Leila Yunus Won the Theodore Hacker

The well-known human rights activist, director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy Leila Yunus was awarded the international prize named Theodore Hacker, Turan was told in the press service of the IPD.

As stated in the letter of congratulations from Germany, "Ms. Yunus will be awarded for participation in the fight against corruption, lawlessness and human rights violations, for courageous contribution to the defense of political prisoners, as well as acting as head of the Institute for Peace and Democracy at risk to their own safety." 

Theodore Hacker was one of the most famous representatives of the Catholic existentialism and one of the most radical critics of the Third Reich. He is considered one the most important Catholic writers of the period between the two world wars.

City of Esslingen am Neckar established the memory of Theodore Hacker Award on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his death in 1995.

The prize is awarded every two years to people who have shown courage and valor in defending freedom, democracy, peace and the ideals of humanism. The first winner in 1995 was the Russian human rights activist Sergey Kovalev. Among the award winners are Professor of Egypt Dr.Jehan Sabat (1997), leader of the opposition in Belarus Victor Gonchar (2000), a lawyer from Turkey Eren Keskin 2005, a human rights activist from Mexico Judith Galarza (2007) , a human rights activist from Iran Shiva Nazar Ahari 2011).-02D-