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NGOs call on China to ensure Sophia Huang Xueqin’s release

September 17, 2026

Credit: Women’s Media Centre

On 15 September 2026 several NGOs issued a joint Statement on this case:

Journalist and #MeToo activist Sophia Huang Xueqin is due to be released on 18 September after serving an unjust five-year prison sentence. The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, together with other organisations, call on the Chinese authorities to ensure her immediate release and guarantee that, once released, she can carry out her journalism and human rights work without surveillance, harassment, retaliation or other restrictions.

Sophia Huang Xueqin is widely recognised for her work on human rights and commitment to press freedom. She is a journalist and one of the most prominent figures associated with China’s #MeToo movement. For years, she reported on and advocated for gender equality and supported survivors of sexual harassment and gender-based violence.

In September 2021, Sophia was preparing to start graduate studies in the UK. However, she and a friend, human and labour rights activist Wang Jianbing, were arrested in Guangzhou, China on 19 September, and detained incommunicado for more than five months. While in detention, both Sophia and Jianbing were reportedly subjected to ill-treatment, with negative impacts on their health.

During their trial in September 2023, the prosecution focused on their role in co-organising weekly gatherings with fellow activists, as well as their participation in an online course on non-violence and online posts they had published or shared on issues deemed “sensitive” by the Chinese government.

Their convictions in June 2024 for “inciting subversion of state power” were based solely on the permissible exercise of their human rights, including the rights to freedom of the press and expression as well as association. Their case is emblematic of the Chinese government’s ongoing crackdown on journalists, human rights defenders, feminist activists and civil society voices calling for social justice and respect for human rights.

Wang, who was sentenced to three and a half years, was released in March 2025.

While Sophia Huang Xueqin is expected to be released on 18 September, we are concerned that she will face restrictions after leaving prison. She was subject to a “supplemental sentence” of four years’ deprivation of political rights, a punishment that is routinely imposed on human rights defenders and journalists to restrict their ability to speak, publish and organise long after their prison terms end. The legal provisions permitting this punishment are incompatible with international human rights standards, not to mention the fact that no one should be punished simply for exercising their human rights.

We call on the Chinese authorities to:

Ensure Sophia Huang Xueqin is released immediately and is not subjected to any further arbitrary detention and allowed to move freely;
Guarantee her rights to freedom of expression, press, association and peaceful assembly, alongside her right to participate in public life, including her ability to communicate freely with family, friends, supporters and civil society groups;
Ensure she is not subjected to surveillance, harassment, intimidation, retaliation or restrictions on her movement and communications; and
Amend domestic laws, notably the Criminal Law, to ensure their compliance with international law and standards, and prevent the misuse of legal provisions to restrict the rights of human rights defenders and others.

https://www.fidh.org/en/region/asia/china/china-ensure-sophia-huang-xueqin-s-release-and-guarantee-her-freedom

https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/china-ngos-call-for-sophia-huang-xueqins-release-and-full-freedom

Posted in FIDH, Human Rights Defenders, ISHR, Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | Leave a Comment »
Tags: China, fair trial, freedom of expression, history, Human Rights Defenders, joint statement, Journalist, judicial harassment, news, politics, Sophia Huang Xueqin, woman human rights defender

Detention, torture and silence: SOS-Defenders’ 2025 report on censorship by detention — 60 new defenders were jailed last year

September 6, 2026

Repressive governments arbitrarily detained at least 60 human rights defenders across 14 countries in 2025, according to the latest report by the SOS-Defenders platform, a collective initiative of local, regional and international organisations coordinated by the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH-OMCT).

The 2025 edition of the Censorship by Detention report, released on 3 September 2026, documents the use of arbitrary arrest across 14 countries with repressive regimes. The report reveals journalists and bloggers were the single most targeted group, accounting for 28 of the 60 documented detentions, followed by community leaders, academics, NGO members and lawyers. Afghanistan (16), Ethiopia (14) and Guatemala (10) recorded the highest numbers.

