PRESS RELEASE

London, the 9th of December 2025

JUSTICE WALL 2025 IN LONDON: A CALL FOR FREEDOM, ACCOUNTABILITY AND PROOF OF LIFE 

Human Rights Solidarity Announces Justice Wall 2025 with Edelstam Foundation, Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights (RWCHR), Global Liberty Alliance, Hostage Aid Worldwide, and Eritrea Focus, Joining in Support: Urgent Spotlight on Global Human Rights Abuses, Featuring Cases of Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali, Mr. Dawit Isaak, and Gui Minhai. 

London, UK – December 9, 2025 – Human Rights Solidarity (HRS), a UK-based human rights organization, is set to unveil its annual “Justice Wall” installation on International Human Rights Day, Wednesday, December 10, 2025. The 10-meter-long canvas wall will stand prominently on Whitehall, directly opposite 10 Downing Street, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., serving as a powerful public art initiative to highlight ongoing human rights violations worldwide. HRS is thrilled to announce that the Edelstam Foundation, the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights (RWCHR), Global Liberty Alliance, Eritrea Focus and Hostage Aid Worldwide are joining in support of this year’s event, amplifying the call for justice through their expertise and shared advocacy.

This year’s Justice Wall builds on the success of previous events, including last year’s installation at the same iconic location, an unveiling at The Guardian Headquarters in May 2025, and an earlier appearance at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg in October 2024. It also draws from the partners’ shared history of joint advocacy, such as recent statements calling for the release of Dawit Isaak and supporting his family’s demands for proof of life and immediate action. The upper section of the wall will feature original artwork by an independent artist, depicting emblematic individuals and symbolic themes that represent widespread injustices. Each illustration symbolizes not just personal stories but the suffering of thousands or even hundreds of thousands facing similar violations. The lower section will remain blank, inviting passers-by to write their own messages of solidarity, justice, and hope, transforming the installation into a collective call for change.

Among the featured cases are those of Swedish-Iranian academic Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali Swedish-Eritrean journalist Mr. Dawit Isaak, and Swedish-Chinese publisher Mr. Gui Minhai, whose names and stories will be prominently illustrated on the wall to draw urgent attention to their plights.

Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali, a disaster medicine expert and researcher affiliated with Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, has been detained in Iran since 2016 on espionage charges widely regarded as fabricated. Sentenced to death in 2017, he has endured enforced disappearance, torture, and repeated threats of execution. Recent updates indicate he was moved from Evin Prison three months ago, with his first contact with family occurring only recently, confirming his return to Evin after stints in other facilities, including a military detention center and an unknown apartment. He continues to endure extreme physical and emotional stress, and reports indicate that his health remains critical. Swedish Foreign Minister, Maria Malmer Stenergard, has advocated for his release, but Dr. Djalali remains at imminent risk, symbolizing the broader persecution of academics and dual nationals in Iran.

Mr. Dawit Isaak, now 61, was arrested in Eritrea in 2001 at age 36 during a crackdown on independent journalism. He has been held incommunicado for over 24 years without charge, trial, or access to family, legal counsel, or consular assistance making him one of the world’s longest-imprisoned journalists. Eritrean authorities detained Isaak alongside nine colleagues in a brutal suppression of free speech following the “G15 purge.” Despite repeated demands from Sweden – including a recent meeting between Foreign Minister Stenergard and her Eritrean counterpart calling for his humanitarian release and for consular access – there has been no compliance, and more than two months have passed without any result. Mr. Isaak’s daughters, Betlehem and Danait, have publicly urged decisive action, with Betlehem stating, “If my father is alive, he must be rescued now.” International efforts, including sanctions filings against Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki by organizations like RWCHR, underscore the regime’s crimes against humanity.

Mr. Gui Minhai, a Swedish-Chinese publisher and co-founder of the Hong Kong–based publishing house Mighty Current Media, was abducted by Chinese intelligence agents in Thailand in 2015 and later forced to deliver a televised confession under duress. Despite a brief, highly restricted release in 2018, Gui was re-detained by Chinese authorities and in 2020 sentenced to ten years in prison following a secret trial that violated all international due-process standards. His location and health remain unknown, raising grave concerns about his wellbeing. Swedish officials have repeatedly pressed for consular access, but China has refused all requests. During Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard’s October 2025 visit to China – coinciding with the 10th anniversary of Gui’s detention – Beijing again denied access.

The Justice Wall will also showcase other international cases, such as Hong Kong media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai, Georgian opposition leader Nika Gvaramia, Tanzanian politician Tundu Lissu, and Belarusian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski. Additional representations from Türkiye include pregnant women detained under harsh conditions, elderly and ill prisoners, and journalists facing long-term imprisonment, alongside symbolic themes like social media restrictions, non-implementation of European Court of Human Rights judgments, torture allegations, and enforced disappearances.

