Jury members selected human rights defenders from Azerbaijan, Myanmar, Colombia, Honduras, Palestine, and Tanzania after receiving 126 nominations from 53 countries. Front Line Defenders presents the Award annually to a human rights defender who – at great personal risk – has made an exceptional contribution to protecting and promoting the rights of their communities.

“Each of the six finalists for our annual award struggles for justice and human rights in their communities, and each does so in the face of severe risks. Phyoe Phyoe has faced prison time, threats, and ongoing intimidation aimed at stopping her work for academic freedom and human rights. On her first day out of prison last month, her top concern was for others still behind bars. We are honoured to recognise her as a finalist,” said Mary Lawlor, Executive Director of Front Line Defenders, as she announced the finalists in Dublin on 10 May.

As governments, multinational corporations, paramilitaries, and criminal groups try to limit the powerful work of peaceful human rights defenders, the 2016 finalists and their families have faced harassment, physical attacks, defamation campaigns, prison sentences, and intimidation the group said in a statement.

Front Line Defenders works to promote the visibility and protection of the six finalists named today, each of whom is critical to the human rights movement in their countries and communities.

“Human rights defenders tell us that international support is critical to their work. This Award demonstrates – to them and to their oppressors – that Ireland stands behind these incredible individuals. It proves that defenders at-risk do not work in a vacuum, but as part of a global fight for human rights,” said Ms. Lawlor on Tuesday.