honour and protect individuals around the world who demonstrate exceptional courage in defending and promoting human rights.

The Award is named after British human rights activist Martin Ennals, former secretary general of Amnesty International and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

The Award ceremony, co-hosted with the City of Geneva, takes place in the first semester of the year.

The Jury, composed of representatives of ten of the world's leading human rights organisations, selects the Award winner each year.

The award was in the news in November 2023 when Solton Achilova was prevented from attending that years ceremony by the authorities in Turkmenistan.