Tiawan Gongloe, one of Liberia's leading human rights lawyers, is being honored as the Human Rights Watch Monitor Award winner for 2003. He will deliver a lecture at UCLA.

Monday, November 17, 2003
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Room 1447
UCLA School of Law Bldg.
Los Angeles, CA 90095

Tiawan Gongloe is one of Liberia's leading human rights lawyers.  A steady voice calling for the respect for the rule of law and human rights, he has exhibited incredible courage and strength over the ten years that he has worked closely with Human Rights Watch.  Political detainees, independent journalists, human rights activists and victims of abuse have relied on Mr. Gongloe to step forward to defend their rights in the courtroom or demand their release.  Outside the courtroom, Mr. Gongloe is a well-known voice in Liberia, regularly commenting in the media or at meetings on human rights issues.  Liberia's former president, Charles Taylor, tried to silence independent voices to stem criticism of abuses by his government and his security forces.  Increasingly under attack and subject to mistreatment and violence, numerous journalists and human rights activists fled for their lives.  But Mr. Gongloe stayed, indefatigably coming to the defense of persecuted colleagues.   In April 2002, Mr. Gongloe was arrested without charge and detained overnight in police custody.  By the following morning, he had been brutalized so severely that he was unable to stand.  Following pressure from local and international groups, the government did transfer Mr. Gongloe to a hospital.  Fearing that he would be rearrested and tortured again upon his release from the hospital, Human Rights Watch helped organize for Mr. Gongloe and his family to leave Liberia.  He currently lives in Philadelphia, where he is still recuperating. 

The event is free; parking is available in lot 2 for $7.

Cost : Free and open to the public

www.international.ucla.edu/jscasc

Sponsor(s): African Studies Center, Fulbright Enrichment Program, UCLA Law