Kalbinur Sidik & Gulbahar Haitiwaji | Voices from China’s Concentration Camps Oslo Freedom Forum 2026-09-17 | Kalbinur Sidik & Gulbahar Haitiwaji | Voices from China’s Concentration Camps
Nathan Law (羅冠聰) at #OFFinTaiwan! Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-12-02 | Nathan Law is a young Hong Kong activist, currently in exile and based in London. Nathan was elected as the youngest Legislative Councilor in history. Yet his seat was overturned in July 2017 following Beijing’s constitutional reinterpretation, despite international criticism. Nathan was later jailed for his participation in the 2014 Umbrella Movement. In 2018, Nathan and his fellow student activists Joshua Wong and Alex Chow were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by US congressmen and British parliament members. Due to the risk imposed by the draconian National Security Law, Nathan left Hong Kong and continues to speak up for Hong Kong people on the international level. In 2020, he was listed as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME. In March 2021, he was named a Pritzker Fellow at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics. In December 2021, Nathan was invited as the only speaker from Hong Kong in “Summit for Democracy” hosted by the Biden administration, and delivered a speech which reminds everyone how important our democratic values and freedoms are. 羅冠聰（Nathan Law）是一名年輕的香港民主運動家，目前流亡並定居倫敦。2014年雨傘運動期間，羅冠聰是與政府對話的五名代表之一，參與政治改革的辯論。始終秉持著非暴力公民行動的精神，羅冠聰、黃之鋒和其他的學生運動領袖，共同在2016年成立香港眾志，並參與立法會的選舉。羅冠聰獲選為香港歷史上最年輕的立法會議員。2017年7月，儘管國際輿論一片撻伐，北京當局介入詮釋立法會規定，撤銷羅冠聰的議員資格。接著，羅冠聰因為參與雨傘運動而遭到監禁。2018年，羅冠聰和他其他的學運盟友黃之鋒和周永康，獲得美國和英國國會議員提名諾貝爾和平獎。由於香港國安法所帶來的風險，羅冠聰離開香港，並繼續在國際上為香港人民發聲
Wu’er Kaixi (吾爾開希) at #OFFinTaiwan! Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-11-29 | Wu’er Kaixi was born in China in 1968, an Uyghur national. He was one of the founders and key organizers of the 1989 Tiananmen student movement. Listed as number 2 on the Chinese government’s most wanted student leaders after the June 4th massacre, he fled the country and started his exile life. Currently, he lives in Taiwan, where he remains as an active human rights and democracy activist and a celebrated political commentator, and columnist. He serves as the General Secretary of the Taiwan Parliamentary Human Rights Commission, Emeritus Board member of the Reporters Without Borders, Honorary President of the Ilham Tohti Institute, Honorary Chairman for Campaign for Uyghurs. 吾爾開希1968年出生於中國，維吾爾族。他是1989年天安門學生運動的其中一名發起人和主要組織者。在六四大屠殺之後，他被中國政府列為第二位的頭號通緝學生領袖，因而逃離中國，開始流亡生活。現居台灣，是活躍的人權倡議者、民主活動家、著名的政治評論員和專欄作家。 現任立法院人權委員會秘書長、無國界記者協會名譽理事、伊力哈木·土赫提研究所名譽院長、維吾爾運動名譽主席。
Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit (塔納通·宗龍倫吉) at #OFFinTaiwan! Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-11-29 | Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit is a pro-democracy activist and leader of the opposition Future Forward Party in Thailand. As a result of his advocacy for freedom and democracy, Juangroongruangkit was stripped of his parliamentary seat by the ruling military junta. His commitment to change in Thailand earned him a spot on Time Magazine’s Time 100 Next list. Thanathorn was one of the Oslo Freedom Forum virtual speakers in 2020 along with Taiwan’s Digital Minister Audrey Tang. 塔納通·宗龍倫吉（Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit）是名民主運動人士，也是泰國反對黨未來前進黨的領袖。由於他極力鼓吹自由和民主，執政的軍政府剝奪掉他的議員席位。他對泰國改革的承諾讓他獲選時代雜誌「次世代領導人」（Time 100 Next）。 Thanathorn 與台灣數位發展部唐鳳部長曾一起擔任2020年虛擬奧斯陸自由論壇的線上講者。
