CHICAGO, Aug. 6, 2013 — The American Bar Association Section of Litigation will honor Washington, D.C., lawyer Jared Genser with its International Human Rights Award.

The award, which recognizes an individual who has made substantial and long-term contributions to the furtherance of civil rights, civil liberties or human rights outside the United States, will be presented at the International Human Rights Award and Passing of the Gavel Luncheon on Friday, Aug. 9, at the ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

“The award is being presented for Jared’s extraordinary contributions to the rule of law, access to justice and human rights,” said William R. Bay, chair of the ABA Section of Litigation. “His work on behalf of human rights has been a beacon of light in some of the world’s darkest places.”

Genser founded Freedom Now in 2001 after an experience as a law student helping to secure the release of a British national who received a 17-year prison sentence in Burma for handing out pro-democracy leaflets. Freedom Now has helped free more than 25 prisoners of conscience in countries such as Azerbaijan, Cameroon, Egypt and Turkmenistan. Genser’s work has included Freedom Now’s highest-profile representations, including its efforts representing Aung San Suu Kyi during the latter four years of her house arrest in Burma and ongoing efforts to free Liu Xiaobo, the imprisoned Chinese dissident who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010. Other representations include many who are less well-known but whose cases are equally emblematic of broader human rights abuses in their countries.

The Section of Litigation, the ABA’s largest practice specialty section with more than 61,000 members, is dedicated to helping litigators become more effective advocates for their clients.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law. To review our privacy statement, click here. Follow the latest ABA news at www.abanow.org and on Twitter @ABANews.