The laureates

Description

Elza Valieva is a Russian lawyer specializing in the defense of human rights, with a particular focus on combating human rights violations. In 2021, she graduated with a Master's degree in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex and completed her internship at the ECHR. As well as specializing in cases of torture, ill-treatment, enforced disappearance and extrajudicial executions by state agents, Elza also fights against harassment and attacks on human rights defenders and independent journalists. She has worked on cases submitted to the ECHR and collaborated with the UN Special Procedures. She co-authored a report for the Universal Periodic Review on the situation of torture and ill-treatment in Russia.