Freddy Tshiong-Tso Lim (林昶佐) at #OFFinTaiwan! Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-11-29 | Freddy Tshiong-Tso Lim is the lead vocalist of the Taiwanese metal band CHTHONIC and has been a member of the parliament in Taiwan since 2016. He has been vocal about human rights issues and previously served as the chair of Amnesty Taiwan. He continues his support in the parliament by founding parliamentary support groups for Tibet, Hong Kong, and Uyghur issues. Freddy also actively participates in expanding Taiwan’s connection to the global community, while resisting China’s illiberal influences. Domestically, he devotes himself to advancing transitional justice, marriage equality, gender equality, cultural policies, and cross-generational justice. 林昶佐是台灣金屬樂團閃靈的的主唱，並且自2016年開始擔任台灣的國會議員。他長期以來為人權議題發聲，先前也曾擔任國際特赦組織台灣分會會長。他在國會裡透過成立國會聲援團體來持續為西藏、香港及維吾爾議題努力。Freddy也積極擴展台灣與國際社會連結，以抵制中國不自由的影響。在國內，他致力於促進轉型正義、婚姻平權、性別平權、文化政策及跨世代正義。
Oleksandra Matviichuk (馬特維丘克) at #OFFinTaiwan! Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-11-29 | Oleksandra Matviichuk is a human rights defender who works on issues in Ukraine and the OSCE region. At present, she heads the human rights organization Center For Civil Liberties, and also coordinates the work of the initiative group Euromaidan SOS. The activities of the Center for Civil Liberties are aimed at protecting human rights and establishing democracy in Ukraine and the OSCE region. The organization is developing legislative changes, exercises public oversight over law enforcement agencies and judiciary, conducts educational activities for young people, and implements international solidarity programs. 馬特維丘克（Oleksandra Matviichuk）是一名人權捍衛者，致力為烏克蘭和歐洲安全暨合作組織（OSCE）地區的各項議題進行倡議。目前，她主責烏克蘭的公民自由中心，並協調倡議組織烏克蘭親歐廣場運動SOS（Euromaidan SOS）的相關工作。公民自由中心旨在保障人權並在烏克蘭和歐洲安全暨合作組織地區推動民主發展。該中心正在進行立法改革，對執法和司法機構進行公共監督，為年輕人提供教育活動，並實施各項國際團結串連計劃。
Toufah Jallow (圖法·賈洛) at #OFFinTaiwan! Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-11-29 | Fatou “Toufah” Jallow is a former beauty pageant queen, sexual assault survivor, and women’s rights and anti-rape activist from The Gambia. Jallow was 18 years old when she won a beauty pageant sponsored by Gambian dictator Yahya Jammeh with the promise of a scholarship to continue her studies. However, the dictator took advantage of the proximity he gained through the pageant to rape her. She fled into exile to escape the grip of Jammeh but rather than hide in shame and behind anonymity, she decided to “take back that power.” In June 2019, she was the first person to publicly accuse the now-exiled former dictator of sexual assault, breaking the culture of silence around sexual violence in her country, and inspiring the #IamToufah movement, which has been called Gambia’s #MeToo. Fatou was one of the Oslo Freedom Forum virtual speakers in 2020 along with Taiwan’s Digital Minister Audrey Tang. 法圖·圖法·賈洛（Fatou “Toufah” Jallow）是前選美皇后、性侵倖存者、是來自甘比亞的女權和反強姦倡議家。 賈洛18 歲時贏得了由甘比亞獨裁者葉海亞·賈梅（ Yahya Jammeh）贊助的選美比賽，並獲得承諾說將授予獎學金，支持她繼續追求學業。然而，該獨裁者利用選美比賽親近她並施以強姦。她逃亡流放以逃避賈梅的控制，但她沒有隱匿在羞恥和隱姓埋名的陰影底下，反而決定“奪回權力”。 2019年6月，她是第一個公開指責現已流亡前獨裁者的性侵暴行，打破了甘比亞對性暴力的沉默文化，並引發了被稱為「甘比亞 #MeToo 」的「#IamToufah」 運動。賈洛與台灣數位發展部唐鳳部長曾一起擔任2020年虛擬奧斯陸自由論壇的線上講者。