“Human Rights Day is a reminder that dignity and freedom are universal, yet millions suffer in silence,” said Burak Batuhan Karakus, Executive Director of HRS. “With the Edelstam Foundation, RWCHR, Global Liberty Alliance, Eritrea Focus and Hostage Aid Worldwide joining us in support, we strengthen our message and demand accountability for cases like Ahmadreza Djalali, Dawit Isaak, and Gui Minhai. This installation opposite Downing Street is a platform for global solidarity and action.”

The Edelstam Foundation, the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights (RWCHR), Global Liberty Alliance, Eritrea Focus, and Hostage Aid Worldwide issue the following joint statement:

“We stand with HRS in this important initiative. Cases like Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali, Mr. Dawit Isaak, and Mr. Gui Minhai highlight the urgent need to combat hostage diplomacy, enforced disappearances, and wrongful detentions worldwide – we must act now to bring them home. The recent release of long-term prisoners in Eritrea underscores the need for decisive action, as there is a real possibility that Dawit and other opposition figures detained in 2001 could still be alive. We call upon the Swedish and international community, as well as all human rights advocates, to urgently intensify their efforts by demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Dawit Isaak and his journalist colleagues, and by insisting that Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki provide proof that they are still alive. We further demand the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Dawit Isaak, Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali, and Mr. Gui Minhai so they can finally be reunited with their families in Sweden.”

The event aligns with the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), commemorating its legacy while urging governments to address prisoners of conscience and systemic abuses. HRS, with support from the Edelstam Foundation, the RWCHR, Global Liberty Alliance, Eritrea Focus, and Hostage Aid Worldwide, calls on the public, the media, and policymakers to participate in the installation, write messages on the wall, and advocate for the release of those featured. Media are invited to cover the event, with opportunities for photos, videos, and interviews.

For further information, please contact:

Burak Batuhan Karakus

Executive Director at Human Rights Solidarity (HRS)

Phone: +44 (0)7584 303 091

Caroline Edelstam

President and co-founder of the Edelstam Foundation

Phone: +46 (0)706 98 72 23

Susanne Berger

Senior Fellow at the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights

Tel: +1 (514) 735 8778

Jason I. Poblete

Attorney and Chairman of the Global Liberty Alliance and Legal Defense Fund

Tel. +1 (703) 566 3037

Nizar Zakka

President and co-founder of Hostage Aid Worldwide
Tel: +1 202 573 51 43

Habte Hagos

Chairman of Eritrea Focus

On Human Rights Day, HRS built a Justice Wall opposite Downing Street where supporters wrote their messages about rights abuses. Human Rights Solidarity (HRS) organised an important action on 10 December Human Rights Day. HRS activists built a 3 metre high and 15 metre long Justice Wall (made of canvas) opposite the Prime Minister’s Residence (10 Downing Street).

The top half of the wall had previously been painted by an artist depicting the persecution and rights violations of different groups in Turkey. On the lower half of the wall, which was left empty, hundreds of people who supported the protest wrote messages of justice and peace.

The Justice Wall was also unveiled during the 3rd March for Justice in front of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on 2 October 2024 and attracted great interest from the participants. The march called on Turkey to implement the judgements of the European Court of Human Rights.

The Justice Wall on Whitehall Street, where the Prime Minister’s residence and some ministerial buildings are located, remained open from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm. During this time, hundreds of passers-by supported the action and wrote their demands and complaints about human rights on the Justice Wall.

Some of them reflected their thoughts on justice and equality on the wall by drawing striking pictures. While there were people of all ages from 7 to 70 among those who wrote messages, it was noteworthy that the expressions were written in languages other than English and Turkish, such as French, German and Arabic.

HRS also issued a statement on the occasion of Human Rights Day on 10 December. In the statement read by Ceyda Kemanci, leader of HRS Women’s Rights Committee, the 76th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was commemorated and it was emphasised that the continuation of wars, torture and rights violations around the world caused deep disappointment.

Stating that the Declaration proclaimed in 1948 was a great step towards securing human dignity and equality, the statement said: “However, we see that wars have not ended, torture still continues, the rights of women, children, minorities, refugees and people who think or believe differently are usurped every day. The principle of ‘everyone has equal rights from birth’ promised by the Declaration remains like a cry that does not find an echo in many corners of the world.”

The statement reminded that more than 2 million people in Turkey have been subjected to terrorism investigations on trumped-up grounds and nearly 200 thousand people have been arrested in the last 8 years, and it was stated that the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights have not been implemented. In addition, the ongoing persecution and violations in many countries such as Palestine/Gaza, China, Afghanistan, India, Iran and Yemen were explained.

