Will host human rights defenders panel on October 1, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 23, 2025) – The McCain Institute at Arizona State University (ASU) will serve as an official partner for the Athens Democracy Forum, taking place September 30 – October 3, 2025, in Athens, Greece.
McCain Institute Chief Program Officer Ambassador Cindy Dyer will moderate a discussion at the Forum on Oct. 1 titled, “Betraying Human Rights Defenders: The Impact on Global Security,” featuring three human rights defenders (HRDs):
- Barış Altıntaş, Journalist & Human Rights Advocate, Turkey
- Hager Eissa, Human Rights Advocate, Sudan
- Nicholas Opiyo, Human Rights Attorney, Uganda
This discussion will examine how the erosion of support for HRDs is reshaping global security and economic trends and what can be done to reverse course before the consequences are irreparable.
“Human rights defenders risk their lives to protect the dignity, freedoms, and security of their local communities. While their efforts start at home, their work extends far beyond borders – shaping global security and influencing economic stability,” said McCain Institute Chief Program Officer Ambassador Cindy Dyer. “Today, however, authoritarian regimes are intensifying efforts to silence defenders, while traditional champions in the West are withdrawing from the strong support they once offered. The result is a dangerous situation with profound implications for democracy, global security, and the world economy.”
Organized by the Democracy & Culture Foundation in association with The New York Times, the 2025 Athens Democracy Forum will analyze the impacts of social upheaval, economic insecurity, concurrent wars, the onslaught of tech advancements, climate change, and political opportunists seeking to benefit from these uncertainties. The Forum will also showcase examples of democratic renewal from around the world.
Human Rights Defenders Biographies:
Barış Altıntaş is a journalist and human rights advocate, and the co-director of the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) in Istanbul. She leads efforts to defend press freedom in Türkiye through pro bono legal support, trial monitoring, and international advocacy before the European Court of Human Rights. Altıntaş has developed cross-border initiatives that foster dialogue between journalists from divided societies and leads programs countering disinformation and promoting media literacy. Her work combines on-the-ground defense of rights with strategies to strengthen democratic resilience.
Hager Eissa is a Sudanese activist focused on democracy, human rights, women’s empowerment, education, and conflict resolution. She has been actively engaged in peace and reconciliation projects and is a McCain Global Leader. In 2023, she was named among the 100 Under 40 Most Influential People of African Descent by MIPAD in support of the United Nations and was selected as a UN Youth Fellow in 2024. Eissa has served as a Global Peace Ambassador and Austria Country Director for the Global Peace Chain, as well as an ambassador for One Young World and the World Literacy Foundation. Her leadership and advocacy have been recognized on multiple international platforms, including the World Liberty Congress, where she is a member and a pro-democracy activist.
Nicholas Opiyo is an award-winning human rights attorney who advocates for civil liberties, democracy, and justice in Uganda, across Africa, and internationally. Since 2005, he has defended the rights of society’s most vulnerable and marginalized, often pro bono. Opiyo was a key leader in drafting and advocating for Uganda’s anti-torture law and has taken on high-profile cases defending anti-corruption and pro-democracy activists, as well as social media users charged with offending the president. A vocal defender of LGBT rights in Uganda, he has endured threats, harassment, and wrongful detention. Even behind bars, Opiyo continued his work, offering legal advice to fellow prisoners and helping secure the release of 68 detainees.
Learn more about the McCain Institute’s Democracy Programs HERE.