Detention is rarely the end of the abuse. Human rights defenders held in 2025 were subjected to physical violence, psychological abuse and forced confessions, secret and prolonged incommunicado detention, and inhuman conditions including prison overcrowding, denial of medical care and prolonged solitary confinement. OMCT’s Global Torture Index rates the risk of torture and ill-treatment for defenders as “Considerable” or worse in 36 of the 38 countries assessed. The report warns that violations behind prison walls remain severely underreported.

“This report is both an alarm and a call to action,” said Stéphanie David, Secretary General of OMCT. “Governments are increasingly using detention not only as punishment, but as a weapon of censorship — and, too often, torture and ill-treatment follow through the prison gates. We refuse to let these defenders be erased: OMCT and its partners will continue to expose these practices.”

“States must act,” added Claudia Virginia Samayoa, President of OMCT and Chair of the SOS-Defenders Advisory Group. “We call on governments to immediately and unconditionally release every human rights defender arbitrarily detained for their peaceful work, to end torture and ill-treatment behind bars, and to guarantee the right to defend human rights for all.”

Conversely, the report highlights that sustained coordinated advocacy, legal action, diplomatic pressure, and collective action contributed to securing the release of 87 defenders across 18 countries, with Belarus (22), Iran (15), Ethiopia (13) and Afghanistan (12) leading.

SOS-Defenders brings together more than 20 local, regional and international civil society organisations, convened under the auspices of the OMCT–FIDH Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. The initiative consolidates global data on the arbitrary detention of defenders on a single public platform to drive coordinated action for their release. Since its launch, the platform has published more than 670 cases of arbitrarily detained defenders.

https://www.fidh.org/en/issues/human-rights-defenders/detention-torture-and-silence-sos-defenders-2025-report-on-censorship

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Tags: annual report 2025, detention, FIDH, Human Rights Defenders, Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, OMCT, Stéphanie David, study, torture

Thailand: New FIDH report details more than a decade of lèse-majesté abuse

September 4, 2026

A new report published on 2 September 2026 by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisation Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) sheds light on the severe human rights impacts of the enforcement of Article 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code (lèse-majesté) since the country’s latest military coup in May 2014.

The report, titled “The unsayable – Q&A on Thailand’s lèse-majesté”, answers 15 frequently asked questions about Article 112 and its implications for human rights, civic space, the media, and democratic development in Thailand.

“The evidence of the serious human rights violation linked to the enforcement of Article 112 is overwhelming and causes great damage to Thailand’s international standing. Reform of Article 112 is long overdue and efforts by Thai civil society to peacefully campaign for such changes should be commended and protected,” said FIDH Vice-President Teppei Ono.

Statistics about lèse-majesté reflect the severity and scope of the human rights violations linked to the enforcement of Article 112. Between May 2014 and July 2026, at least 461 individuals were prosecuted under Article 112, with at least 199 receiving prison sentences. The 10 longest prison sentences imposed under Article 112 averaged approximately 30 years and six months, with the longest sentence reaching 50 years. At least 21 children were prosecuted under Article 112, with the youngest one aged 14.

As of July 2026, 29 individuals remained detained under Article 112. Of these, 12 were detained pending trial or appeal, while the judgments for the remaining 17 had become final. Among those behind bars is prominent pro-democracy activist and human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa, who has accumulated a prison term of over 31 years stemming from 11 lèse-majesté convictions for his speeches and online posts that called for monarchy reform. Three additional lèse-majesté cases remain pending.

At the international level, all the relevant key United Nations (UN) human rights mechanisms have consistently expressed their concerns over various aspects of the enforcement of Article 112 and declared it incompatible with Thailand’s human rights obligations under international law…

FIDH and TLHR call on states to use Thailand’s fourth UPR to raise their concerns over the ongoing abuse of Article 112 and make recommendations to the Thai government to bring this provision into line with international law. FIDH and TLHR also urge Thai authorities to establish a moratorium on new lèse-majesté prosecutions and to immediately release all those who are being deprived of their liberty under Article 112.

