Three perspectives on freedom of expression in times of conflict

The Geneva Human Rights Talks are an event format created by students for Human Rights Week in 2019. They are short interviews conducted by members of student associations actively involved in the Week. Each of them discusses with a personality who has contributed in one way or another to the struggle for the respect of human rights. The public is also invited to contribute live to these interviews.

This year, the issue of freedom of expression will be addressed from the point of view of three personalities who have witnessed or been confronted with violations of freedom of expression: Boris Mabillard, journalist and war reporter; Mona Seif, Egyptian human rights defender and winner of the Martin Ennals Award; Ramy Shaat, Palestinian-Egyptian political activist. Three interviews conducted by members of three associations: the Association des Étudiants en Sciences Politiques et Relations Internationales (AESPRI), Amnesty International UNIGE and Foraus.

Boris Mabillard is a war reporter. He is the head of the international section and a senior reporter for Le Temps. For many years, he has covered the tensions and conflicts in the Middle East, including the war in Syria. Today he is in Ukraine where he relays information on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict for Le Temps. He will honor us with his presence at the Geneva Human Right Talks for a discussion on freedom of expression during the conflicts he has covered.

Mona Seif is an Egyptian-British human rights defender who gained international attention in 2011 when she actively documented and used social media to raise awareness of the developments at Tahrir Square, including the protest that eventually brought down the Mubarak regime. During this period, she experienced detention and torture due to her activism. Short after, Mona Seif co-founded the No To Military Trials for Civilians Group, a grassroots initiative advocating for the end military trials for civilians. In 2013, Mona Seif was selected as one of the three Finalists of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders. Ever since she is an active voice in Egypt against police brutality and torture.

Ramy Shaat is a Palestinian-Egyptian political activist, who fought for decades in the Egyptian and Palestinian political scenes for human rights causes. A leading figure of the 2011 Egyptian revolution, both in demonstrations and in organized political activity. Founder and coordinator of the boycott, divestment and sanctions BDS movement in Egypt. Arrested by the Egyptian authorities in 2019, he spent over two and a half years in prison without charges. He was Freed in 2022 after an international campaign led by his wife Celine.