HRF stands in solidarity with peaceful protesters across Asia in their calls for equality, justice, and democracy. HRF applauds their creativity — including art, music, and performance — as a powerful form of free expression that amplifies their voices & inspires change.

HRF welcomes the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s decision to charge former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity in his war on drugs. Duterte is the first former Asian head of state to be indicted by the ICC.

HRF calls on all democracies to hold the El Salvadorian regime accountable and to demand full respect for human rights and democracy. Due process and freedom of expression are fundamental pillars of the rule of law, and they must be protected.

HRF expresses deep concern over the disappearance of Chinese international student and activist Zhang Yadi. Zhang is an editor for Chinese Youth Stand for Tibet (CYST), a digital site that aims to “share the hidden truth about Tibet among the Chinese-speaking community.” www.rfa.org/english/chin...

HRF condemns the Maduro regime’s escalating persecution of political opponents in Venezuela. A new UN Fact-Finding Mission report documents how arbitrary detentions, torture, and fabricated charges have intensified since the stolen July 2024 election.

HRF raises concern over the abrupt cancellation of a Taiwanese art exhibition at Kazakhstan's Central State Museum.

HRF strongly condemns the Taliban’s ban on books written by women and the prohibition of teaching human rights in Afghan universities. HRF remains concerned about ongoing violations of women’s rights and calls on the international community to hold the Taliban accountable.

Nigerian artist and #EndSARS activist DJ Switch shares her powerful journey, from leading protests and surviving police brutality to living in exile, in a virtual talk at the 2025 College Freedom Forum at Tufts University.

Are Sanctions an Effective Policy Tool? As authoritarian regimes expand their reach, democratic governments often turn to economic sanctions as a response. But are sanctions effective in deterring repression & changing regime behavior, or do they risk harming civilians while entrenching dictators?

Nicaraguan human rights advocate Félix Maradiaga spoke at the 2025 College Freedom Forum at Tufts University about his imprisonment under the Ortega regime and how authoritarian governments use arbitrary detention to silence dissent and instill fear.

HRF stands in solidarity with young peaceful activists across Asia who dared to imagine a better future and mobilized to advocate for a more democratic, equal, and just society.

HRF welcomes a Mozambican court ruling dismissing politically motivated politically-motivated charges against opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane’s finance chief, Glória Chire, and Alex Barga, the publisher of a book on Mondlane’s political ascent. Both suffered months of arbitrary detention.

HRF condemns the arbitrary arrest of Burkinabé lawyer Ini Benjamine Doli over her online criticism of the abuses of Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s regime. Doli is a patriot, and her criminal prosecution is political intimidation to sow fear. HRF demands her immediate release.

HRF Chair Yulia Navalnaya announced that two labs in separate countries analyzed biological samples from Alexei Navalny that were secretly secured and smuggled abroad, and both reached the same conclusion: He was murdered by poisoning.

Today, at the Organization of American States (OAS), HRF Chief Advocacy Officer Roberto González joined a panel on arbitrary detention in Washington, DC, to discuss building foundations for a global response to arbitrary detention in state-to-state relations.

HRF expresses concern over the increase of digital authoritarian practices promoted by Chinese companies such as Geedge Networks, which reportedly sells technology that facilitates censorship en masse in commercially available solutions, according to 100,000 leaked documents.

HRF strongly condemns the Burmese Taunggyi Township Court's sentencing of Nay Thway to seven years of hard labor for criticizing the junta's planned December 2025 elections. HRF also calls for his immediate and unconditional release and for an end to the systematic repression of dissent.

At the 2025 College Freedom Forum at Tufts University, Uyghur rights advocate and author Jewher Ilham sheds light on the complicity of global fashion brands in Uyghur forced labor.

This month marks 11 years since the start of the war in Yemen. Since 2014, the country has endured one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Civilian lives have been devastated by widespread famine, displacement, and violence, all exacerbated by authoritarianism.

Today is International Day of Democracy, but for 5.9 billion people, democracy is still out of reach. More than 5.9 billion people — 73% of the world’s population — live under tyranny in 90 countries, from Cuba to Russia, Saudi Arabia, and North Korea. www.youtube.com/shorts/r6xug...

US technology companies are reportedly aiding and abetting the Chinese government's surveillance and censorship efforts. HRF urgently calls on the tech industry to strive to fulfill their obligations as detailed in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Last week, HRF celebrated the 54th birthday of Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu, an Azerbaijani scholar, human rights defender, and political activist who continues to face persecution under Ilham Aliyev’s regime.

Parit Wacharasindhu, a Thai opposition politician, sheds light on how coups, military influence, and elite interests silence the people’s voice. In this powerful talk at the 2025 Oslo Freedom Forum, he calls for structural reform, civic courage, and true accountability for democracy to thrive.

Sept. 13, marks five years since the arrest of Umar Khalid, an Indian advocate for the rights of minorities and marginalized communities. HRF calls on India to immediately and unconditionally release him and other prisoners of conscience unjustly detained.

HRF welcomes the release of 52 political prisoners and 14 foreign citizens unjustly jailed by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko. This is one of the single largest releases in years, including opposition leaders, journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens.

