U Gambira was the winner of the Bindmans Law and Campaigning Award in 2008. The award was accepted on his behalf by U Uttara (pictured above), the highest ranking Burmese monk in the UK.
Award Recipients Announced for Index on Censorship
Freedom of Expression Awards 2009
The winners of the 2009 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards were announced on 21st April 2009 at a ceremony at Kings Place, London. The Awards honour those battling censorship, or those bringing to light stories that would otherwise be forgotten. Index is Britain’s leading organisation promoting freedom of expression.
The ceremony was hosted by Index on Censorship Chair Jonathan Dimbleby, with Sir David Hare making a keynote speech (please click here to read an edited extract of the speech), honouring those who had made a contribution to free expression in five categories: books, films, journalism, new media and law and campaigning.
Bindmans LLP was delighted to continue its support of Index on Censorship (Index) at this year’s annual Freedom of Expression Awards through the sponsorship of the Bindmans Law and Campaigning Award. The recipient for this Award for 2009 was the highly deserving Malik Imtiaz Sarwar from Malaysia.
Malik Imtiaz Sarwar is a leading human rights lawyer and activist and the current president of the National Human Rights Society (HAKAM). Imtiaz has been a central figure in fighting lawsuits brought against journalists and bloggers, and was the lead counsel for Raja Petra Kamaruddin, popular blogger and editor of Malaysia Today, whose release he secured last year. In August 2006, a poster declaring him to be a traitor to Islam and calling for his death was circulated in Malaysia. He has proposed setting up an inter-faith council, and spoken in a series of public forums on the need for religious freedom.
The Bindmans Law and Campaigning Award aims to recognise lawyers and campaigners who have fought repression or who have struggled to change political climates and perceptions, especially those who have used or established legal means to fight injustice in the field of freedom of expression. It is a subject particularly close to Bindmans with our 35 year history of promoting civil liberties and defending human rights.
The recipients of the other Freedom of Expression Award categories for 2009 were:
- The Guardian Journalism Award: The Sunday Leader – Sri Lanka
- The Economist New Media Award: Psiphon
- The TR Fyvel Book Award: Beijing Coma: Ma Jian
- The Index on Censorship Film Award: The Devil Came on Horseback
2009 Shortlist
To view the shortlist for the 2009 Freedom of Expression Awards, please click below:
Previous Winners of the Bindmans Law and Campaigning Award
2008 - U Gambira was the winner of the Bindmans Law and Campaigning Award in 2008. The award was accepted on his behalf by U Uttara (pictured above), the highest ranking Burmese monk in the UK. U Gambira is the pseudonym of the leader of the All-Burma Monks Alliance, which organised and spearheaded the nationwide protests that took place in Burma last year, and the Award honours Burma’s struggle against the ruling junta.
2007 - The winner of the Bindmans Law and Campaigning Award in 2007 was Siphiwe Hlophe from Swaziland who, with huge courage and determination in the face of Government denial and her own HIV status, co-founded and runs an organisation called 'Swazis for Positive Living' which aims to fight gender discrimination related to HIV/Aids and help other HIV/Aids victims.