US Embassy Confers Human Rights Protection Awards

Bratislava, December 12 (TASR) - The US Embassy in Slovakia on Tuesday bestowed the 2023 Human Rights Protection Awards on community worker Zara Kromkova, lawyer Alexandra Malangone and outgoing head of the Slovak Environment Inspectorate (SIZP) Jan Jenco. US Ambassador to Slovakia Gautam Rana stated that this is an important opportunity to praise and recognise the work of all those who support and spread common values, including human rights, tolerance, public affairs administration and the fight against corruption. "We'll continue to closely monitor developments in relation to the rule of law and the fight against corruption as the government pursues changes in the area of justice. We'll watch closely how the government responds to continued calls for improvements in human rights," he said. Zara Kromkova received the Woman of Courage award for her courage and perseverance in the constant pursuit of equal rights for LGBTQI+ people. The Defender of Human Rights Prize was awarded to lawyer Alexandra Malangone for her long-term efforts to protect the rights of victims of human trafficking and migrants as well as to effectively bring to justice the perpetrators of crimes committed against refugees from Ukraine. Jan Jenco was given the Jan Kuciak Award for transparency. The outgoing SIZP head has been active in the field of environmental protection for a long time and, as director, worked to strengthen the independence and effectiveness of the inspectorate. am/mcs