Advocacy statements

“Be strong!”: Ales Bialiatski stands with Nasrin Sotoudeh after her arrest by Iran

Belarusian Laureate Ales Bialiatski has spoken out in support of fellow Laureate Nasrin Sotoudeh, detained by Iranian authorities earlier this month. His message was direct: the international civil society stands with her and the Iranian people. The statement carries particular weight as Bialiatski himself was released from a Belarusian prison just months ago. “Dear Nasrin,…
Twenty Laureates to discuss the future of education at the 2026 Right Livelihood International Conference

Opening on Monday, April 13, the 2026 Right Livelihood International Conference is bringing together a global community for four weeks of free and open sessions exploring how education can strengthen democracy, collective intelligence, and just futures. Running until May 15, the Conference features Right Livelihood Laureates, students, faculty, and community partners across continents. It combines…
Nasrin Sotoudeh arrested in Iran: Call for immediate release

We, together with Kennedy Human Rights, PEN America, the Feminist Majority Foundation, Ms. Magazine, and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, call for the immediate release of renowned Iranian human rights attorney and women’s rights advocate, Nasrin Sotoudeh. Last night, Iranian authorities arrested Nasrin in her home, confiscated her electronic devices, and took her…
When documentaries give a voice to those who are silenced

The 24thedition of the Geneva International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights (FIFDH) took place in Geneva from 6-15 March 2026. The Right Livelihood team attended several screenings and debates and shared the experience in this text. By Ellynn Del Perugia, Administrative Officer Each year, the FIFDH offers the opportunity to watch documentaries and…
Human rights defenders in exile call for stronger protection systems

Many of the rights people enjoy today exist because human rights defenders have challenged abuses of power, often at great personal risk. Yet the space for that work is shrinking. According to the CIVICUS Monitor, only 3 per cent of the world’s population lives in countries where civic space is fully open, while more than…
Women Laureate Hub holds retreat in Istanbul to strengthen connection and peer learning

Members of Right Livelihood’s Women Laureate Hub kicked off 2026 with a retreat in Istanbul designed to create space for connection and reflection. Inspired by the Women Health Project led by the 2003 Laureate SEKEM, the January gathering was shaped as a collective pause, centred on storytelling, embodied practices and small-group conversations. A core highlight…
Backed by 18 fellow Right Livelihood Laureates, Vladimir Slivyak urges European Court to hear Russian Climate Case

2021 Right Livelihood Laureate Vladimir Slivyak is sending a letter to the European Court of Human Rights calling on the Court not to ignore the Russian Climate Case and to ensure it is heard. Filed on 31 August 2023, Ecodefense, Moscow Helsinki Group and Others v. Russia (No. 9296/24) challenges Russia’s climate policies and the…
Right Livelihood welcomes release of Laureate Ales Bialiatski and demands freedom for all activists

Update on December 15, 2025: Despite initial reports of his release, Viasna member Valiantsin Stefanovich remains behind bars. We call for his immediate release along with fellow Viasna member Marfa Rabkova and many other political prisoners in Belarus. STOCKHOLM – Right Livelihood welcomes the release of 2020 Right Livelihood Laureate Ales Bialiatski and two of his…
Exoneration for the Ogoni 9 and accountability for the oil companies: a call 30 years after Ken Saro-Wiwa’s execution in Nigeria

STOCKHOLM – Today, November 10, marks 30 years since the execution of writer, environmentalist and Right Livelihood Laureate Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni leaders fighting the devastation of Ogoniland by large-scale oil extraction. Exoneration of the Ogoni 9 and accountability for oil companies are among the demands of fellow Nigerian environmentalist and Laureate Nnimmo…
Environmental justice leader Nnimmo Bassey joins Right Livelihood’s Board

Environmental justice leader and 2010 Right Livelihood Laureate Nnimmo Bassey has joined Right Livelihood’s Board as of October 1, 2025, for a four-year term. “Joining the Board is a humbling experience that places a huge responsibility on me, given the scope of what Right Livelihood does and stands for,” Bassey said. “The Foundation not only honours Laureates each…