Imprisoned Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, civil rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson from the United States, indigenous and environmental activist Lottie Cunningham Wren from Nicaragua and Belarusian democracy activist Ales Bialiatski with the human rights organization Viasna receive the 2020 Right Livelihood Award.
- This year's laureates are united in their fight for equality, democracy, justice and freedom, says Ole von Uexkull, head of the Right Livelihood Foundation.
Nasrin Sotoudeh has defended several activists arrested in connection with the government-critical protests in Iran in 2009. She has been imprisoned several times since 2010 and was sentenced in 2019 to 38 years in prison and 148 lashes for "corruption and prostitution".
Works with minorities
American Bryan Stevenson has dedicated his life to challenging the United States' history of racism, writes Right Livelihood on his site.
He has founded the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) which represents people sentenced to death.
The work has so far led to the release or mitigation of punishment for more than 140 people wrongly sentenced to death.
Lottie Cunningham Wren from Nicaragua works to strengthen the rights of indigenous peoples and people with roots in Africa and for better protection against armed settlers.
"By using a combination of international and national law, Cunningham has secured land rights for Nicaragua's indigenous peoples," writes Right Livelihood.
Digital award ceremony
Belarusian Ales Bialiatski founded the human rights organization Viasna based in Minsk in 1996.
The organization was started to provide support to political prisoners and has documented human rights violations and helped monitor elections.
The formal award ceremony will take place digitally on 3 December.