Asma Jahangir posthumously awarded UN Human Rights Prize

The late Pakistani human rights lawyer Asma Jahangir has been posthumously awarded the UN Human Rights Prize 2018.

President of the UNGA María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés posted the news on Twitter, “Today I announced the 2018 winners of the @UN Human Rights Prize. I am proud to recognise the contributions of individuals & organizations that promote & protect human rights Rebeca Gyumi. Asma Jahangir Joênia Wapichana. Your work is an inspiration to us all.”

Jahangir passed away on February 11 after suffering a stroke. She was 66 years old.

She was known for taking up court cases of victimised and marginalised sections of society, as well as speaking against human rights violations and her courageous stand against the military rule of General Zia-ul-Haq.

An author and staunch activist of democracy, Jahangir also received several accolades for her work on human rights.

Jahangir was also a vocal opponent of judicial overreach and would often confront the superior judiciary when it would extend its jurisdiction in her opinion.

From 1998-2000 Jahangir served as the special rapporteur of the UN Commission on Extrajudicial, Summary and Arbitrary Executions and was the special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief of the UN Commission on Human Rights since 2004.