Chung Ching Kwong (鄺頌晴) at #OFFinTaiwan! Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-11-29 | Chung Ching Kwong is a political and digital rights activist from Hong Kong. Previously, she was the founder and spokesperson of Keyboard Frontline, an organization dedicated to monitoring censorship and digital rights, and a columnist at Apple Daily. Glacier first got involved in activism in 2012 due to the Copyright Amendment Bill in Hong Kong. Now pursuing her Ph.D in Law at the University of Hamburg, she is currently the Hong Kong Campaigns Coordinator at the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC). 鄺頌晴是來自香港的政治運動和數位維權倡議家。在此之前，她是Keyboard Frontline的創始人和發言人，這是一個致力於監督審查和數位維權的組織 ，他也是 Apple Daily 的專欄作家，最一開始在 2012年，由於香港的版權修訂條例草案而首次參與維權活動。她現在在漢堡大學攻讀法學博士學位，目前是對華政策跨國議會聯盟(IPAC) 的香港倡議協調專家。
Badiucao (巴丢草) at #OFFinTaiwan! Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-11-29 | Badiucao is one of the most popular and prolific political artists from China. Using his creative dissent, he confronts a variety of global social and political issues head-on, and boldly challenges censorship and dictatorship. Badiucao currently lives in-exile in Australia. Badiucao’s artwork has highlighted the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s lies and human rights abuses by raising awareness for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, the Uyghur genocide, repression in Tibet, and the CCP’s censorship of the coronavirus pandemic. His art has expressed support for Taiwan’s democracy, and shined a spotlight on pro-democracy demonstrations in Thailand and Burma as well. 巴丟草是全球最不受中國政府歡迎的藝術家之一。他運用創意異議，直擊全球各種社會和政治議題，勇於挑戰言論審查制度和獨裁政權。巴丟草目前流亡澳洲。透過讓越多人關心香港民主運動、維吾爾族種族滅絕、西藏鎮壓以及中共對於新冠疫情的審查等議題，他希望可以用藝術來凸顯中國共產黨的謊言和侵犯人權的行為。他的藝術也表達了對台灣民主的支持，並在泰國和緬甸的民主示威活動中引起關注。
Areej al-Sadhan (阿雷潔·薩丹) at #OFFinTaiwan! Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-11-29 | Areej al-Sadhan is an activist and sister to Red Crescent humanitarian worker Abdulrahman al-Sadhan who disappeared in 2018 during a mass crackdown on critics and rights activists in Saudi Arabia. He was held in a secret prison and tortured by Saudi officials. Earlier last year, after three years without official charges or access to his lawyer, Abdulrahman was sentenced in a sham secret trial to 20 years in Saudi prison for tweeting. Areej remains outspoken on the ill treatment of her brother and other activists, and publicly denounced Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s brutal human right abuses. 阿雷潔·薩丹（Areej al-Sadhan）是一名社會運動者，也是紅新月會人道主義工作者阿卜杜勒拉赫曼·薩丹（Abdulrahman al-Sadhan）的姐姐。2018年沙烏地阿拉伯對批評當局者和維權人士發起大規模鎮壓行動，她的弟弟阿卜杜勒拉赫曼因而失踪。他被關押在秘密監獄中，並遭到沙烏地阿拉伯官員的酷刑。去年初，阿卜杜勒拉赫曼歷經三年沒有遭到官方起訴也無權接觸律師之後，在一場造假的秘密審判中因發送推文而被判處20年徒刑。阿雷潔繼續大聲疾呼，揭露她哥哥和其他社運人士所遭到的虐行，並公開譴責王儲穆罕默德·本·薩勒曼（Mohammed Bin Salman）種種侵犯人權的殘暴行為。