The statement ended with the following statements: “Today, humanity is facing one of the most critical tests in the struggle for rights. The fundamental rights of millions of people are at stake and we should not wait for a global catastrophe to rediscover human values. We must fight together for a world where human rights are truly realised for every individual in every geography.”

December 10, Human Rights Day illuminates our identity, reminding us of our shared humanity, responsibilities, and the poetry of existence. In the heart of winter, as we are floating on the misty ocean of our collective consciousness the 10th of December emerges as the poetry of who we are, where we did come from, where we are going.

On this day, as we commemorate and observe Human Rights Day, we understand that when we, as humanity, forget who we are and where we come from, we risk beginning to cease to exist.

We may not see the dreams that cease to exist in the narrow alleys of Gaza, but those dreams become the stars that guide us in the spectacular ocean of our collective consciousness. Even though we do not understand the agony many individuals go through in Ukraine, the nation’s resilience becomes the boat on which we float. The suffering of the Uyghur Turks in China and their plight, marked by violations of fundamental human rights becomes the mist floating on the ocean of our consciousness.

As we mark the 10th of December, this day is a call to action, an invitation to stand in solidarity with those in the throes of conflict and crisis. It is a day to affirm our commitment to the ideals of justice, equality, and dignity for all.

In the heart of winter, December 10th stands as a beacon of hope, a reminder that even in the ongoing passage of time, we can embalm the virtues of human rights into our calendar of wisdom.

Let this day be a day of reflection on who we are, where we came from, where we are going, but also of resolve – a resolve to make the ideals of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights not just a poetry, but a reality for every person, in every corner of the world.

If this day does not become a day of resolve and reflection, then we would get lost like a waterdrop in an ocean.

10 December is Human Rights Day and we look forward to welcoming you to the HRS Launch Programme on Zoom. Dear friends,
10 December is International Human Rights Day, and this year marks the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of the UN Convention on Human Rights.
Let’s make use of this important day and make it more meaningful at a time when we are experiencing all kinds of rights violations.
As Human Rights Solidarity, which has been working in this field for 4 years, we will make a Zoom programme addressing the UK.
We will talk about what we have done so far, our goals for tomorrow, and what we can do together.
We sincerely believe that you will not leave us alone, in advance
nice we welcome you.

ZOOM LINK: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/4392126770?pwd=ZkMrOE5TMGFOTmJaQnJjenBieTExZz09#success

ZOOM LİNKİ: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/4392126770?pwd=ZkMrOE5TMGFOTmJaQnJjenBieTExZz09#success

DATE: 10 December 2021

PLACE: Opposite of Number 10, Downing Street

COMMITTEE: Executive Committee

We celebrate our rights on the 10th of December every year on the occasion of the UN Human Rights Day. We demand justice for those who cannot speak up for themselves and whose voices are not heard. To make sure our voices are heard, we showed up opposite Downing Street with an 8m long banner wall and asked people to write their views on justice and current human rights violations around the world. We’ve seen people demanding justice for Uyghurs, Latin Americans, Palestine, Kurds, Turks, Libyans, Afghanis, Belarusian, women and transgenders. This project showed us the importance of true solidarity for human rights. We supported our Justice Wall with Instagram broadcasts at different times throughout the day.

Here are a volunteer’s words on their experience at the Justice Wall:

“ It was phenomenal, and one of my first interactive events (other than protests). I feel like us being in the frontier and socially interacting people in public and getting to see their reactions live was energetic and hyping!! It let us remember what we are doing, and what we can do. I truly believe it was a huge motivator as well as an amazing and inclusive project.”

And here is the speech HRS volunteer Asiye Betul made during the protest:

Dear friends,

Before we get started, I would like to celebrate our rights. Mine, yours and all of ours! Happy day human rights day to us!

We have united here today to observe and  celebrate the day of our rights, the day of  the rights that make us who we are and the rights that should be available for all of us. While doing so, we demand justice for those whose rights are being violated, those whose voices are being silenced. We remind you that we will not forget the rights that some have forgotten.

Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December — the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, and has been celebrated every year since then.

But Dear friends,

How much have these rights been applied since then? Why can’t all humans reach those rights?

Isn’t it strange that some rights are still being violated while we’re sat here celebrating them? Isn’t it strange that there’s a genocide happening in front of our eyes in China? Isn’t it strange that we’re building walls, putting out immigration bills? That there are journalists arrested in Brazil and Turkey? Isn’t it so strange that our rights are still being violated, in this very day?!

As we stand here with our wall of Justice, we will ask for the long awaited justice! We will not only ask for ours, but everyone’s rights! And we will let this wall be proof, of all those whose rights are denied and forgotten.

Because rights are only human, when they apply to all of us.

Because we are only human, when we fight for rights.

Dear Friends!

Happy Human rights day!

Let us celebrate our rights! Let us fight for our rights!