**The unsayable – Q&A on Thailand’s lese majeste**

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Tags: freedom of the press, history, human rights, Lese-majesty, media freedom, news, politics, Thailand, the unsayable (report FIDH), UPR

New UNPO report “Disappearing Peoples and Voices: Enforced Disappearances as a Tool of Repression against Human Rights Defenders

August 25, 2026

On 21 August 2026 UNPO has published a new report, “Disappearing Peoples and Voices: A Look into Enforced Disappearances as a Tool of Repression against Human Rights Defenders and Activists,” examining how enforced disappearances are used to silence political dissent and self-determination movements among unrepresented nations and peoples.

Enforced disappearances rank among the most severe human rights violations. Beyond stripping victims of their rights and freedoms, they function as a deliberate mechanism to silence activism and instil fear within entire communities. By removing activists, community leaders and human rights defenders from public life, these practices restrict communities’ ability to document abuses, advocate for their rights and participate meaningfully in national and international discussions on their future. They also create a chilling effect that discourages others from speaking out or engaging in advocacy for fear of similar reprisals. Yet those responsible for enforced disappearances often face minimal, if any, consequences.

Unrepresented nations and peoples are disproportionately affected by this practice, as their lack of equal representation, political participation, and meaningful access to self-determination leaves them with fewer protections and avenues to address enforced disappearances.

The paper follows two webinars held by the UNPO in commemoration of the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances in 2024 and 2025, and it is part of the organisation’s Compromised Spaces campaign, which has documented how states target activists, journalists, and human rights defenders abroad.

Drawing on testimonies gathered directly from UNPO’s membership, the report examines case studies from seven member communities: the Baloch, Sindh, Ahwazi Arabs, Crimean Tatars, Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Iranian Kurds. While each community’s context is distinct, the analysis identifies recurring patterns across cases, including the use of counter-terrorism and national security pretexts to justify repression, the deliberate concealment of victims’ whereabouts, and the extension of these tactics across borders through transnational repression. The report, in fact, examines how states increasingly extend repressive practices beyond their own borders. Transnational repression can involve digital surveillance, intimidation, threats against family members, illegal deportations, political assassinations, and enforced disappearances. These practices create a situation in which leaving a country does not necessarily provide protection, as activists and diaspora communities may continue to face threats and reprisals abroad.

While enforced disappearances remain a global challenge, unrepresented peoples experience their impact disproportionately, given their limited access to formal channels of recognition and redress. The report underscores that, as methods of repression become increasingly sophisticated, including through the use of digital technologies, the importance of impartial and accessible human rights mechanisms capable of protecting those who are excluded and silenced.

At the same time, the report highlights how greater international awareness and collective action can help amplify the voices of affected communities. The same technologies that facilitate repression can also support the search for disappeared persons, maintain connections across borders, and strengthen advocacy. UNPO’s webinars demonstrate the value of bringing affected communities together to share their experiences, raise awareness, and support one another in seeking greater international attention.

https://unpo.org/disappearing-peoples-and-voices-a-look-into-enforced-disappearances-as-a-tool-of-repression-against-human-rights-defenders-and-activists

Prime Minister should refrain from filing criminal lawsuit against human rights defender Yingcheep Atchanont

August 12, 2026

On 22 July 2026, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced that he would file a criminal defamation complaint against Yingcheep Atchanont, the director of the Thai non-governmental organisation Internet Law Reform Dialogue (iLaw), an FIDH member organisation, over allegations linking the Prime Minister to irregularities in the election of the 200-member Senate, which was held between 9 and 26 June 2024. On 4 August 2026the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, urge Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to refrain from filing a criminal defamation complaint against Thai human rights defender Yingcheep Atchanont, in connection with his legitimate work of monitoring public affairs and promoting democratic accountability.