Oslo Freedom Forum in Taiwan Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-11-03 | The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is pleased to announce the return of the Oslo Freedom Forum in Taiwan, taking place at the Grand Hyatt Taipei on Thursday, November 3. HRF’s half-day event will feature mainstage speakers, an interactive exhibition, and roundtable discussions. Attendees will hear first-hand stories from renowned global activists who boldly stand up against tyranny, and connect with a thriving community of philanthropists, technologists, investors, artists, journalists, policymakers, and activists aiming to make the world a more free, open, and peaceful place.Our theme this year, CHAMPION OF CHANGE, celebrates activists, who are themselves champions, and their causes. Everyone has the potential to effect positive change — either as a champion on an individual level, or as part of a larger movement. After our two-year hiatus from Taiwan, we warmly invite you to join our community this November in Taipei to become a champion with us.The Oslo Freedom Forum in Taiwan is a master class in the struggle for freedom around the world, and shines a global spotlight on Taiwan as a beacon for democracy. We look forward to bringing our Oslo Freedom Forum community back to Taipei for years to come and to continue highlighting Taiwan in the international community as a champion of human rights.美國人權基金會非常高興能再度回到台北，第三次在台灣舉辦奧斯陸自由論壇，這場半天的論壇將於2022年11月3日於君悅酒店召開，精彩內容包括重磅講者演說、互動展覽、座談會及圓桌交流。與會者將能夠與全球著名的人權運動家面對面，聆聽他們如何勇敢對抗獨裁者的動人故事，也有機會認識一個全球蓬勃發展的社群，包括慈善家、技術專家、藝術家、記者、政策制定者和社會倡議者，大家共同致力讓世界變得更自由、開放與和平。本次論壇主題為「變革先驅者」，我們希望表彰這些社會運動者及他們推動的倡議。不論是小至個人的改變，或是大至社會運動的一部分，每個人都有引領變革的潛力。沈寂兩年後，我們再度帶著無比熱情邀請台灣的朋友來到11月即將在台北舉辦的奧斯陸自由論壇，一起成為變革先驅者。台灣，作為為自由而奮鬥的代表、作為民主國家，可以帶給全世界很多的價值。美國人權基金會非常期待能夠再度把奧斯陸自由論壇帶回到台灣，我們希望可以讓世界看見台灣的民主成果、看見台灣作為人權捍衛者的成就。
Toufah Jallow: The Gambias Visible Sexual Assault Survivor | 2022 OsloFF in NY Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-10-24 | ...
Berta Valle: Standing for Freedom in Nicaragua | 2022 OsloFF in NY Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-10-24 | ...
Anna Kwok: Reflection on Hong Kongs Pain & Freedom: Our Movement is Our Future | 2022 OsloFF in NY Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-10-24 | ...
Chemi Lhamo: All for the Land of Snow: Where is Home? | 2022 OsloFF in NY Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-10-24 | ...
Leopoldo López: A Global Movement for Democracy | 2022 OsloFF in NY Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-10-24 | ...
Oleksandra Matviichuk: On the Frontlines of Freedom | 2022 OsloFF in NY Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-10-14 | "You don't need to be Ukrainian to support Ukraine. You just need to be human." - 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk on the #OFFinNY stage.
Masih Alinejad: The Flames of the Feminist Revolution Have Been Fanned in Iran | 2022 OsloFF in NY Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-10-12 | "Today, it's not enough to cry for justice. We have to take action!"Watch Masih Alinejad’s talk on the #OFFinNY stage about the murder of #MahsaAmini and the reality of life for women living under the tyrannical Iranian regime.
A Look Back at the 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-09-30 | In May 2022, the Human Rights Foundation hosted its 14th annual Oslo Freedom Forum. Over the course of this three-day conference, human rights advocates, artists, students, journalists, technologists, philanthropists, and innovators were united by a common vision of making the world more prosperous, peaceful, and free.
