#RunForOurRights
‘In Defence of Freedom of Press and Human Rights for All’ - Ai Weiwei
The high court in the UK overturned a ruling earlier this year and judged in favor of the US in appeal to extradite Julian Assange. Since 2012 he has lived under asylum and imprisonment, and his health has deteriorated. He suffered a stroke in prison and would not be able to survive the conditions he would be held under if sentenced to 175 years in prison in the US.
Today, freedom of press is under attack and journalists’ safety is at stake, as the powerholders circle and suppress those who provide real information in defense of social justice. Assange represents the fairness of press, which is the most important foundation to guarantee the development of a healthy society. It is only with this foundation that we can measure human rights in a society. Without freedom of press, the entire society’s human rights will be damaged.
In October 2016 Julian Assange gave me a treadmill as a present when he was at the Embassy of Ecuador in London. Today I decided to make a video of myself running on the treadmill and would like to call for everyone’s involvement through uploading short videos of running on a treadmill on the Internet. With this performance, we can show our concern with human rights and freedom of press, as well as our pursuit of social justice.
Please upload your videos with #RunForOurRights and #Treadmill.
What are human rights?
Human rights are the fundamental rights and freedoms that belong to every single one of us, anywhere in the world. Human rights apply no matter where you are from, what you believe in, or how you choose to live your life.
Human rights can never be taken away, but they can sometimes be restricted – for example if a person breaks the law, or in the interests of national security. These rights and freedoms are based on values like dignity, fairness, equality, respect and independence. But human rights are not just abstract concepts – they are defined and protected by law.
Why should you care about human rights?
Human rights are not just about the law. They are also about the decisions we make and situations we experience on a daily basis.
If we feel annoyed with something a politician does, most of us wouldn’t think twice about talking about it with our friends online or in a pub. But when you do, you are exercising a human right - your right to free speech.
That’s the thing about human rights. When they are being respected they go almost unnoticed. Most children in the UK don’t wake up on a school day celebrating their ability to exercise their right to education. But those who have fled countries in which they were denied the right to go to school may well appreciate it that bit more.