The legal action stemmed from Yingcheep Atchanont’s submission of a petition to the opposition coalition in the House of Representatives on 21 July 2026, seeking a parliamentary examination of allegations that nine politicians from the Bhumjaithai Party, including Prime Minister Anutin, five cabinet ministers, and three senior figures, were involved in vote manipulation during the June 2024 Senate election.

According to iLaw’s investigation, evidence and witness statements suggested irregularities including candidate arrangements, the distribution of voting instructions, and the provision of financial incentives to candidates by networks linked to the Bhumjaithai Party, across different stages of the election process, which raised serious concerns over the integrity and transparency of the polls.

The Observatory recalls that since its founding in 2009, iLaw has played a prominent role in advancing democratic participation, freedom of expression, and a fair justice system in Thailand. The organisation has documented the impact of repressive laws and decrees adopted following the 2006 and 2014 military coups d’état and campaigned for their reform through public engagement and online advocacy. It has also worked to support citizen participation in legislative and constitutional reform processes, particularly through campaigns to collect signatures for proposed legislation and initiatives to amend Thailand’s military-backed 2017 Constitution. In addition, iLaw has contributed to strengthening electoral transparency by systematically documenting voting irregularities and mobilising citizens to participate in election observation.

The June 2024 Senate election gave rise to allegations of systemic fraud and vote-buying. Under the new selection system, more than 40,000 candidates voted among themselves through multiple rounds of selection at the district, provincial, and national levels to determine the 200-member Senate. The results led to public scrutiny particularly due to the disproportionately high number of successful candidates from provinces where the Bhumjaithai Party enjoyed strong electoral support.

A separate investigation conducted jointly by the Election Commission (EC) and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) was concluded in July 2025. The investigation found sufficient evidence to prosecute 229 individuals, including 138 senators and 91 political figures associated with the Bhumjaithai Party, in connection with fraudulent practices during the June 2024 Senate election, in violation of the 2018 Organic Act on the Acquisition of Senators. However, in March 2026, an EC subcommittee voted to overturn the earlier finding. The conflicting recommendations were subsequently submitted to the EC for a final decision, which is expected in late August 2026.

The Observatory denounces the criminal lawsuits against Yingcheep, which appear to be in retaliation against the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression, as enshrined in international human rights law, in particular in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Thailand is a state party.

The Observatory calls upon the Thai authorities to ensure that all complaints are dropped and urges them to take concrete steps towards the decriminalisation of defamation under Articles 326 and 328 of the Criminal Code, which are used to intimidate, silence, and harass human rights defenders in Thailand.

https://www.fidh.org/en/region/asia/thailand/thailand-prime-minister-should-refrain-from-filing-criminal-lawsuit

Posted in FIDH, Human Rights Defenders, Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | Leave a Comment »
Tags: criminal defamation laws, FIDH, freedom of expression, iLaw), judicial harassment, Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, Thailand, Yingcheep Atchanont

FIDH publishes its somber 2025 annual report

August 3, 2026

Paris, 24 July 2026. “Never in recent years have human rights been attacked with such brutality.” These are the words with which FIDH President Alexis Deswaef opens the editorial that sets the tone for the 2025 activity report.

FIDH brings together nearly 200 human rights organisations from around the world. Despite a global context increasingly hostile to human rights and in the face of rising authoritarianism on every continent, FIDH is stepping up its proactive work through the documentation of violations, advocacy initiatives and strategic litigation, as well as by mobilising its network to support the work of human rights defenders.

Among the notable achievements of 2025, mention may be made of the contribution to:
the release of 99 human rights defenders, thanks to the joint action of FIDH and its member organisations;
the recognition by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights of the severity of the crisis in Nicaragua;
the conviction by French courts, under universal jurisdiction, of a leader of a Syrian armed group;
the inclusion, for the first time, of human rights in the final texts of COP 30 in Belem.

