The Heroes
Yasmine El Baramawy
Egypt: It’s a crime if I don’t speak
On the 23. of November 2012, the musician and music composer, Yasmine El Baramawy went to demonstrate on the Tahrir square in Cairo. It was a huge rally against the new constitution made by the then president Mohamed Mursi.
Little did she know, that this demonstration should become a nightmare for the young woman.
For 70-90 minutes Yasmine was sexually abused by dozens of men.
Two months later and after a new series of sexually motivated attacks on Tahrir Square, Yasmine El Baramawy decided to speak out.
As the first woman in Egypt, Yasmine went public – with name and face – and told her story on a national TV channel. And she and a group of woman have raised a case at the constitutional court In Egypt where they demand, that sexual harassment must become part of the penal code.
She never got a reply
Jose Ruben Zamora
Guatemala: The land of terror
Editor in chief, Jose Ruben Zamora owns the newspaper El Periodico in Guatemala. The media exposes cocaine cartels and the country’s political corruption. He is threatened on his life and has been kidnapped. He had to send his three sons in exile in the United States.
But Jose Ruben Zamora refuses to remain silent
Ales Bialiatski
Belarus: Europe’s last dictatorship
Human rights activist, Ales Bialiatski was recently released from jail after a 1,050 days long prison sentence in Belarus.
He was imprisoned because he criticized the regime and the regime does not allow any opposition.
However, he continues his struggle for freedom of expression and democracy in sit homeland.
Rizwana Hasan
Bangladesh : A country of injustice
The lawyer Rizwana Hasan fights for the poor and voiceless people in Bangladesh. She is threatened on her life and her husband was kidnapped because she helps shipbreaking workers and poisoned workers in the leather industry.
Still, she continues her struggle for justice in Bangladesh.
Brankica Stankovic
Serbia: The fight for truth
Brankica Stankovic is the editor and journalist on one of the most well-known documentary programs, the “Insider” on the TV-station B92
For five years she has been under constant police protection because she does her job as a critical investigative journalist. She refuses to bow to threats from assassins, ultra-nationalists, neo-Nazis and criminal networks based in hooligan movements.
Brankica Stankovic and her colleagues have also investigated the mafia in the construction industry, dubious real estate and money laundering in overseas tax havens.
Since 2009, when the program “Insider”, brought several programs about how hooligans from the ultra-nationalist football clubs Partizan and Red Star also had numerous convictions for assault, vandalism, extortion and murder,
Brankica Stankovic have been protected by special forces from the Serbian anti-terrorist corps.
Around the clock, there are heavily armed police around her and her young daughter, Sara.
Bheki Dlamini
Swaziland: The last absolute monarchy
Bheki Dlamini is a young, political activist from the tiny African country, Swaziland. He spend almost 4 years imprisonment for something that he didn’t do. Shortly after his release he had to flee his country.
Because the King of Swaziland have decided that wearing a T-shirt – demanding democracy and political reforms – is an act of terrorism.
Bheki is just one out of many others that are harassed, tortured and jailed. Editors, lawyers and political opponents to the absolute monarch, King Mswati III are jailed for years without being trialled at a court.
