Payam Akhavan

Dr. Payam Akhavan is a world-renowned human rights lawyer and former UN prosecutor whose work has spanned the frontlines of justice—from the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia to Iran, Afghanistan, and beyond. A staunch defender of women’s rights, ethnic minorities, and persecuted communities, Dr. Akhavan’s life mission resonates deeply with the story of Dr. Sima Samar. As an Iranian-born advocate who has witnessed the consequences of state repression, Dr. Akhavan brings both legal expertise and moral clarity to the global fight for human dignity. He stands in solidarity with Dr. Samar’s lifelong struggle for gender equality, education, and justice for Afghanistan’s Hazara minority. His support of Friends of Sima Samar to produce the feature film Samar: A Voice Unbroken and the Ripples of Courage documentary amplifies the message that silence is complicity—and that the world must listen to those who risk everything to speak the truth.