Johannesburg - Anti-apartheid hero and former Constitutional Court judge Albie Sachs is again being honoured on the international stage for his contribution to justice and activism.
The Clooney Foundation for Justice, founded by actor George Clooney and his wife, Amal Clooney, who is a barrister specialising in international law and human rights, has named its inaugural awards after Justice Albie Sachs.
The awards, which will be known as the Albie Awards, seek to give recognition to a unique group of individuals across the globe who place their lives at risk fighting for justice.
In a video posted by the foundation, co-president George Clooney says: “There is an awful lot of people that we’ve come in contact with and work with who are gonna be thrown in jail or killed. The only thing we can do, we can't change policy, we can't change the government, we can make it harder for them by putting them in the spotlight.”
We are proud to announce our inaugural ‘Albie Awards’ for a unique group of people across the world whose relentless fight for justice has put their lives at risk. https://t.co/LLXrEsFnuI pic.twitter.com/ybc91WU6WK
“So we decided to create an awards show that puts people who are in jeopardy of going to jail or being killed (in the spotlight). Saying we are gonna focus on them we are gonna make a big event around these people.”
Sachs will himself be awarded the lifetime achievement award for the role he has played in the pursuit of justice.
Amal spoke of Sachs’s determination to pursue justice in spite of losing his arm and his sight in one eye during an attempted assassination.
Sachs is described by the Clooneys as amazing and absolutely deserving of being recognised for his contribution to the attainment of justice.
The Clooney Foundation for Justice spearheads many initiatives aimed at defeating systemic injustice. They employ a combination of innovative technologies and agile research methodologies that go beyond traditional human rights work to strike directly at the core of the issues.
Among other recipients of the awards is Maria Ressa from the Philippines. She faces a lifetime behind bars for her work in the Philippines after she became known for exposing government corruption and human rights violations through her reporting.
The awards will take place in New York City in September.
IOL