France gives Czech Public Defender of Rights Anna Šabatová its highest state award, the Legion of Honor

The Czech Public Defender of Rights, Anna Šabatová, has received France’s highest state award, the Legion of Honor, for her lifelong determination to fight to defend human rights and the rule of law. The honors were awarded by a decree from French President Emmanuel Macron and were give to her on Friday, 15 June by French Ambassador Roland Galhargue.

“I consider the Legion of Honor to be a tribute and a satisfaction. France has expressed appreciation for my consistent advocacy of human rights before 1990 and now, whether that concerns Romani people who are socially excluded, foreign nationals including refugees, or persons of different sexual orientations. I am very pleased that the ambassador mentioned in this speech that together with my husband, Petr Uhl, in addition to our lifelong defense of human rights, we also raised three children who are following in our footsteps,” Šabatová said.

The Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur is France’s highest order of merit and was established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte. It is awarded to individuals or organizations in recognition of their military, cultural, scholarly or societal contribution to France.

The leader of the order is its Grand Master, who today is the French President. Uhl was awarded the honor in 2006 and the Czech Republic’s first-ever Public Defender of Rights, Otakar Motejl, was awarded it as well.