Iranian, Zimbabwean get top human rights award

GENEVA, May 31 (Reuters) An Iranian journalist and a Zimbabwean lawyer, both strong critics of their countries' governments, were named today 2006 winners of one of the world's top human rights prizes.

The jury of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, in a statement issued in Geneva, named the two as Akbar Ganji, currently on conditional release from jail, and Arnold Tsunga, also now out of prison on bail.

Ganji, the citation said, served six years on charges of collecting information harmful to Iran's national security.

It added: ''In spite of physical abuse, he steadfastly refused to compromise on the principles of democracy and human rights for all Iranians.'' Tsunga, director of Zimbabwe Layers for Human Rights, was constantly harassed and threatened as well as being frequently arrested ''for representing victims of human rights violations'', the citation declared.

It said he ''continues to provide a voice to Zimbabweans silenced by repression''.

The award, named after British lawyer Martin Ennals who was first secretary-general of Amnesty International, is determined by a jury from 11 global human rights organisations based in Europe, the United States and developing countries.

Previous winners have included Aktham Naisse, president of a grouping of Syrian human rights organisations, Pakistani lawyer and women's rights champion Asma Jahangir, and Chinese exile and dissident writer Harry Wu.

The awards are normally presented by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights at a special ceremony in Geneva.

REUTERS CH KP2056