Guests 2007-2010

Dr. Leyla Yunusova, Azerbaijan (2010)
is founder and leader of the non-government "Institute for Peace and Democracy". For 20 years she has been targeted again and again by the government. The latest intimidation campaign against her and her relatives began in summer 2009, ranging from slander in the government press to death threats by strangers.

Sakit Zahidov, Azerbaijan (2010 - 2011)
is a journalist and author and writes satirical poems in the opposition newspaper "Azadliq (Freiheit)". The paper is known for its harsh criticism of political affairs in Azerbaijan. Sakit was condemned to three years in custody for alleged drug possession in an unfair trial in October 2006.

Tamara Chikunova, Uzbekistan (2009 - 2010)
founded the organisation "Mothers of Uzbekistan Against Capital Punishment and Torture". Thanks to her continuous determination, Uzbekistan abolished capital punishment officially on the 1st January 2008. Today she fights for humane justice and better prison conditions for the formerly condemned.

Jahangir Alam Akash, Bangladesh (2009 - 2010)
has, as journalist and writer, been writing about abuse of power and corruption in his country and the border town Rajshahi for 20 years. He most recently worked for the national newspaper, the Daily Sangbad and the Bangali transmitter of the "Deutsche Welle".

Sanath Balasooriya, Sri Lanka (2009 - 2010)
began his journalistic career in 1991. He is a member of the "Free Media Movement" (FMM), as well as the organisation, "Journalists for Peace", which supports the rights of the Tamil minority and peace negotiations in the north of Sri Lanka. Until his arrival in Germany, he worked for the newspaper DINAMINA.

Pedro Matías Arrazola, Sri Lanka (2009 - 2010)
focuses his work on corruption and violation of state positions, as well as organised crime in the Mexican federal state, Oaxaca. Since 1986 he has worked for several press agencies in Oaxaca and is also a correspondent for the independent political magazine "Proceso", and the "Canal 40" TV news programme, "CNI".

Natallia Makuschina (Nov. 2007 - Nov. 2008)
Natallia Makuschina from Grodno/Belarus has been working since 2005 in Bonn as a freelance correspondent for the Deutschen Welle’s ‘Belarus’ programme. She produces daily radio broadcasts with reports on cultural events and social problems, as well as violation of human rights and lack of democracy. Her work has led to her receiving repeated threats and she now fears state sanctions. The political situation in Belarus is marked by lack of freedom in the media and repression of political opponents. In 2007 Natallia Makuschina was awarded the alternative, independent Sawadski Prize. This award, opposed by the regime, has in itself led to new threats.

Alaa Saadoon (Mar. 2008 – Mar. 2009)
Alaa Sadoon worked as a translator and intermediate for Americans and Europeans and in doing so put himself in a life threatening situation. Burning issues such as UN activities against the increasingly stronger Mehdi Army or the case of an American lawyer who was murdered for founding a woman’s centre in Karbala led him to dangerous situations. Strangers searched his house several times and threatened to take his life if he didn’t immediately cease his work with foreign journalists.

Bachadyr Musaev (Mar. 2007 – Mar. 2008)
Bachadyr Musaev is a sociologist and one of the few academics in Uzbekistan who still courageously speaks out against the government. He was followed by strangers in the street from September 2006 to March 2007. His daughter, a popular pop singer in Uzbekistan, was banned from performing and record and concert companies cancelled her contracts for 2007. She was advised to stop her father from writing. On a website closely linked to the government, centrasia.ru, Bachadyr Musaev was described as a public enemy and a betrayer. He writes about the ‘Roots of Islamic Extremism in Central Asia’ and about the ‚Tyranny and Corruption of President Karimov as a Backcloth to the Andijan Massacres of May 2005’. The sociologist regularly publishes work on various internet forums and works with the BBC, Radio Free Europe, and Radio Liberty. His latest book, ‚Der Fächer von Andichan – eine Maschine zum Töten’ (The Fan from Andijan – A Killing Machine ) has been available on the internet since 2007.

Alhierd Bacharevic (Jan. 2007 - Jan. 2008)
Alhierd Bacharevic is a writer from Minsk and has published the books, ‚Die Natürliche Färbung’ (2003), (The Natural Colours), „Keine Gnade für Valentina H.’ (2006), (No Mercy for Valentina H.), and "Praktisches Hilfswerk zur Zerstörung der Städte", (Practical Public Social Aid for the Destruction of Cities), for which he received the ‚Hlinjany Viales’ Literature prize. Several narratives have been translated into German, Czech and Bulgarian. His work has since been banned in Belarus. Alheird Bacharevic is currently a scholar of the PEN ‘Writers in Exile’ programme.

G.M.B. Akash (Jan. 2007- Dec. 2007)
"Life on the edge, that is my theme", says G.M.B. Akash who sees himself as an advocate for human rights for the poor. He was threatened by an Islamic group in Dhaka who disapproved of his socially critical pictures. He exhibited his most recent work in the Town Hall gallery in Hamburg in December 2007: everyday scenes of poverty in Dhaka and in Hamburg: a person searching through a rubbish dump, child labour, prostitution, drug addicts, a victim of flooding beside a jogger during sunset at the Alster, three ladies at the harbour, homeless people, punks with Alsatian dogs and street musicians. ‘Looking through the lens gives me a different perspective. It brings me closer to these people and their material worries, their daily fears for survival and their dependencies.“ G.M.B.Akash continuously stresses that his work aims to inform and raise awareness. “If it was about money, I would work as a fashion photographer”, he says, laughing. The GEO editorial staff, the Stern Foundation and a sponsor from Munich enabled G.M.B.Akash and his wife, Trisha, to spend a year in Hamburg. www.Gmb-akash.com

Taita Junusova (Mar. 2006- Mar. 2007)
Taita Junusovas’ motto is: Do not close your eyes to the suffering of others. Acting on this motto changed the nursery worker’s life during the outbreak of war in 1994 as she began to speak out as a convincing and courageous pacifist. Taita Junusova, Chairperson of the peace organisation ‚Echo of the War’, has since been campaigning for a peaceful solution to the Chechen conflict and the protection of human rights. For her brave commitment to peace, the Sievershausen Anti-War Documentation Centre awarded her the peace prize ‘Sievershäuser Ermutigung’ (Sievershäuser Encouragement Prize) on 10 December 2006. For years the peace campaigner filmed, photographed and documented reports on the violation of human rights in Chechnya, and has often accompanied women from Russia to mass graves to find or identify their husbands and sons. For almost two years she has been carrying out peace work with school children in the mountains of Chechnya.