Join Oleksandra Matviichuk at #OFFinNY! Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-09-28 | "There is no legitimate purpose in using tanks to fire at people on bicycles."Don't miss Oleksandra Matviichuk live at #OFFinNY this coming Monday, to hear her story about fighting for democracy at the frontlines in Ukraine.🎟 buff.ly/3zZU5Df
Join Toufah Jallow at #OFFinNY! Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-09-27 | "I decided I will not hide behind fear anymore!"Don't miss the leader of the #IamToufah movement, The Gambia's #MeToo, Toufah Jallow on the #OFFinNY stage on Oct. 3!🎟 Get your ticket today: buff.ly/3zZU5Df
Join Leopoldo López at #OFFinNY! Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-09-27 | "We are willing to fight for what we need and love, which is freedom."Don't miss Venezuelan opposition leader, Leopoldo López at #OFFinNY this coming Monday!🎟 Get your ticket today: buff.ly/3zZU5Df
Join Yeonmi Park at #OFFinNY! Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-09-27 | "What a beautiful day to talk about freedom."Join North Korean defector Yeonmi Park, as she returns to the #OsloFF stage this Oct. 3 in NYC!Don't miss this chance to hear her story live. 🎟 Get your ticket today: buff.ly/3zZU5Df
2022 Oslo Freedom Forum in Taiwan | November 3, 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-09-26 | Get Your Ticket: eventbrite.com/e/2022-oslo-freedom-forum-in-taiwan-tickets-425728283757Learn More: oslofreedomforum.com/offtw22The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is pleased to announce the return of the Oslo Freedom Forum in Taiwan, taking place at the Grand Hyatt Taipei on Thursday, November 3. HRF’s third Oslo Freedom Forum in Taiwan will be a half-day event, featuring mainstage speakers, an interactive exhibition, and roundtable discussions. Attendees will hear first-hand stories from renowned global activists who boldly stand up against tyranny, and connect with a thriving community of philanthropists, technologists, artists, journalists, policymakers, and activists aiming to make the world a more free, open, and peaceful place.美國人權基金會非常高興能再度回到台北，第三次在台灣舉辦奧斯陸自由論壇，這場半天的論壇將於2022年11月3日於君悅酒店召開，精彩內容包括重磅講者演說、互動展覽、座談會及圓桌交流。與會者將能夠與全球著名的人權運動家面對面，聆聽他們如何勇敢對抗獨裁者的動人故事，也有機會認識一個全球蓬勃發展的社群，包括慈善家、技術專家、藝術家、記者、政策制定者和社會倡議者，大家共同致力讓世界變得更自由、開放與和平。
Join Masih Alinejad at #OFFinNY! Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-09-23 | Women's rights are human rights, but over the past week, #Iran's dictatorship has once again shown the world its complete disregard to women's freedom.✨Join Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad on the #OFFinNY stage in just 10 days to hear her call for justice & accountability!🎟 buff.ly/3zZU5Df
Join Chemi Lhamo at #OFFinNY! Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-09-23 | Resistance. Resilience. Responsibility.Join Chemi Lhamo at #OFFinNY to learn how we can rise above tyranny together.🎟 Get your ticket today! buff.ly/3zZU5Df
Join Garry Kasparov at #OFFinNY! Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-09-22 | "Pretending you are neutral, basically means you are on the side of evil."Don't miss Garry Kasparov's talk at #OFFinNY on Oct 3. about the world's continued battle against authoritarianism.🎟 Secure your ticket today! buff.ly/3zZU5Df
Come join Berta Valle at #OFFinNY! Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-09-13 | "There are more than 200 political prisoners in Nicaragua. They're being tortured. They cannot even walk on their own."Join Nicaraguan pro-democracy activist, Berta Valle on Oct. 3 at #OFFinNY to hear her story firsthand.Get your ticket today! 🎟 oslofreedomforum.com/offny22
George Ayittey Tribute (1945-2022) Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-07-21 | The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. George Ayittey, a celebrated Ghanaian economist, author, and the president of the Free Africa Foundation. He was also a former political prisoner. He served as a founding member of HRF’s International Council and was a former Oslo Freedom Forum speaker.This tribute video to Dr. Ayittey premiered at the 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum.
