The William D. Zabel Human Rights Award

Named after long-time human rights champion and Emeritus Chair of the Board of Directors, William D. Zabel, this award honors courageous activists and organizations on the frontlines of the struggle for freedom and dignity. Each year, we honor leaders and organizations that have distinguished themselves for their work advancing rights, justice, and equality for those suffering persecution and violations of their rights.

This year we will honor Gwara Media. An independent digital outlet based in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Gwara Media has been at the forefront of countering Russian disinformation and propaganda, particularly during and after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. They have played a crucial role in fact-checking and verifying information, providing a vital public service to protect the truth amid the information war.

Past recipients of the award include:

Grupa Granica (Poland); Karapatan (The Philippines); ALQST for Human Rights (Saudi Arabia); Miroslava Cerpas Hernandez of CIPRODEH (Honduras); Marta Pardavi (Hungary); Friar Tomás González (Mexico); Khaleel Aldakhi and Ameena Saeed Hasan (Iraq); Dr. Denis Mukwege (Congo); Ludmilla Alexeeva (Russia); Saad Eddin Ibrahim (Egypt); Asma Jahangir and Hina Jilani (Pakistan) and Albie Sachs (South Africa).