Video: Human Rights Heroes from the Czech Republic, Iran, China, and Venezuela

NEW YORK (June 19, 2009)— The Oslo Freedom Forum brought together some of the world’s leading minds to honor heroic survivors of political oppression and persecution this May 18-20 in Norway. The conference showcased the testimonies and noble purpose of these men and women who risked their lives for freedom.

Václav Havel, former Czech president: “Dictatorial regimes and their behavior are a phenomenon that must be confronted constantly... It is very important to explain and stress over and over again that people fighting for human rights are not doing this just for themselves, but they are opposing the humiliation of individuals wherever they may be.”

Ladan Boroumand, Iranian rights activist: “Truth is the indispensible path to reform. In its mirror, we can find out where we have gone astray and ponder the nature of the evil perpetrated by our persecutors, helped by our silence or our indifference... To remedy the irremediable, we should first make amends ourselves, take responsibility, break the silence.”

Jung Chang, Chinese-born British novelist: “For much of the century, the world was full of unashamed Holocaust deniers, apologists for Communism, and Mao worshippers. Then, personal experiences like those of our speakers became widely read, and entered the consciousness of the general public. No amount of impersonal history lessons or dry political analyses can produce that impact, the impact of touching people's hearts, opening their eyes, and stirring their minds.”

Leopoldo López, Venezuelan politician: “We are guided by the truth and the hope of overcoming poverty in peace and democracy. We will contrast our proposal with a government that talks about poverty but has done nothing to overcome poverty, a government that uses the poor in order to put together an authoritarian regime to bring about class conflict and confrontation in all aspects of Venezuelan life.”

HRF is an international nonpartisan organization devoted to defending human rights in the Americas. It centers its work on the twin concepts of freedom of self-determination and freedom from tyranny. These ideals include the belief that all human beings have the rights to speak freely, to associate with those of like mind, and to leave and enter their countries. Individuals in a free society must be accorded equal treatment and due process under law, and must have the opportunity to participate in the governments of their countries; HRF’s ideals likewise find expression in the conviction that all human beings have the right to be free from arbitrary detainment or exile and from interference and coercion in matters of conscience. HRF does not support nor condone violence. HRF’s International Council includes former prisoners of conscience Vladimir Bukovsky, Palden Gyatso, Armando Valladares, Ramón J. Velásquez, Elie Wiesel, and Harry Wu.

Contact: Alex Gladstein, Human Rights Foundation, (212) 246.8486, info@thehrf.org