How Can Civil Society Counter a Coup d’Etat? | 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-07-17 | In the last year, we have seen several coups d’état across the world, from West Africa to Southeast Asia. While executive power usurpations are characterized by military support, there are several measures civil society and pro-democracy movements can take to counter and block coup leaders’ procedures. In this panel, we will hear from leading experts on nonviolent strategies, as well as civil society leaders who will share how advocates, non-governmental institutions, and the international community can help counteract coups and restore democracy.Srdja Popović: Nonviolence expert and Executive Director of the Center for Applied Nonviolent Actions & StrategiesRania Abdulaziz: Sudanese pro-democracy and women’s rights activistWai Hnin Pwint Thon: Burmese pro-democracy activistJamila Raqib: Executive Director of the Albert Einstein Institution
When Systems Fail: Understanding the Intersection of Authoritarian Regimes and Modern Slavery Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-07-17 | This panel discussion, hosted by the Freedom Fund, will explore the correlation between the rise in authoritarian regimes and the rise in modern slavery. Looking to history and learning from the present, panelists will discuss how slavery has been wielded as a way for those regimes to maintain power and how affected communities have stood in resistance to change the future.Amy Rahe: Managing Director at the Freedom Fund and anti-trafficking advocateJessie Bruner: Associate Director of Strategy and Program Development at the Center for Human Rights and International Justice at Stanford UniversityFilmon Debru: Eritrean human trafficking survivorLeonardo Sakamoto: Brazilian journalist and anti-forced labor advocate
Is Bitcoin Compatible with Democracy? | 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-07-17 | We have seen how pro-democracy activists in Belarus, Russia, and Togo have turned to Bitcoin to keep their advocacy afloat when their bank accounts get shut down. Simultaneously, we have also seen how a populist leader has imposed Bitcoin on El Salvador from the top down. Hear from activists from all three countries about whether Bitcoin is compatible with liberal democracy.Anita Posch: Host of “The Anita Posch” ShowJaroslav Likhachevskiy: Co-Founder, BYSOLFarida Nabourema: Togolese human rights defenderNelson Rauda: Salvadoran investigative journalist, El FaroLeonid Volkov: Russian anti-corruption advocate
The Rise of Stablecoins in Emerging Markets and Authoritarian Regimes | 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-07-17 | One of the biggest new financial innovations in the past five years is the stablecoin: a virtual asset that is pegged to the dollar, but can be used by anyone. With a market capitalization north of $150 billion, stablecoins are used heavily by individuals who cannot otherwise access dollars in Argentina, Cuba, Lebanon, and beyond. Join the creator of the world’s biggest stablecoin, Tether, and a Nigerian entrepreneur who can attest to the remarkable rise of stablecoins in her own country. Alejandro Machado: Co-Founder of the Open Money InitiativePaolo Ardoino: Chief Technology Officer, TetherIre Aderinokun: Co-Founder and VP of Engineering, Helicarrier
LGBTQI+ Rights When Democracy Dies | 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-07-17 | Minorities, and in particular LGBTQI+ communities around the world, have often been used as a scapegoat for dictators and rising autocrats. Whether it is under the Taliban in Afghanistan or under Putin in Russia, the rights of LGBTQI+ people are among the first to get trampled. This panel will discuss the challenges faced by this community under authoritarian rule and how the democratic world can help champion their causes.Georges Azzi: Lebanese LGBTQI+ ActivistTina Orban: Hungarian trans activist and Vice President of the Transvanilla Transgender AssociationKimahli Powell: Executive Director of Rainbow Railroad
Sportswashing: From the Beijing Genocide Games to Qatar’s FIFA World Cup Migrant Workers’ Crisis Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-07-16 | 2022 has been referred to as “sportswashing’s biggest year,” due to the Beijing Olympics and FIFA World Cup in Qatar. This session will share behind-the-scenes stories, tips, and know-hows on how we can all join to raise awareness about how authoritarian regimes weaponize global games to whitewash their abuses.Karim Zidan: Author and journalistMalcolm Bidali: Labor rights activist and bloggerChemi Lhamo: Tibetan activist and community organizerLise Klaveness: President of the Norwegian Football Federation, lawyer, and human rights advocate
