RFK LAUREATE, AMINATOU HAIDAR, RECEIVES 2009 CIVIL COURAGE PRIZE TODAY IN NYC

WASHINGTON–The RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights today congratulated Aminatou Haidar, Chairwoman of CODESA, the Collective of Sahrawi Human Rights Defenders, for receiving the 2009 Civil Courage Prize. According to an announcement from the Train Foundation, which awards the Civil Courage Prize annually, Ms. Haidar is being recognized “for her courageous campaign for self-determination of Western Sahara from its occupation by Morocco and against forced disappearances and abuses of prisoners of conscience.”

“This tremendous honor not only shines a light on Aminatou’s selfless defense of human rights for the Sahrawi people, but serves as a call to action to the international community to actively engage in Western Sahara and demand an end to the abuse, harassment and violence that human rights defenders like Aminatou face on the frontlines of their nonviolent campaign for human rights,” said Monika Kalra Varma, Director Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights.

The 2009 Civil Courage Prize Award Ceremony will be held at the Harold Pratt House, 58 E. 68th St. in New York City, on October 20 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

For further information about the Civil Courage Prize, please visit: http://www.civilcourageprize.org.
Regularly referred to as the "Sahrawi Gandhi," Ms. Haidar is one of Western Sahara's most prominent human rights defenders. In 2008, she was awarded with the RFK Human Rights Award and has since partnered with RFK Center to promote the human rights of the Sahrawi people.

Source: RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights www.rfkcenter.org

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