By filing a complaint against Franco-Israeli soldiers and raising the alarm over the crackdown on the Palestine solidarity movement in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, FIDH also remained engaged on the situation in Gaza and is committed to a long fight for justice.

In the face of multiple attacks, refusing to give up is what drives the Federation forward. Guided by the same vision for over a century — the absolute universality of human rights — and the conviction that to act is the best way to hope, FIDH will continue to turn warnings into action wherever it can.

Read the full report here.

https://www.fidh.org/en/about-us/What-is-FIDH/

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Tags: Alexis Deswaef, annual report 2025, FIDH, International Federation for Human Rights, Palestine

FIDH and Transparency International jointly tackle corruption with a new human rights-based guide

June 29, 2026

Against a backdrop of rising corruption worldwide, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Transparency International and Transparency International France have joined forces to produce a guide for civil society organisations involved in the human rights and anti-corruption movements. So stated the two NGOs on 25 June 2026.

Corruption is not a victimless crime. When it allows funds intended for public services to be misappropriated, it deprives people of their rights—including the right to healthcare, justice, education and a healthy environment. Moreover, when it leads to the capture of public institutions, it undermines the rule of law, restricts access to justice and enables impunity.

The guide “Breaking the Silos: A Practical Guide to Fighting Corruption with a Human Rights-Based Approach” offers practical tools to better document the impacts of corruption, pursue redress and strengthen the accountability of those responsible, whether they be individuals, companies or states. It emphasises the importance of placing victims at the centre of efforts and of promoting access to justice and redress. The guide is available in English, French and Spanish.

This guide is based on a simple conviction: the movements fighting corruption and defending human rights must join forces to strengthen our actions and develop joint strategies to confront a phenomenon that inflicts profound harm on societies around the world.

The guide covers the steps involved in linking incidents of corruption to human rights abuses and developing strategies for accountability and redress, including:
understanding the links between corruption, human rights, victims and causality;
documenting human rights violations and patterns of grand corruption;
protecting individuals, data, sources and whistleblowers;
holding individuals, companies and states to account;
using advocacy mechanisms and quasi-judicial channels;
using asset recovery as a tool for justice and redress.

Recognising that corruption fuels human rights abuses is vital to protecting human dignity. By placing victims at the centre of efforts, the anti-corruption and human rights communities can make progress in combating grand corruption and its impact on people and their rights.

The PDF of the guide in English can be downloaded here. An interactive version of the guide will be available shortly.

https://www.fidh.org/en/issues/corruption/fidh-and-transparency-international-join-forces-to-tackle-corruption

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Tags: anti corruption, Breaking the Silos, corruption, FIDH, guidelines, history, Human Rights Defenders, news, philosophy, politics, Transparency International

FIDH and OMCT urge the European Union to establish a directive on the protection and mobility of human rights defenders

April 28, 2026

In a letter οf 27 April 2026, addressed to leaders of the European Parliament, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) within the framework of the Observatory, as part of the Human Rights and Democracy Network (HRDN), call for the establishment of a European Union (EU) directive aiming at protecting human rights defenders within the EU.

The Human Rights and Democracy Network welcomes the European Commission’s renewed commitment, as part of the EU Civil Society Strategy, to scale up its support to ensure an enabling environment for civil society and human rights defenders across the world. In this context, HRDN urges the European Commission to take a decisive step toward establishing a Directive on the Protection and Mobility of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs), creating a coherent and predictable framework for their protection within the European Union.

Across the world, human rights defenders, including journalists, lawyers, environmental activists, women’s rights leaders, and LGBTIQ+ advocates, face increasing risks as a direct consequence of their work. They expose abuses, challenge corruption, and defend communities. Their courage upholds human rights, democracy and the rule of law both within and outside Europe’s borders.

