Photo: Hans Jørgen Brun
Laureate 1999

Gennady Grushevoy

Protecting the victims of the Chernobyl disaster

Gennady Grushevoy (1950-2014) was awarded the 1999 Rafto Prize for his many years of courageous work for democracy and human rights in Belarus. In the country most severely hit by the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, Grushevoy has focused on environmental issues by emphasizing the victims' human rights.

Gennady Grushevoy was a professor of philosophy at the Belarusian State University from 1973. In 1988 Grushevoy began to participate actively in the democratic opposition movement, the Belarusian Popular Front (BFP). In 1989 he was arrested for organising various political actions and protest demonstrations after the Chernobyl catastrophe in Belarus.

In 1989, he created a non-governmental charitable fund dedicated to helping Belarussian children affected by Chernobyl catastrophe. The Fund was officially registered in 1990 as a non-profit, non-governmental Belarussian Charitable Fund «For the Children of Chernobyl». After the Chernobyl catastrophe, Belarus faced many problems which mainly affected the younger generation. Grushevoy has especially focused on environmental issues. The organisation promotes civil movement initiatives within Belarus and works on a variety of humanitarian programmes.

During the 1990s Grushevoy initiated the creation of numerous public, political, social-political organisations in Belarus. In 1996 he was elected to the Parliament, but as one of the leaders of the democratic opposition, he was not registered as a deputy and was not included by President Lukashenka in the House of Representatives.

Other laureates

Ecrf Square
Laureate 2020

ECRF

Bravely resisting Egypt´s state of fear

Laureate 2019 Rouba Mhaissen
Laureate 2019

Rouba Mhaissen

Defending the human rights of people living as refugees

Facebook Adam
Laureate 2018

Ombudsman Adam Bodnar

Defending minorities rights and judicial independence

Ahangar Og Parvez Raftoprize 2017 Hjb
Laureate 2017

Parveena Ahangar & Parvez Imroz

Decades of campaigning for human rights in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir

Hjb Rafto Yanar Mohammed Web
Laureate 2016

Yanar Mohammed

Defender of women's rights in war-torn Iraq

Padre-Melo-2
Laureate 2015

Padre Melo

A fearless voice in a violent country

Pavel Chikov
Laureate 2014

Agora - Pavel Chikov

Defender of the rule of law in Russia

BCHR-Hans-Jørgen-Brun
Laureate 2013

Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR)

The inconvenient demand for human rights in the Gulf

2012 Nnimmo Bassey © Hans Jørgen Brun
Laureate 2012

Nnimmo Bassey

Defender of victims of climate change

2011-Frank-Mugisha-SMUG-©Hans-Jørgen-Brun
Laureate 2011

Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG)

Defender of LGBTI rights

Raul-Lopez
Laureate 2010

José Raúl Vera López

Defender of the vulnerable and the rejected

malahat nasibova
Laureate 2009

Malahat Nasibova

The brave voice of Nakhchivan

bulambo lembelembe josue
Laureate 2008

Bulambo Lembelembe Josué

Bringing hope for the victims of war

ncdhr dalit
Laureate 2007

National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights

Defenders of the downtrodden

Thich Quang Do Photo Ibib Kuttet
Laureate 2006

Thích Quảng Độ

Peaceful oppositon against the communist regime

lidia yusupova chechnya
Laureate 2005

Lidia Yusupova

Defender of the forgotten victims of the war in Chechnya

Rebiya Kadeer
Laureate 2004

Rebiya Kadeer

Defender of the repressed Uyghurs

Paulos Tesfagiorgis
Laureate 2003

Paulos Tesfagiorgis

Lifelong work for democracy in Eritrea

sidi mohammed daddach
Laureate 2002

Sidi Mohammed Daddach

The Sahrawi people's struggle for self determination

Shirin Ebadi
Laureate 2001

Shirin Ebadi

Rights for women and children under the Islamic regime

Kim-Dae-Jung
Laureate 2000

Kim Dae-jung

Giving hope of re-conciliation with North Korea

ECPAT logo
Laureate 1998

ECPAT

Committed to ending commercial sexual exploitation of children

Ian Hancock
Laureate 1997

Ian Hancock

Advocate for the rights and dignity of the Romani

1996 palermo anno uno logo 166x221
Laureate 1996

Palermo Anno Uno

Standing up against the Mafia and organized crime

1995 soldiers mothers logo 166x221
Laureate 1995

Committee of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia

Working for peace on behalf of those forced to wage war

1994-leyla zana
Laureate 1994

Leyla Zana

Peaceful struggle for the human rights of the Kurdish people

jose-ramos-horta
Laureate 1993

José Ramos-Horta

Promoting independence for the people of East Timor

1992-Preah-Maha-Ghosananda
Laureate 1992

Preah Maha Ghosananda

Leading role in reconciling a country torn by war

Jelena-Bonner-2004-Svart-hvitt
Laureate 1991

Yelena Bonner

Lifelong work for political and religious freedom in the Soviet Union

aung san suu kyi
Laureate 1990

Aung San Suu Kyi

Leading the struggle for democracy in Burma

doina-cornea
Laureate 1989

Doina Cornea

Writing for freedom in a communist dictatorship

peter molnar
Laureate 1989

FIDESZ - Péter Molnár

Founders of a democratic Hungary

trivimi velliste estonia-2
Laureate 1988

Trivimi Velliste

Reviving the past to liberate the future

Jiri-Hajek
Laureate 1987

Jiří Hájek

Foreign Affairs Minister of the Prague Spring and brave spokesperson for civil rights