The True Story of China’s Genocide of the Uyghurs: A Discussion with Nury Turkel and Garry Kasparov Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-07-16 | Nury Turkel was born in a re-education camp in East Turkistan — China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region — during the Cultural Revolution. Upon arriving in the United States in 1995, he was granted asylum and has relentlessly advocated for the rights of the Uyghur people. In his newest memoir, No Escape: The True Story of China’s Genocide of the Uyghurs, he details the Chinese government’s long history of persecuting Uyghurs, dives into his personal experiences, and urges the international community to hold China accountable. In conversation with HRF Chairman Garry Kasparov, Turkel lays out the truth about the Chinese government’s genocidal actions in the Uyghur Region
Fighting Transnational Repression Against Journalists | 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-07-16 | Saudi Arabia’s murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Belarus’ hijacking of a plane to arrest opposition journalist Roman Protasevich, and Rwanda’s forceful rendition of Hotel Rwanda hero Paul Rusesabagina are the most well-known examples of transnational repression by authoritarian regimes. They are part of a larger trend documented in a recent Freedom House report with more than 600 examples of regimes (most notoriously China, Iran, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey) aggressively reaching across the globe to silence or intimidate dissidents in exile. This panel will examine the practice of transnational repression, particularly as it targets independent journalists.Megha Rajagopalan: Investigative JournalistRushan Abbas: Executive Director of Campaign for UyghursMasih Alinejad: Iranian journalist and activistCan Dündar: Turkish journalist and documentarian
Defending the Defenders: The Right to Protect the Environment | 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-07-16 | Defending the Defenders is a global impact platform at OFF dedicated to raising awareness of the perils faced by environmental activists, journalists, and others who work to protect the environment in countries ruled by authoritarian regimes. Author and journalist Anjan Sundaram will moderate a discussion with environmental activists from Cambodia to Uganda.Anjan Sundaram: Author & JournalistAlex Gonzalez Davidson: Environmental Activist & President of Mother Nature CambodiaMónica López Baltodano: Nicaraguan Human Rights LawyerJohn Unzima: Ugandan journalist and environmental activist
Amy Rahe, Freedom Fund | 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-07-15 | Amy Rahe, Managing Director, North America at the Freedom Fund, is a leading voice on the need for survivors of modern slavery to be given access and opportunities to experience sustained liberation through dismantling root causes and vulnerabilities. She advocates for survivor leadership and empowerment for the movement to grow.
Tanzania’s Child Marriage Struggle | 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-05-29 | Although child marriage was outlawed in Tanzania in 2019, the law on marriage is yet to be amended and child marriage remains a serious issue in the country. Zuhura Abdul Sakaya is a young Tanzanian advocate for girls’ and women’s rights, focusing on the elimination of child marriage, gender-based violence, and female genital mutilation in Tanzania. In this fireside discussion, she will discuss the lifelong consequences for girls of child marriage, the current situation in Tanzania, and the next steps to be taken in the struggle against child marriage. Recorded during the 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum.
Dmytro Kuleba | 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-05-26 | Dmytro Kuleba is the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
Yury Revich | 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-05-26 | Yury Revich is an Interdisciplinary Musician and Artist, ECHO Klassik Winner, International Classical Music Awards Winner, UNICEF Austria Honorary Representative.
