Archive for the 'Human Rights Defenders' Category

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Bouayach urges stronger human rights protection across Africa

February 12, 2026

Amina Bouayach, President of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), has issued a powerful call for the reinforcement of human rights mechanisms across Africa.

Speaking at the African Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ANNHRI) conference in Yaoundé, Bouayach warned that the continent’s legal frameworks are under unprecedented strain from a “triple threat” of security instability, climate change, and health crises. As the head of Morocco’s National Human Rights Council (CNDH), she emphasized that these overlapping emergencies are systematically eroding the rule of law and the capacity of states to meet their international obligations.

Bouayach highlighted a concerning global decline in multilateralism, noting that human rights are increasingly being sidelined in international discourse. She argued that international treaties and regional African mechanisms must be viewed as complementary rather than competing forces. According to her vision, while international laws provide the global benchmark, regional bodies are essential for adapting those standards to local African realities. She stressed that bridging the gap between high-level commitments and national legislation is the only way to restore citizen trust in state institutions.

The address identified several critical “blind spots” in the current continental approach, specifically pointing to the limited use of African legal mechanisms and the persistent barriers to justice for the general population. Bouayach cited the devastating conflict in Sudan—where access to basic healthcare and food has collapsed—and the chronic insecurity in Somalia as prime examples of how state fragility directly translates into human rights violations. She noted that recognizing these failures is not an admission of weakness but a necessary act of “clear-sightedness” required to move toward genuine reform.

To combat these trends, Bouayach urged African states to fully align their national institutions with the Paris Principles, the international gold standard for institutional independence and effectiveness. She concluded by calling for a surge in resources and guaranteed autonomy for human rights defenders, asserting that the rule of law must remain the non-negotiable pillar of Africa’s long-term stability and economic development.

https://apanews.net/bouayach-urges-stronger-human-rights-protection-across-africa/

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Call for input: OHCHR Online Survey on “Civil Society Space”

February 11, 2026

Purpose:To inform the High Commissioner’s report pursuant to the Human Rights Council resolution 59/10.

In its resolution 59/10, the Human Rights Council requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to “prepare a thematic report in follow-up to the report containing practical recommendations for the creation and maintenance of a safe and enabling environment for civil society, based on good practices and lessons learned, submitted to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-second session, to review progress against the recommendations contained therein, to identify new and emerging trends concerning civil society space, including through an analysis of the specific contribution and risks faced by underrepresented parts of civil society, and to provide an updated set of recommendations in the light of those trends, and to present the report to the Council at its sixty-third session.”

OHCHR invites States to respond to this online survey and share good practices and measures to protect and promote civic space in their countries, with a focus on the five areas outlined in the previous report (A/HRC/32/20) – as reflected below – on “practical recommendations for the creation and maintenance of a safe and enabling environment for civil society, based on good practices and lessons learned.” Please take the online survey here: English – French – Spanish

OHCHR also invites civil society, non-governmental organizations, national human rights institutions, United Nations entities and other relevant stakeholders, to respond to this online survey. If you are an organization working in a specific country, please provide information related to that country or context. If you represent a global and regional organization, please consider providing information for as many regions and/or countries as appropriate. Please take the online survey here: English– French– Spanish

Any questions and queries should be directed to: ohchr-civicspacesurvey@un.org.

The deadline to complete the survey is Friday, 6 March 2026, at 18:00 Central European Time.

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HURIDOCS looking for a Global Repository Coordinator

February 9, 2026

HURIDOCS is recruiting a 👉 Global Repository Coordinator 👈 , a fixed-term role focused on a project that’s been in the works here for a long time. This Global Repository is where so many threads finally come together. Years of work on machine learning, documentation, and human rights data, all coming into one shared “playground” to help unlock judgments, decisions, and human rights information at scale.

We’re building this together with partners, including the The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation and the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice ( supported by the Clooney Foundation for Justice). This short video from Oxford gives a glimpse of the vision (at min 2:17).

https://lnkd.in/gmQaxxad

Because this is such an exciting and ambitious role, we’re looking for someone who’s dynamic, independent, and a great problem-solver. Someone who knows how to push things forward and also when to when to slow down and consult, with communities, partners, donors, and more. Someone comfortable with the international human rights ecosystem and committed to leveraging technology for justice.