While the EU and its Member States have established valuable relocation and protection mechanisms, these remain fragmented, short-term, unavailable to those most at risk and inconsistent as reports and studies have shown HRDs at risk are currently left with only two main pathways: temporary relocation programmes, often led by civil society or a few Member States, or the asylum system, which is designed for those unable to return home. Between these two options lies a wide and growing gap. Many defenders require temporary protection and mobility to continue their work, but face bureaucratic barriers, inflexible visa systems with indirect discriminatory impacts, and a lack of harmonised procedures.

A Directive on the Protection and Mobility of Human Rights Defenders (providing equal measures to a Temporary Protection Directive, as recommended in the study requested by the DROI Subcommittee of the European Parliament and called for by civil society) would bridge this gap by creating an EU-wide framework for safe entry, residence, and participation. It would introduce fast and flexible visa procedures, temporary but renewable residence permits, and the right to work, study, and continue advocacy while in safety. Such a Directive would also ensure fair responsibility sharing among Member States and foster cooperation with civil society organisations that host and support defenders.

This initiative aligns closely with the objectives of the EU Civil Society Strategy and the European Democracy Action Plan, translating policy commitments into a tangible protection mechanism. It would also complement the Human Rights Defenders Mechanism (ProtectDefenders.eu) by ensuring that the EU provides not only emergency support but also structured mobility pathways that allow defenders to rebuild, reconnect, and continue their work in safety inside the EU.

https://www.fidh.org/en/international-advocacy/european-union/eu-the-european-union-must-establish-a-directive-on-the-protection

Posted in EU, FIDH, Human Rights Defenders, Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | Leave a Comment »
Tags: asylum, Directive on the Protection and Mobility of Human Rights Defenders, Human Rights and Democracy Network, Human Rights Defenders, relocation, temporary relocation

Acid Attack Against Human Rights Defender Andrie Yunus in Indonesia

March 14, 2026

Front Line, Amnesty International, Forum Asia and several newspapers reported on this shocking event: On the evening of 12 March 2026, human rights defender Andrie Yunus became the victim of a targeted acid attack by two unidentified perpetrators in Central Jakarta. The human rights defender sustained severe chemical burns, including on his hands, face, chest, and eyes. The attack occurred immediately after Andrie Yunus participated in a podcast on ‘Remilitarism and Judicial Review in Indonesia’, a central topic of his human rights work. The human rights defender fell from his motorcycle, experiencing severe pain. He was immediately brought to the nearest hospital for emergency treatment. Medical examination confirmed burns on approximately 24% of his body.

Andrie Yunus is a human rights defender and the Deputy Coordinator for External Affairs of KontraS, the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (Komisi untuk Orang Hilang dan Korban Tindak Kekerasan). Founded in 1998, it is one of Indonesia’s leading human rights organisations. KontraS monitors human rights situation in Indonesia and documents cases of enforced disappearances and state violence. Andrie Yunus was among the human rights defenders and activists who participated in the Fairmont Protest in March 2025. Since then, he has repeatedly been targeted with intimidation and harassment in connection with his human rights work. At the Fairmont Protest, Andrie Yunus was part of the efforts to oppose the revision of Indonesia’s Military Law (RUU TNI), which allows active-duty military officers to hold positions in 14 state institutions without needing to resign. The ratification of this law in March 2025 led to a significant expansion of the military into civilian and political affairs.

According to KontraS, none of Andrie Yunus’s belongings were stolen during or after the attack, indicating that robbery was not the motive. The organisation affirms that the attack was premeditated as the perpetrators selected the specific time and location immediately after Andrie Yunus’s public engagement on militarism in Indonesia. This attack has been the most severe incident in the series of intimidation attempts and violations against KontraS and its staff members. Since March 2025, KontraS’s office in Jakarta has been surveiled by unidentified persons and on multiple occasions in March and April 2025, army vehicles were observed stopping outside the office and photographing the premises.