Carine Kanimba & Michela Wrong: The Long Tentacles of Rwanda’s Dictatorship | 2022 OFF Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-05-26 | Carine Kanimba survived Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, during which her father, Paul Rusesabagina, saved more than 1,200 people in his hotel. Today she is campaigning to free her father from a Rwandan gulag. Rusesabagina’s heroic feat was portrayed in the Hollywood film “Hotel Rwanda” but in 2020, the Belgian citizen and U.S. Permanent Resident was forcibly rendered to Rwanda and imprisoned for speaking out against the tyranny of the man credited with ending the genocide: Paul Kagame. In 2021, Kanimba was identified as a victim of the Pegasus spyware, with Kagame’s regime suspected of being behind the attack.Michela Wrong is a journalist and author with three decades of experience covering the African continent. Her works include In the Footsteps of Mr Kurtz, I Didn’t Do It For You, It’s Our Turn to Eat, Borderlines and Do Not Disturb, a critique of Rwanda’s current regime.
Manasseh Mathiang | 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-05-26 | Manasseh Mathiang is a musician and activist dedicated to advocating for peace in South Sudan. He is a founding member of the Anataban Campaign (“I am tired” in Juba Arabic), a youth movement comprising a community of more than 800 young South Sudanese creatives who use street theater, murals, fashion, sculpture and poetry to foster public discussion about the issues of social injustice, government accountability, and transparency.
Kevork Mourad & JP | 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-05-26 | Born in Qamishli, Syria to a family of Armenian heritage, visual artist Kevork Mourad now lives and works in New York City. He received his Master of Fine Arts from the Yerevan Institute of Fine Arts in Armenia. Mourad employs a unique technique of live drawing and animation in concert with musicians — developing a collaboration in which art and music harmonize with one another. Mourad has been a resident teaching artist at Brandeis University, Harvard University, and Holy Cross (Worcester). He is a member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble and is featured in the film “Music of Strangers” (2016).Hailing from San Juan, Argentina, Juan Pablo Jofre Romarion, aka JP Jofre, is an award-winning bandoneon player and composer. Jofre has been repeatedly featured by The New York Times and praised as one of today’s leading artists by Great Performers at Lincoln Center. His music has been recorded by the legendary London Symphony Orchestra, 16time Grammy winner Paquito D’ Rivera, and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, among others.
Walid Ben Selim | 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-05-26 | Walid Ben Selim is Moroccan musician and producer whose music forms a bridge between the Arab World and the West. Walid comes from Casablanca’s hip hop scene and sings and recites his own poems, as well as classic and modern Arabic poetry with a strong message of freedom. He works with texts written by famous poets, like Mahmoud Darwish and Ahmad Matar, that call upon people to think for themselves and not to blindly follow ‘leaders’ and the masses, but to make their own choices in life. In 2019, Walid joined the Centre de Création Occitanie as an associate artist and formed the label “Le Rocher,” dedicated to New World Music.
Sakdiyah Maruf | 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-05-26 | Sakdiyah Ma’ruf is the first Muslim female stand-up comic in Indonesia whose comedic routine advocates for individual rights and challenges Islamic fundamentalism. She uses humor to voice her concern about rising Islamic conservatism, violence and discrimination against women, and threat to freedom of expression in Indonesia as a young democracy. Ma’ruf utilizes comedy as a way of self-expression, and of promoting women’s empowerment, as for some Muslim women, laughing, in its own respect, is a form of resistance. Sakdiyah is a 2015 Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent Laureate, one of BBC’s 100 Women of 2018, one of BBC’s 12 Artists That Changed the World in 2019, and a recipient of many other national recognitions for her work.
Chemi Lhamo - All for the Land of Snow: A Story of Tibetan Resilience | 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum Oslo Freedom Forum 2022-05-26 | Chemi Lhamo is the Canadian representative for International Tibet Network’s Steering Committee, the Community Health Lead at Parkdale People’s Economy and serves on the Parkdale Neighbourhood Land Trust’s board. As a human rights activist and community organizer, she is recognized in Canada’s national current affairs and news magazine Maclean’s Top 50 Power List of 2022. Chemi has previously served as the CEO/President among many other roles at the Student’s Union at University of Toronto Scarborough, along with the board of Canadian Tibetan Association of Ontario and Students For a Free Tibet Canada. She was one of the most prominent youth activists in the #NoBeijing2022 global movement, calling for the boycott and postponement of the 2022 Winter Beijing Olympics.