Often when we’re recruiting for roles like this we talk about looking for a unicorn, but this time that doesn’t quite work. I think we’re really looking for a tiger. Someone who can help us actually make this thing real. 🐯


📣HURIDOCS is looking for a Project Coordinator to play a key role in building the Global Repository of Human Rights.



Applications sent by email or direct message will not be considered. Please apply via the form provided in the job description.

hashtag#NGOJobs hashtag#ProjectCoordinator hashtag#RemoteJobs

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Jamie Fly new Chief Executive Officer of Freedom House

February 7, 2026

Freedom House announced the appointment of Jamie Fly as its Chief Executive Officer, effective 2 February, 2026.

“Jamie Fly is a transformational leader ready to advance Freedom House’s vision of a world where all are free. He has stepped forward at a consequential moment as Freedom House pivots toward a private- and public-sector funding model, while growing existing and attracting new investors in freedom and democracy. This is particularly important as our flagship Freedom in the World report has documented nearly 20 years of democratic decline and as authoritarian leaders threaten fundamental freedoms and security around the world. Jamie brings deep global experience, bipartisan credibility, and a demonstrated ability to lead complex organizations under pressure. His leadership marks the start of a new chapter in Freedom House’s fight to expand and defend freedom around the world and to champion democratic values,” said Norman Willox, chair of the Freedom House Board of Trustees.

Fly has decades of experience in government, civil society, and the private sector. He has served as President and CEO of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and held senior positions on the US National Security Council staff, at the Department of Defense, on Capitol Hill, and at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Most recently, he served as Senior Counselor at Palantir Technologies, where he supported efforts to defend Ukrainian democracy from Moscow’s illegal, full-scale military invasion. He is a recipient of the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service and the Czech Foreign Ministry’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to Diplomacy.

“I am excited and honored to join Freedom House at this critical moment for democracy and global freedom as the organization celebrates its 85th anniversary this year in the midst of significant change. Additionally, I would like to thank Norm Willox, Freedom House’s board, and its talented leadership team and staff for their tremendous efforts, resilience, and accomplishments in the face of great challenges and opportunities,” said Fly.

Freedom House is the oldest American organization devoted to the support and defense of democracy and freedom around the world. It was formally established in 1941 to promote American involvement in World War II and the fight against fascism. Lauded for its nonpartisan approach, it has grown into the world’s premier institution for supporting the democratic aspirations of societies around the world through its globally recognized convening power, coalition building, advocacy, independent research, and emergency support to human rights defenders.

https://freedomhouse.org/article/freedom-house-appoints-jamie-fly-chief-executive-officer

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Profile of Kant Kaw, Myanmar journalist and HRD

February 7, 2026

On 2 February2026 Exile Hub, one of Global Voices’ partners in Southeast,Asia, published this story on How Kant Kaw turned a dream into a 15-year fight for equality in Myanmar.

Kant Kaw’s journey into journalism officially began in 2009, but her story started long before that. As a child, she devoured books of every kind, captivated by the power of language. She dreamed of becoming a writer, yet understood early that writing alone could not sustain her. So she pursued practical jobs while holding on to her passion. Everything changed the day she discovered journalism. For her, it was the perfect convergence of purpose and livelihood. It allowed her to write, to witness, and to serve the public. Fifteen years later, she remains in the field, saying that she never stopped loving the work.

Kant Kaw soon realized that her calling extended beyond reporting events as they unfolded. She felt compelled to disclose the struggles that women in Myanmar face every day. “I met women who had to carry their fear in silence, yet still found the strength to protect their children and families. They wake up every morning choosing survival. In our conversations, I saw not weakness, but extraordinary strength — especially during moments of political upheaval.”

Through Kant Kaw’s work, stories that might otherwise have remained untold reached wider audiences. For example, she shone a light on the realities of a young mother in a conflict-affected township who begins each day calculating risk, choosing safer routes to buy food, wondering whether her child’s school will be open, and navigating military checkpoints.

