Ms. Hayriye Atas is general coordinator of the Istanbul-based Checks and Balances Network (CBN), a nonpartisan civic movement and umbrella organization comprising nearly 300 CSOs dedicated to strengthening checks and balances in Turkish institutions and fostering a democratic culture...

Dr. Donika Emini is executive director of the CiviKos Platform, a consortium of 300 civil society organizations in Kosovo dedicated to establishing cooperative relations between civil society and state institutions. A scholar of international relations, she previously worked for the...

Mr. Felix Maradiaga is a Nicaraguan human rights advocate widely recognized as one of his country’s leading voices for democracy. He is president and founder of the Fundación Para la Libertad, an organization focused on developing democratic education and research programs that the...

Ms. Diana Medvednikova is the director and co-founder of the Legal Media Center, an Astana-based nonprofit organization that provides legal protection and advice to journalists, advocates for free speech and access to information, and analyzes the state media funding system in Kazakhstan....

Mr. Christian Zurita is a prominent investigative journalist with three decades of experience shedding light on issues of corruption, organized crime, and drug trafficking in Ecuador, among other topics. From 2002 to 2008, he served as the head of the 24-hour news investigation unit...

Mr. Michael Navallo is a multi-platform journalist who most recently served as an anchor for the Manila-based ABS-CBN News Channel. As ABS-CBN’s justice beat reporter, he covered the persecution and prosecution of several politicians and journalists. He also headed the ABS-CBN chapter...