Winner of the Weimar Human Rights Prize honored with human rights prize in Ireland

Today, Biram Dah Abeid – a Mauritanian human rights activist and awardee of the Weimar Human Rights Prize 2011 – was honored in Dublin with Ireland's most important human rights award. The globally renowned Irish human rights organization "Front Line" honors his commitment towards putting an end to slavery in the North West African country. "One year after he was arrested for a spectacular campaign against the ongoing slavery, this award is an important acknowledgment of Biram Dah Abeid's uncompromising struggle for human rights in his country," said Ulrich Delius, Africa expert of the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP), in Göttingen on Friday. 

Abolitionist from Mauritania awarded in Dublin

The "Front Line Award for Human Rights Defenders" was presented in Ireland's capital city, Dublin, in the presence of the president of the state. The winner was chosen from more than a hundred human rights activists from all over the world. The STP had supported the candidacy of Biram Dah Abeid.

"This is a huge success for Biram and for anyone who is fighting to ban slavery," said Delius. "Not only will the award help to make the fate of the 500,000 people living in slavery known all over the world – it also means more safety for Biram."

In Mauritania, the human rights activist has received several death threats. The Mauritanian government had him arrested and put him to trial following a spectacular campaign at the end of April 2012, during which religious texts were burned. However, Biram Dah Abeid, was released without conviction in September 2012, because of the massive local and international protests. His campaign was meant to accuse Muslim clerics of justifying slavery.