The Rafto Prize for Human Rights was established in memory of Professor Thorolf Rafto. Photo: the Rafto Foundation.

The Rafto Foundation has since 1987 awarded, annually, the Rafto Prize for Human Rights to advocates of human rights and democracy. The prize commemorates Thorolf Rafto, professor of economic history at the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration in Bergen. Professor Rafto devoted his life to promoting democracy and respect for human rights, especially in Eastern Europe.  

Criteria
Rafto Laureates are selected according to following criteria:

1) A candidate should be active in the struggle for the ideals and principles underlying the Human Rights Charter.

2) A candidate's struggle for human rights should represent a non-violent perspective.

3) A candidate may be a person or an organisation, and two or more candidates may share the prize.

Selection of candidates
Nominations for the Rafto Prize are handled by the Rafto Prize Committee. Recipient(s) are selected by the Board of Directors.

Award ceremony and symposium
The Rafto Prize ceremony is held on the first Sunday of November at the National Venue of Theatre (Den Nationale Scene) in Bergen, Norway. In connection with the annual Rafto Prize award ceremony, the Rafto Foundation hosts a symposium bringing together experts in the field to discuss human rights issues from different perspectives and disciplines.

Rafto Prize Laureates
2009 - Malahat Nasibova, Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Azerbaijan  
2008 – Bulambo Lembelembe Josué, the Democratic Republic of Congo
2007 – NCDHR (National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights), India
2006 – Thich Quang Do, Vietnam
2005 – Lidia Yusupova, Chechnya
2004 – Rebiya Kadeer, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China
2003 – Paulos Tesfagiorgis, Eritrea
2002 – Sidi Mohammed Daddach, Western Sahara
2001 – Shirin Ebadi, Iran
2000 – Kim Dae-jung, the Republic of Korea (South-Korea)
1999 – Gennady Grushevoy, Belarus
1998 – ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes), Thailand
1997 – The Romani people, represented by Ian Hancock, USA
1996 – Palermo Anno Uno, Italy
1995 – Committee of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia, Russia
1994 – Leyla Zana, Kurdistan/Turkey
1993 – The people of East Timor, represented by José Ramos-Horta, East-Timor
1992 – Preah Maha Ghosananda, Cambodia
1991 – Elena Bonner, Russia
1990 – Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma
1989 – Doina Cornea, Romania and FIDESZ represented by Peter Molnar, Hungary
1988 – Trivimi Velliste, Estonia
1987 – Jiri Hajek, Czechoslovakia