Mr. Speaker, Rights & Democracy presents the John Humphrey Freedom Award each year to an organization or individual from any country or region of the world, including Canada, for exceptional achievement in the promotion of human rights and democratic development.
This year's recipient of the award is Akbar Ganji, the celebrated Iranian journalist and dissident. Mr. Ganji, a staunch defender of human rights, is an inspiration and source of hope to his fellow Iranians. Mr. Ganji spent six years in prison for exposing rights abuses committed by the Iranian government. Throughout his detention, he continued to write, producing a series of influential political manifestos and open letters calling for the establishment of democracy.
My Bloc Québécois colleagues and I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to this strong advocate of human rights.