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sa notoriété internationale au service desfemmes et des hommes qui ont choisi dedéfendre les droits universels au péril deleur vie.A chaque remise du prix, c’est chacune etchacun d’entre eux qui est honoré une nouvellefois. Cet hommage contribue à leurprotection.Cette année, le Prix a été remis à MonsieurEmad Baghi, par Madame NavanethemPillay, Haut-Commissaire des Nations Uniespour les droits de l’Homme, au cours d’unecérémonie officielle au Victoria Hall deGenève, en présence de M. Hans Thoolen,Président de la Fondation Martin Ennals etde nombreuses personnalités genevoises etdes représentants de la communauté internationaleet des organisations non gouvernementales.Emad Baghi, écrivain et théologien iranien,est très engagé dans l’étude et la diffusionde textes coraniques disqualifiant la peinede mort. En Iran, il a fondé la Société pourla défense des droits des prisonniers et anotamment publié un inventaire des exécutionsen Iran depuis la révolution islamiqueen 1979. Ce document est devenu une référencepour les instances des Nations Unieschargées des droits humains ainsi que pourles organisations non gouvernementales enla matière. En raison de son engagementpolitique et de ses travaux de recherche,Emad Baghi a passé quatre des dix dernièresannées en prison.Les Etats ont le devoir de respecter le droit,mais il faut toujours quelqu’un qui, au périlde sa vie, se lève pour le leur rappeler !Merci, Monsieur Baghi. La Ville de Genève,au nom de votre combat universel, est honoréede vous rendre hommage. ❚www.ville-ge.chwww.martinennalsaward.orgABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTYEMAD BAGHI, IRANIAN LAUREATE OF THE“MARTIN ENNALS AWARD” 2009, HONOURED IN GENEVASANDRINE SALERNOVICE-MAYOR OF GENEVAWorth CHF 20,000, the Martin Ennals Awardis presented each year to a person or organisationwho has demonstrated exemplarycourage to combat human rights violations.Often described as the “Nobel Prize” of humanrights, the Award’s mission is to offer,through media attention, effective protectionto laureates.Why is this award so important? Principally,because the Martin Ennals Award has beengranted since 1994 by ten of the major internationalNGOs promoting the defence ofhuman rights, organisations whose strengthlies in their political independence andcourage of their directors and activists. AmnestyInternational, the International Commissionof Jurists, the International Federationof Human Rights, Human Rights First,Human Rights Watch, the World OrganisationAgainst Torture, the International Servicefor Human Rights, Diakonie Germanyand Huridocs are organisations whose activistsmobilize themselves daily to defendhuman rights. Some have their headquartersin Geneva, others do not, but all know thatthey are welcome in our city.That the Martin Ennals Award contributesto their gathering in Geneva is undoubtedlyan honour for Geneva. But it is above all anopportunity: a chance to strengthen NGOnetworks and their actions. In this regard,Geneva makes a point of welcoming themand offering the best possible conditions inorder to have a secure and operational basefrom where they can pursue their objectives.The Martin Ennals Award is particularlyimportant for the City of Geneva becauseit allows us to express our commitment inconcrete terms. Cities are not subject to thesame diplomatic constraints as states areand therefore have more liberty to expresstheir support and solidarity.We are proud that Geneva, on its own scaleand in its own way, is contributing to meetthis challenge. Today, our commitment is apparentin many ways: “Host City” of the Officeof the United Nations High Commissionerfor Human Rights and other international organisations,as well as important multilateralconferences, the City of Geneva also seeks tooffer ongoing support to the world of associations.Accordingly, since 2005, the City ofGeneva has supported the organisation of theMartin Ennals Award ceremony, with eachyear being more resolved and convinced ofits decisive impact in protecting human rightsdefenders. As a “city of peace” and the “internationalcapital of human rights”, the City ofGeneva places its international renown at theservice of women and men who have chosento defend universal rights at the risk of theirown lives. At each award ceremony, eachdefender is honoured once again. May thistribute contribute to their protection.This year, the “Martin Ennals Award for HumanRights Defenders” was handed over toEmad Baghi by Navanethem Pillay, UnitedNations High Commissioner for HumanRights, during an official ceremony at VictoriaHall in Geneva, in the presence of HansThoolen, President of the Martin EnnalsFoundation, numerous personalities fromGeneva and representatives of the internationalcommunity and non-governmentalorganisations.Emad Baghi, an Iranian writer and theologian,is most especially involved in the studyand dissemination of texts from the Korandiscrediting the death penalty. In Iran, hefounded the Society for the Defence of Prisoners’Rights and, in particular, has publisheda list of executions in Iran since theIslamic revolution in 1979. This documenthas become a reference for United Nationsbodies responsible for human rights, as wellas non-governmental organisations active inthis field. As a result of his political commitmentand his research work, Emad Baghihas spent four of the last ten years in prison.It is the duty of states to respect the law, butit always takes someone, at the risk of heror his own life, to remind them! Thank you,Mr. Baghi. The City of Geneva is honouredto pay tribute to your universal struggle. ❚www.ville-ge.chwww.martinennalsaward.org20 – UN Special – Novembre 2009