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Each year, the award honors individuals or institutions that have contributed exceptionally to defending and advancing human rights and the rule of law, locally or internationally.
The award – which is awarded by the Foreign Ministries of France and Germany – generally celebrates human rights defenders from around the world, the lawyers who defend them, as well as journalists who struggle to spread the truth.
The award was launched in 2016, and was announced in Berlin on December 1 of the same year by then French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and his German counterpart at the time, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
France and Germany say that through this award they want to show their support for the activities of human rights defenders and activists, and they consider it a symbol of common values.
They also confirm that they are working through this award and other activities and events to mobilize their efforts to defend human rights and the rule of law in the world, and they encourage all countries to adhere to all the commitments they have undertaken in this field.
The two countries add that honoring these defenders of human rights and freedom is necessary to raise public awareness, mobilize civil society organizations, support victims of human rights violations, and pressure governments to respect their obligations in the field of human rights.
This award is presented on the occasion of International Human Rights Day, which falls on December 10 of each year, and its winners are selected through a joint mechanism between the two countries, and at the suggestion of their embassies around the world.
2016 award winners
- White Helmets (Syria)
- Amulet Rahman (Bangladesh)
- Oleg Gulak (Belarus)
- Wang Qiaoling (China)
- Mary Lawlor (Ireland)
- Pietro Bartolo (Italy)
- Eva Abu Halawa (Jordan)
- Sarah Bilal (Pakistan)
- Maria da Pena (Brazil)
- Saray Toon (Cambodia)
- Maximilian Ngo Mbe (Cameroon)
- Beverly Jacobs (Canada)
- Monserrate Solano Carboniferous (Costa Rica)
- Sunita Krishan (India)
- Valentina Cherevatenko (Russia)
- Jacqueline Modena (Chad)
2017 award winners
- Adilur Rahman Khan (Bangladesh)
- Nonognon Balibilas Gbagidi (Benin)
- Gracia Violeta Ros Quiroga (Bolivia)
- Ragia Omran (Egypt)
- Cesar Ricorte (Ecuador)
- Abdullah Al-Khanini (Kuwait)
- Bekim Asani (Macedonia)
- Mandira Sharma (Nepal)
- Grass Osakyo (Nigeria)
- Rosemary Trajano (Philippines)
- Elena Milashina (Russia)
- Sherine Abdel Sorour (Sri Lanka)
- Altiparmak cream (Russia)
- Pavlo Lisyansky (Ukraine)
- Lilina Ortega Mendoza (Venezuela)
2018 award winners
- Mohamed Lotfy (Egypt)
- Alfredo Okenfe (Equatorial Guinea)
- Yu Fensheng (China)
- Aminata Traore (Ivory Coast)
- Nityanand Yayaraman (India)
- Chak Sophiap (Cambodia)
- Hassan Sayyah Qurban (Lebanon)
- Mkfoula Mint Ibrahim (Mauritania)
- Daoud Nassar (Palestine)
- Liz Chikakhi Shurai (Biro)
- Eyoub Tateev (Russia)
- Vuyiseka Dubula Majola (South Africa)
- Anwar Al-Bunni (Syria)
- Sirikan Charoensiri (Thailand)
- Susana Ravalli Arismendi (Venezuela)
2019 award winners
- Alice Bialiatsky (Belarus)
- Li Wenzhou (China)
- El Nadeem Center for Combating Violence and Torture (Egypt)
- Ameha Mekonnen Asfaw (Ethiopia)
- Robin Chaurasia (India)
- Nasrin Sotoudeh (Iran)
- Amina Hanga (Nigeria)
- Milosca del Carmen Luthquinos Tavor (Peru)
- Mary Ellen Bacalso (Philippines)
- Irina Biryukova (Russia)
- Dolphin Kimniloum Djiribe (Chad)
- Esen Gunal (Türkiye)
- Luth Milly Reyes (Venezuela)
- Phu Quoc Ngo (Vietnam)
2020 award winners
- Sarah Sirat (Afghanistan)
- Azza Soliman (Egypt)
- Sergio Piccara (Londa)
- Francenara Suarez Martinez (Brazil)
- Li Yuhan (China)
- Nagham Nawzat Hassan (Iraq)
- Zoya Rohana (Lebanon)
- Nayab Ali (Pakistan)
- Issam Younis (Palestine)
- Iuri Dmitriev (Russia)
- Matilda Twomey (Seychelles)
- Maria Batakoeva (Slovakia)
- Merikaj Lorna Nangia (South Sudan)
2021 award winners
- Shehrazad Akbar (Afghanistan)
- Shang Weiping (China)
- Jacques Lutong (Haiti)
- Cristina Palabay (Philippines)
- Noella Godfrey Msuya (Tanzania)
- Erika Lorena Davila (Guatemala)
- Monica Borgmann (Germany/Lebanon)
- Narges Mohammadi (Iran)
- Nebahat Akoş (Türkiye)
- Provia Association (Venezuela)
- Jack Ebel (Nigeria)
- Alexandrine Victoire Sizonou (Benin)
- Thapelo Times (South Africa)
- Ajna Gosic (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- My Sabi Pyo (Myanmar)
2022 award winners
- Mahsa Amini (Iran)
- Megan Bouhou (Ivory Coast)
- Jamila Ribeiro (Brazil)
