Armel Niyongere, Dieudonné Bashirahishize, Vital Nshimirimana and Lambert Nigarura are four lawyers, human rights defenders and activists from Burundi. They are prominent and well-respected figures within Burundian civil society and their local communities.

They publicly denounced and condemned the use of violence by the Government of Burundi, including following citizens’ protests in 2015, when the former Burundian President, Pierre Nkurunziza, sought a third term in violation of the country’s Constitution.

Armel Niyongere, Dieudonné Bashirahishize, Vital Nshimirimana and Lambert Nigarura are Burundian human rights lawyers.

They worked to document serious human rights violations and support victims seeking justice. In 2016, they engaged with the UN Committee against Torture during its review of Burundi, providing information about the human rights situation in the country.

Their cooperation with the United Nations came at a heavy cost.

Basma is an Egyptian journalist and human rights defender. For years, Basma used investigative journalism to expose serious human rights violations in Egypt. Her reporting came at a high personal cost.

After being detained and targeted by Egyptian authorities because of her work, she left Egypt in 2020 with her two daughters in search of safety.

But leaving her country did not end her commitment to justice. From exile, Basma continued to document human rights violations and engage with international human rights mechanisms, including the United Nations.

Anna is a Hong Kong democracy advocate and human rights defender living in exile.

Through her work at the Hong Kong Democracy Council (HKDC), Anna has worked to advance human rights, fundamental freedoms, and democratic participation for the people of Hong Kong. From abroad, she engaged with governments, civil society, and the United Nations to raise concerns about the impact of national security legislations on civil society.

Leaving Hong Kong did not end her commitment to her community. Instead, Anna continued her advocacy internationally, including through engagement with UN human rights mechanisms.