Years of reporting, especially in post-coup Myanmar, have taken a toll. These days, she practices intentional self-care to sustain her work: music, hiking, friendships, and proactive emotional problem-solving. She gives care as much as she receives it, offering support and presence to friends who struggle. She knows the stakes:

Her dream of becoming a writer did come true — just not in the way she first imagined. She writes for the public, for women whose voices have been muted by injustice, and continues to write as an act of resistance, a record of truth, and a source of hope.

Through her writing, she pushes back against silence, against injustice, and against anyone who dares to underestimate what a woman can do.

https://globalvoices.org/2026/02/02/beyond-the-bylines-how-kant-kaw-turned-a-dream-into-a-15-year-fight-for-equality-in-myanmar/

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Ghaneem al-Masarir, Saudi human rights defender in exile, awarded £3 million in case against Saudi Arabia

February 6, 2026

Posted on 4 February 2026b by ADHRB: London’s High Court ruled in Ghaneem al-Masarir’s favour, in his case against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, last week. Al-Masarir accused Saudi Arabia of having hacked his mobile devices with Pegasus spyware and having ordered a physical attack on him in 2018.

Al-Masarir fled Saudi Arabia in 2003, for fear of persecution for his activism. He has been residing in the United Kingdom ever since, having been granted asylum in 2018.

In 2018, he discovered his devices had been hacked with spyware, which extracts all data held on the device, has access to the camera, media, microphone, emails, text messages and various other functions, enabling complete surveillance of the victim, as well as all those they contact on the device. Shortly after the discovery, al-Masarir was victim to a physical assault by two men in West London. The attack was connected to the Saudi regime, as the men demanded who al-Masarir thought himself to be to talk badly about the Saudi royal family, according to his lawyers. The Judge in the case stated the Saudi regime had a ‘clear interest and motivation to shut down al-Masarir’s public criticism of the Saudi government.”

In 2022, Saudi Arabia appealed, arguing it had immunity as a state under the 1978 State Immunity Act, when this appeal was rejected, Saudi Arabia ceased to partake in the case, raising questions if al-Masarir will ever receive the compensation.

Al-Masarir’s is not a sole case, in 2021 an investigation concluded that hundreds of British citizens’ devices had been hacked by Pegasus spyware, including Yahya Assiri, the founder of London based human rights organization ALQST. In 2024, Assiri accused Saudi Arabia of using spyware against him at a UK High Court, the case is ongoing. [ see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2016/08/29/apple-tackles-iphone-one-tap-spyware-flaws-after-mea-laureate-discovers-hacking-attempt/]

Al-Masarir winning his case against Saudi Arabia is an important step toward holding the regime accountable for its illegal use of spyware to silence critics, as a form of transnational repression.

The right to freedom of expression must be protected. Human rights defenders must feel safe to critique the wrongdoings of their government. Spyware must not be abused in the silencing of dissidents. Human rights safeguards must be put in place in the sale of spyware, to protect all activists.

Ghaneem al-Masarir, along with all other victims of Saudi Arabia’s cybercrimes, must receive justice for the violation of their fundamental right to privacy. .

Saudi Human Rights Activist awarded £3 million in case against Saudi Arabia

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UN experts concerned by denial of medical care for woman human rights defender Yang Li in China

February 5, 2026

UN human rights experts on 5 February 2026 urged China to immediately grant full access to adequate medical treatment for woman human rights defender, Yang Li, from Jintan, Jiangsu Province, saying that her attempts to travel to Beijing for medical appointments have been intercepted on numerous occasions and allegedly resulted in her arbitrary detention.

“The arrest and indictment of Yang Li appear to represent an effort by the authorities to prevent her from peacefully exercising her rights to seek redress for legitimate grievances. This harassment is compounded by the fact that it was coupled with preventing her from accessing medical treatment,” the experts said.

Yang Li has been advocating against land requisition and crop clearance being carried out by the authorities in Jiangsu Province since 2009. Her efforts to seek redress for her family and members of her community through filing petitions have led to her being administratively detained multiple times since 2014.

Since 2023, Yang Li has consistently attempted to travel to Beijing to file petitions and receive medical treatment. During these attempts, she has been subjected to physical assaults, administrative detention and been prevented from accessing necessary medical treatment – reportedly by officials from the Jintan and Beijing police. In October 2024, Yang Li was placed in criminal detention for the charge of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” which was later changed to “disrupting the work order of state organs.” Yang Li was convicted in September 2025 and sentenced to 15 months imprisonment in a judicial process that indicated several fair trial inconsistencies.