HRF calls on Canada's mining company Sherritt International to stop enabling the Cuban dictatorship's exploitation of its citizens to finance its repressive regime. New reports by Cuba Archive reveal the company's alleged complicity in the regime's human trafficking business.

On Wednesday, Vladimir Putin’s Russia escalated its war of aggression by violating the sovereign airspace of another European country and NATO member, Poland, with nearly two dozen drones.

HRF expresses its condolences on the death of Elena Liptser, a Russian human rights attorney who passed away on Sept. 6 at 58 after a long illness. She is survived by her family, including her son, lawyer Alexei Liptser, who is in prison for defending the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

HRF mourns the death of Andrei Padnyabenny, yet another political prisoner murdered by the regime of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko. He died in Mahiliou colony No. 15.

HRF raises deep concern over the proliferation of scam centers along the Burma-Thailand border. The Burmese military junta has reportedly turned a blind eye to these scam centers, run by transnational criminal enterprises, in order to generate profits.

On Tuesday, Russia unleashed another brutal attack on Ukraine, killing 23 civilians and wounding 18 more. Many of the victims were elderly pensioners.

HRF expresses deep concern over India's reported expansion of censorship powers and lack of transparency in issuing takedown orders. HRF urges the regime to reconsider its current social media censorship policies and uphold the right to freedom of expression.

On Monday, Bolivian governor and former prisoner of conscience Luis Fernando Camacho hosted HRF Chief Legal & Policy Officer Javier El-Hage in his office in Santa Cruz de Sierra only days after his release from the notorious Chonchoro maximum security prison.

Sunday's attack by the Russian forces on Ukraine, which killed at least three people, including a mother and a child, is yet another testament to the cruelty and barbarism of Vladimir Putin’s regime.

HRF strongly condemns Beijing’s harassment of activist Qi Hong’s family following his projection of anti-CCP slogans and calls on democratic governments to urgently strengthen protections for dissidents against transnational repression.

HRF welcomes the US administration's executive order establishing a new designation of “State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention.” www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Sunday marked five years since the Belarusian regime abducted Maria Kalesnikava, one of the Belarusian opposition leaders. The regime tried to push her out of the country, but Kalesnikava courageously refused. She has been held hostage by the dictatorship ever since.

On ABC News’s Sunday Extra, HRF Korea Desk Director Seongmin Lee shares how HRF’s Flash Drives for Freedom has reached 1.38M+ North Koreans with smuggled content that counters regime propaganda. 🎧 Listen now: www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

HRF condemns the Maduro regime’s enforced disappearance of opposition leader Freddy Superlano and journalist Roland Carreño. After their sudden transfer from El Helicoide to an unknown location, HRF joins their families and colleagues in their demand for proof of life to confirm their condition.

Independent journalist & researcher Nyrola Elimä shares a powerful firsthand account of life in the Uyghur homeland under China’s oppressive surveillance state. Her work follows the journey of Uyghur refugees worldwide, shining a light on hidden human rights abuses.

HRF strongly condemns the crimes committed by the Ortega-Murillo regime in Nicaragua. All democracies must increase their efforts to stop the regime’s systematic crimes against humanity and to support those who stand up to tyranny.

HRF condemns the recent verdict of the Tbilisi court against Zviad Tsetshkladze, a student, activist, and leader of the youth movement Dafioni, who was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison on baseless charges of "organizing mass violence."

Iraqi human rights advocate and founder of Ideas Beyond Borders, Faisal Al Mutar, spoke at the 2025 College Freedom Forum at Tufts University on why democratic values must be taught, not imposed. Watch his full talk: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfB7...

Jimmy Lai has spent more than 1,680 days in detention in Hong Kong. His health is deteriorating. HRF has joined 71 orgs in urging UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to act now and demand Lai’s release. #FreeJimmyLai

"Tanzania belongs to its people, not to those who terrorize them." Maria Sarungi Tsehai, a Tanzanian human rights activist and journalist, exposes a chilling campaign of repression by the Tanzanian government.

After two years and eight months of arbitrary detention, Bolivian governor and prisoner of conscience Luis Fernando Camacho has been released from the notorious Chonchocoro maximum security prison and returned to Santa Cruz where he will resume his role as governor.

Lobsang Sangay, former president of the Tibetan government, spoke at the 2025 College Freedom Forum at Tufts University about the CCP's occupation of Tibet and its ties to natural resource exploitation. Watch his full talk: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF8p...

On the one-year anniversary of artist Gao Zhen’s detention in China, ARC, HRF, and civil society partners condemn his ongoing imprisonment and the exit ban placed on his wife. We push for his immediate release and the safe return of his family to the United States. @hrf.org #FreeGaoZhen

On the one-year anniversary of artist #GaoZhen's detention in #China, we join @hrf.org and others condemning his unjust imprisonment and calling for the safe return of his family to the #USA: hrf.org/latest/joint...

Despite repressive laws, cyberbullying, spyware, and constant intimidation, young people across East & Southeast Asia 🌏 continue to organize—with solidarity, creativity, and hope for a more just future. 📘Read their stories: hrf.org/latest/youth... #YouthquakeAsia