Per Anger Prize to Abdullah al-Khateeb, Syria

In July, he was shot in an assassination attempt but survived. Now he receives the Swedish government award. The 2016 Per Anger Prize is awarded to 27-year-old Syrian-Palestinian human rights activist Abdullah al-Khateeb for his courageous fight for human rights in Syria.

On behalf of the government, The Living History Forum awards the Per Anger Prize annually to a person who, with great courage and initiative without his own gain, has made democracy-promoting and humanitarian efforts.

The 2016 Per Anger Prize is awarded to 27-year-old Syrian-Palestinian human rights activist Abdullah al-Khateeb for his courageous fight for human rights in Syria. In the midst of an ongoing war zone, and in the purgatory between warring parties, he documents abuse, mediates between different groups and advocates for the most vulnerable. With his life at stake, he works in the spirit of Per Anger.

“I’m not even sure if I will live in five or ten years. But I am confident that I will continue to work for what I believe in and use all the non-violent methods that are in my power”, says Abdullah al-Khateeb.

Since the uprising against the dictatorship in Syria began in 2011, Abdullah al-Khateeb has been a strong voice for the peaceful protests for democracy and human rights. Abdullah has worked on several different educational projects on international law, human rights and democracy. Because of this, he lives under constant threat and lives hidden in Syria today. He has escaped two kidnapping attempts, he has been shot in an assassination attempt against him, his father is imprisoned due to his son’s activism, and his brothers have been forced to flee to Europe. Abdullah al-Khateeb is also one of the founders of the Palestinian League for Human Rights – Syria, a network that monitors and documents the situation of Palestinian refugees in Syria with the aim of promoting the rights of stateless Palestinians.

The Per Anger Prize will be awarded at a prize ceremony on Thursday, October 20, at 13.30, at Södra Latins gymnasium in Stockholm. Giving the prize is Alice Bah Kuhnke, Minister of Culture and Democracy.

Also attending the award ceremony is Salim Salamah from the Palestinian League for Human Rights – Syria, a colleague and childhood friend the winner. Salim Salamah lives in exile in Malmö and will be available for interviews in Stockholm on 18 October.

For more information, contact press contact Karin Schöllin at karin.schollin@smallworld.se or +46730 44 98 53. More information about the Per Anger Prize at levandehistoria.se/peranger.

Nine internationally recognised NGOs with a wide network of contacts have participated in the nomination work: Amnesty, The Africa Groups, Diakonia, Civil Rights Defenders, United Nations Association of Sweden, the Swedish Department of the International Commission of Jurists, Reporters Without Borders, the Church of Sweden and the Swedish PEN.