“Yang Li is in urgent need of adequate medical treatment, capable of responding to the late-stage kidney disease she is suffering from,” the experts said. “Her condition appears to have worsened significantly as a result of the repeated denial of medical care, her treatment whilst in prison and the stress she has been subjected to through numerous detentions that appear to have been carried out without legal basis or justification.”

“We urge the authorities to cease the harassment and intimidation of Yang Li and her family and allow her full, immediate access to medical treatment of her choosing, to ensure her health does not further deteriorate and to prevent long-lasting impacts,” the experts said.

The experts have been in contact with the Government of China on these issues.

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/02/china-un-experts-concerned-repeated-denial-medical-care-woman-human-rights

https://www.jurist.org/news/2026/02/un-experts-condemn-chinas-denial-of-medical-treatment-to-human-rights-defender/

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HRW’s annual report: Global system of human rights in ‘peril’ – Will Human Rights Survive a Trumpian World?

February 5, 2026

Philippe Bolopion, Executive Director of HRW, starts the annual report of 2026 with the following words: “The global human rights system is in peril. Under relentless pressure from US President Donald Trump, and persistently undermined by China and Russia, the rules-based international order is being crushed, threatening to take with it the architecture human rights defenders have come to rely on to advance norms and protect freedoms. To defy this trend, governments that still value human rights, alongside social movements, civil society, and international institutions, need to form a strategic alliance to push back.“

…In this context, 2025 may be seen as a tipping point. In just 12 months, the Trump administration has carried out a broad assault on key pillars of US democracy and the global rules-based order, which the US, despite inconsistencies, was, with other states, instrumental in helping to establish.

In short order, Trump’s second-term administration has undermined trust in the sanctity of elections, reduced government accountability, gutted food assistance and healthcare subsidies, attacked judicial independence, defied court orders, rolled back women’s rights, obstructed access to abortion care, undermined remedies for racial harm, terminated programs mandating accessibility for people with disabilities, punished free speech, stripped protections from trans and intersex people, eroded privacy, and used government power to intimidate political opponents, the media, law firms, universities, civil society, and even comedians.

Claiming a risk of “civilizational erasure” in Europe and leaning on racist tropes to cast entire populations as unwelcome in the US, the Trump administration has embraced policies and rhetoric that align with white nationalist ideology. Immigrants and asylum seekers have been subjected to inhumane conditions and degrading treatment; 32 died in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in 2025, and as of mid-January 2026, an additional 4 have died.

The US president of course has the authority to tighten US borders and enforce stricter immigration policies. The administration is not, however, entitled to deny legal process to asylum seekers, mistreat undocumented migrants, or unlawfully discriminate. In a well-functioning democracy, no electoral mandate should supersede domestic legislation, constitutional protections, or international human rights law. Trump’s team has repeatedly bypassed these guardrails.

The violations have not stopped at the border. The Trump administration used a 1798 law to send hundreds of Venezuelan migrants to an infamous prison in El Salvador, where they were tortured and sexually abused. Its blatantly unlawful strikes on boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific extrajudicially killed more than 120 people whom Trump claims were drug traffickers…

A summary can be found in Al-Jazeera of 4 February 2026

https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2026

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/4/global-system-of-human-rights-in-peril-warns-hrw-in-its-annual-report

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A network of legal professionals for the protection of human rights defenders in Africa

February 4, 2026

On 29 January 2026 ISHR, in collaboration with its various partners, announced that it has established a network of legal professionals for the protection of human rights defenders in Africa

Legal professionals and human rights defenders from several African countries came together to finalise the establishment of a network for the protection of human rights defenders in Africa.

This Network aims to be a space for collaboration, solidarity and strategic legal action, with a view to strengthening the collective response to violations of the rights of human rights defenders in Africa. Its establishment is part of a project implemented by the International Service for Human Rights with the support of Open Society Foundations, and in collaboration with national and regional human rights networks.

