The 2000 Human Rights Watch Annual Dinners, in New York and Los Angeles, will honor five human rights defenders from around the world. Through their perseverance these individuals fought for justice in Jordan, India, Russia, China, and Sierra Leone. Often, they risk their lives to defend their fellow citizens from abusive governments and armed forces. Human Rights Watch works with these brave individuals on the ground as part of our defense of human rights in more than 70 countries around the world.

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Background on the National Jordanian Campaign to Eliminate Crimes of Honor Consisting of 11 Jordanian men and women, the Committee has launched a campaign to abolish Article 340 of the Jordanian Penal Code, which gives lenient sentences (usually a few months or a few years) to those who kill in the name of honor. Between 25 to 30 women are killed in Jordan this way each year, for marrying someone their family does not approve of, for being raped, for suspected adultery, or for being the subject of a neighborhood rumor. These crimes are committed by a male relative of the victim. The Committee has been gathering national and international support for the campaign, working to break down the silence that has traditionally surrounded violence against women in Jordan. Maha Abu Ayyash and Rana Husseini will be representing the National Jordanian Campaign to Eliminate Crimes of Honor. For more information on the campaign, please visit: http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/jordan/jordan-cmpgn.htm