Ilham Tohti is a renowned Uyghur public intellectual in China who has worked for over 20 years to improve the situation of the Uyghur minority and to foster inter-ethnic dialogue and understanding in China. In September 2014, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. The prize was received on his behalf by Enver Can of the Ilham Tohti Initiative.

The Youth Initiative for Human Rights, established in 2003, promotes reconciliation through building connections between young people across the Balkans from different ethnic groups, regions and countries. By working together for human rights, they aim to build links that can prevent the re-emergence of ethnic conflict in the region.

The Prize winners come from a shortlist of three candidates, with the third nominee being imprisoned human rights lawyer Buzurgmehr Yorov from Tajikistan. They were selected by a seven-member jury composed of representatives nominated by the PACE, Václav Havel Library and the Charta 77 Foundation.

The Václav Havel Human Rights Prize has been awarded since 2013 by the PACE, in partnership with the Václav Havel Library and the Charta 77 Foundation, in recognition of exceptional civil society action to defend human rights in Europe and beyond. The Prize which consists of a trophy and a diploma for significant contribution in the struggle for human rights involves a reward of € 60 000. The Czech Republic grants financial support to the Prize.

An international conference in honour of the laureates, organized by the Václav Havel Library and Charta 77 Foundation, follows the Strasbourg award ceremony. This year’s conference entitled "From Wall to Wall" takes place on October 2 in Prague Crossroads.