Participants at this regional meeting reviewed the Network’s founding charter, defining its principles, governance and operating procedures, and identifying common priorities for strengthening the legal protection of human rights defenders on the continent.

Participants noted that in some African countries, violations, criminalisation and impunity persist, even in contexts with specific legal frameworks. Emphasising the need to move beyond isolated approaches, participants agreed to strengthen regional coordination among legal professionals.

During the meeting, the Network members agreed on a set of common principles and values, including a defender-centred approach, commitment, solidarity, independence, apoliticality, professionalism, integrity, and confidentiality. They also defined clear criteria for the Network’s engagement in situations of violations, in order to ensure responsible, strategic actions that respect the safety of defenders.

The meeting also served as an opportunity to discuss the legal challenges faced by defenders in different national contexts, as well as regional and international mechanisms that could strengthen their access to justice and protection.

The members of the Network committed to continuing the work begun at this meeting and to translating the adopted recommendations into concrete actions:

  1. For countries that have not yet adopted an act on the recognition and protection of human rights defenders, to adopt such legislation.
  2. For countries that have adopted such legislation, to implement it and establish national mechanisms for the protection of human rights defenders.

https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/launch-of-the-network-of-legal-professionals-for-the-protection-of-human-rights-defenders-in-africa

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Interpol leaked files reveal states abuse red notices to target dissidents

January 31, 2026

Interpol leaked files reveal states abuse red notices to target dissidents

Derren Chan od JURIST.org wrote on 27 January 2026 about this worrying issue:

Two media outlets reported on states’ abuses of Interpol red notices to target political dissidents and human rights defenders on Monday. Amnesty International urged Interpol to address this “grave institutional failure” and improve its transparency.

Disclose, a French investigative media outlet, reported that Interpol has disclosed to the public less than 10 percent of the 86,000 active red notices. As of September 2024, Russia (4,817), Peru (4,457), and Tajikistan (3,493) are the countries with the most active red notices. The report also revealed that Interpol’s Commission for the Control of Files (CCF) removed at least 322 notices in 2024 alone after deeming them unjustified. In March 2024 an HRW report also highlights cases of governments misusing Interpol, see https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2024/03/19/transnational-repression-human-rights-watch-and-other-reports/

At the same time, the BBC revealed that Interpol quietly dropped some initial measures that prevented Russia from abusing the red notices in 2025. The BBC also reported the phenomenon of countries using Interpol’s messaging systems to trace people abroad instead of issuing a notice that can be challenged by the target.

The BBC’s report also outlined how the abuse of the red notice system impacted the life of an exiled Russian dissident, Igor Pestrikov. He fled the country with his family after he refused to supply metal products to government-designated buyers in 2022. During the two years when a red diffusion against him was active, he was unable to rent an apartment, and his bank accounts were frozen. CCF removed his case after he challenged that Russia’s case against him was politically motivated.

Interpol is an intergovernmental organization that coordinates law enforcement of over 196 member countries. When a member state issues a red notice, law enforcement in other member states will assist in locating and arresting the wanted persons. However, Article 3 of Interpol’s constitution prohibits it from participating in any political interventions.

Reacting to the reports, Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns of Amnesty International, Erika Guevara Rosas, questioned Interpol’s credibility since it failed repeatedly to challenge whether the states use red notices legitimately. She urged Interpol to improve its transparency and “stop serving states’ political interest.” Conversely, Interpol told the BBC that some accusations misunderstood how Interpol and its CCF system work, or are based on factual errors. 

Relatedly, in November 2025, UN experts also flagged El Salvador’s misuse of the red notices to target two exiled Salvadoran human rights defenders, denouncing the country’s use of red notices as a means “to pursue its political agenda to harass and persecute human rights defenders beyond its borders.” According to international lawyer Kate McInnes, this marks the first time that UN Special Rapporteurs have issued a communication to Interpol. The communication warned that the red notices against the human rights offenders constituted transnational repression, violating Interpol’s constitution to uphold the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and to maintain political neutrality.

SEE:

UN experts concerned by Interpol red notices against human rights defenders from El Salvador

https://www.jurist.org/news/2026/01/interpol-leaked-files-reveal-states-abuse-red-notices-to-target-dissidents/

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