As a photographer and human rights expert, *Dietmar Roller (1956) has, for more than two decades, turned his lens and his work toward the unseen realities of a globalized world—illuminating the deeply moving stories of people who, even under extreme conditions, fight for their freedom and their right to dignity.

Whether in the Congo, Ghana, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, or South Asia, Roller knows the places marked by exploitation, poverty, and modern slavery. Yet his focus remains on the individuals—their faces and fates—who struggle to survive in the shadows of global injustice.

“I don’t photograph misery,” Roller says, “I photograph to make truth more visible.”

He sees his Leica not merely as a tool, but as a kind of resonance chamber: “The camera captures what I encounter—sorrow and joy, exploitation and hope, fear and longing.”

The exhibition at the Leica Gallery Wetzlar delivers a powerful and stirring message: exploitation and dependency are not distant phenomena but are closely intertwined with our own reality.

Born in Balingen in 1956, Dietmar Roller studied theology in Switzerland and intercultural studies with a focus on social anthropology in the USA. Photography has been his passion since childhood—and it remains an integral part of his lifelong commitment to human rights.

For over 30 years, Roller has worked as a human rights expert. He was the long-time Chairman of the German office of International Justice Mission e.V. (IJM), an organization that combats slavery, exploitation, and violence worldwide. Since founding the German section, he has played a key role in shaping IJM’s mission.

In 2022, Roller published the book “Ware Mensch. Die vielen Gesichter moderner Sklaverei” (“Human Commodity: The Many Faces of Modern Slavery”) together with Judith Stein.

IJM (International Justice Mission) was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Washington, D.C., USA. With 33 field offices in 19 countries, IJM teams work alongside local governments and partners to fight concrete human rights violations.

All proceeds from the sale of the photographs will go entirely to IJM.

More information: www.ijm-deutschland.de