Online Desk: The US Department of State has named Bangladesh rights activist Mohammad Nur Khan as one of the 10 winners of its annual Global Human Rights Defenders award. The State Department of State made the announcement yesterday. In a statement, the State Department said over the past three decades, Nur Khan led two of Bangladesh’s best-known domestic rights organizations and partnered with international organizations to document human rights abuses and promote accountability in Bangladesh.

“His timely interventions, advocacy on behalf of families of victims of enforced disappearances, and leadership amongst the country’s active civil society networks, have saved lives and cleared innocent victims of politically motivated charges,” it said. It said protecting and supporting human rights defenders remains a key US foreign policy priority as they are integral to democracy, access to justice, a vibrant civil society, economic prosperity, and environmental sustainability.

Nine others from different countries were also given the award. They are: Elaize de Souza Farias – Brazil, Chhim Sithar – Cambodia, Nino Lomjaria and Team – Georgia, Rosa Melania Reyes Velásquez – Honduras, Nasrin Sotoudeh – Iran, The legal team of the Badinan detainees, led by Bashdar Hassan – Iraq, Mohamed Ely El Her – Mauritania, Ding Jiaxi – People’s Republic of China, Ekoue David Joseph Dosseh – Togo. “As we celebrate both the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 25th Anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, we are pleased to honor this cohort of Awardees,” the state department said.