Ayin Network receives Human Rights Tulip 2025

In a letter addressed to Ayin Network, Minister of Foreign Affairs Van Weel writes:

‘With this award, we recognize your important work. It reminds us that standing up for human rights often comes at a high price. But it is precisely the courage of those who persevere – despite all risks – that makes real change possible.’

The Human Rights Tulip is awarded annually by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support human rights defenders in their work: highlighting, protecting, and improving human rights worldwide. The winner of the Human Rights Tulip receives a tulip-shaped bronze statue and a cash prize of €50,000, enabling the winner to continue and possibly expand their human rights work.

Ayin Network is a Sudanese media platform providing the Sudanese population with reliable, high-quality information and giving voice to marginalized groups. Through investigative journalism and films, the network holds those in power accountable, documents serious human rights violations in Sudan, and creates international visibility for the conflict. Ayin Network does this especially in regions from which hardly any reports come out.

Winning the Human Rights Tulip means a lot to Ayin Network. Director Zain: ‘It is a recognition of our work. It shows that people outside Sudan understand the pressure we work under.’ Ayin wants the prize to also be seen as a tribute to all Sudanese journalists who can no longer do their work.

Since 2023, at least fourteen journalists have died in Sudan, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), which only counts journalists who died while working. The Sudanese Journalists Union reports that 32 journalists have died, some while working and others not.

During the award ceremony, Human Rights Ambassador Geerts said in his speech:

Our Minister of Foreign Affairs was deeply impressed by the important reporting of Ayin Network from the conflict areas in Sudan, often under difficult circumstances. Their work informs the Sudanese people and draws worldwide attention to what is called ‘the worst humanitarian crisis of the 21st century.’ This decision highlights how important press freedom and the safety of journalists are, especially at a time when disinformation is increasing.

Due to the departure of many professional journalists from Sudan, a large gap has emerged. With the prize money, new reporters can be trained as ‘citizen journalists.’ They must learn how to work safely, protect sources, and verify information. Much guidance takes place via poor connections and under high time pressure.

Equipment and storage are also a concern. Cameras disappear during raids or are confiscated by fighting groups. Phones get damaged during flight. The biggest challenge remains safety. Reporters face daily danger, and arranging safe routes, emergency shelter, or other types of help takes time and money.

This year, ten candidates were nominated for the Human Rights Tulip. All candidates were selected after a local selection and nomination process by Dutch embassies and civil society and received an embassy tulip in recognition of their meaningful work. The embassy tulip winners formed the 10 nominees for the central Human Rights Tulip. Then a top 3 was selected by an independent jury of human rights experts.