Giga Bokeria

George (Giga) Bokeria, Georgia

"Currently a member of Parliament, Mr. Bokeria co-founded in 1996 the non-governmental organization "Liberty Institute" to defend freedom of the press. The Institute subsequently became the major human rights defender in Georgia. In 2003, after a visit to Serbia to learn peaceful revolution techniques, Bokeria helped bring Serb activists to Georgia to train students in these same techniques. This led to the establishment of the youth movement "Kmara," which played a leading role in the November 2003 Rose Revolution. After the Revolution, Mr. Bokeria was elected to Parliament where he has authored many laws to strengthen human rights in Georgia."

• White House "Champion of Freedom" (2005)