Professor Irwin Cotler, former Canadian Minister of Justice, Attorney General, and Member of Parliament (MP), was nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for his “steadfast courage, moral clarity, profound empathy and extensive achievements in support of universal human rights.” The deadline for nominations was January 31, 2025.
In Canada, Prof. Cotler was central in promoting gender equality, implementing policies for aboriginals and minorities, and initiating legislation on human trafficking. He served as the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism during a period of rising threats and violence targeting Jewish communities. He also founded the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, an international consortium of parliamentarians, scholars, jurists, and human rights defenders united in the pursuit of justice.
Letters of support for the nomination were provided by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, former prisoner of conscience and a spokesperson for the human rights movement Natan Sharansky, former Russian prisoner Victor Kara-Murza, and William Browder the Head of the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign.
Israel’s President Herzog called Prof Cotler “one of the great humanitarians of our generation”, noting that he “dedicated his life to serving underprivileged populations, representing silenced voices, and promoting the loftiest of ideals: justice and freedom.”
Kara-Murza added: “His legal brilliance and profound empathy have brought hope and justice to individuals facing some of the world’s gravest injustices.” Kara-Murza, notes that Cotler “reminds us that even in our darkest moments, there are people who will stand with us in the fight for freedom and human rights.”
Browder pointed out the personal risk of Prof. Cotler‘s dedication to human rights, with “24-hour police protection due to threats from Iran, underscoring the gravity and impact of his work” and suggested that awarding Cotler the Nobel Peace Prize would “not only celebrate his achievements but also amplify the global fight for human rights.”
While Sharansky was appreciative of Cotler’s “tireless efforts on my behalf when I was a political prisoner in the former Soviet Union, [which] played a direct and central role in my release…His contributions to defending and ensuring the protection of the universal value of human rights are unparalleled.”
The nomination was submitted to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee in Oslo by Prof. Gerald Steinberg, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Bar Ilan University and President of NGO Monitor, to honor Prof. Irwin Cotler’s “unique record as a relentless opponent of oppression and a tireless advocate for universal human rights, free speech, minority rights, and freedom for prisoners of conscience.” Added Steinberg, “Awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Prof. Cotler will honor his courage and highlight the example he has set as a champion for universal rights and human dignity.”