Front Line Defenders strongly condemns the acid attack against human rights defender Andrie Yunus and asserts that it was a reprisal for his legitimate and peaceful work in the promotion and protection of human rights in Indonesia. Front Line Defenders is gravely concerned that this attack forms part of a broader and escalating pattern of intimidation targeting KontraS and other human rights defenders in the country.

Moreover: Unidentified assailants ambushed Veronika Lumban Tobing in Jakarta, beating her and warning her to halt activism on corruption and indigenous land rights. This violence directly ties to her exposés on elite-driven encroachments in North Sumatra, mirroring patterns where Human Rights advocates face retaliation for public interest work.

https://impactpolicies.org/news/840/indonesias-hrd-assault-signals-free-speech-crisis-under-eit-law

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/acid-attack-against-human-rights-defender-andrie-yunus

Acid attack on human rights defender must be investigated

https://en.antaranews.com/amp/news/408402/indonesias-kontras-urges-probe-after-activist-hurt-in-acid-attack

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/indonesian-activist-maimed-in-acid-attack-ngo-urges-probe

https://www.kompas.id/artikel/en-teror-terhadap-andrie-yunus-terindikasi-terorganisir-yusril-desak-polisi-usut-tuntas

https://forum-asia.org/andrie-yunus-attack/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=andrie-yunus-attack

https://en.tempo.co/read/2092670/andrie-yunus-case-a-test-for-indonesia-at-un-human-rights-council

https://www.thejakartapost.com/opinion/2026/03/16/a-brutal-warning-shot-the-decisive-moment-for-indonesias-fragile-democracy.html

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/military-officers-arrested-over-acid-attack-on-human-rights-campaigner-andrie-yunus-in-jakarta/ar-AA1YUzcd?apiversion=v2&domshim=1&noservercache=1&noservertelemetry=1&batchservertelemetry=1&renderwebcomponents=1&wcseo=1

Four members of the Indonesian Armed Forces have been arrested over an acid attack on a human rights activist in Jakarta

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/insight/four-hunted-over-activist-acid-attack/gm-GM6FBB4DAA?gemSnapshotKey=GM6FBB4DAA-snapshot-0&uxmode=ruby

https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/03/24/indonesia-acid-attack-against-rights-activist

https://www.fidh.org/en/region/asia/indonesia/indonesia-conviction-of-military-personnel-falls-short-in-delivering

BUT https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/09/09/indonesian-military-court-reduces-acid-attack-sentences

Posted in Amnesty international, FIDH, Front Line, HRW, Human Rights Council, Human Rights Defenders | 1 Comment »
Tags: acid attacks, Andrie Yunus, FIDH, Human rights defender, Human Rights Watch, impunity, Indonesia, Kontras, Reprisal, Veronika Lumban Tobing

9 March 2026: important Geneva event on transnational repression of human rights defenders

March 4, 2026

The event “Tackling the protection gap: Host States’ responsibility to prevent and respond to transnational repression” will bring together defenders and UN experts to discuss the international human rights law obligations of States in respect of transnational repression against individuals and groups within their territory, as well as the strengthening of international standards, and gaps arising from shortcomings in their implementation domestically.

Location: Geneva, Switzerland. Date: 09 March 2026. Palais des Nations, Room VIII. Time: 2:00PM – 3:00PM CET and livestreamed on ISHR’s YouTube channel.!

Research from international organisations, NGOs and academics shows that transnational repression (TNR) – acts by States and their proxies to deter, silence or punish dissent, criticism or advocacy outside their territory – is affecting a growing array of individuals and groups worldwide.^[1] With the emergence of new surveillance and communication technologies, many actors have found new avenues to silence and punish critics and opponents. The most common targets have been exiled human rights defenders and political activists, but today broader groups such as journalists, lawyers, artists, academics and ordinary members of diaspora communities are frequently targeted. See e.g.

https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2024/03/19/transnational-repression-human-rights-watch-and-other-reports/ and

https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2024/03/19/transnational-repression-human-rights-watch-and-other-reports/

Freedom House Transnational Repression dataset: https://freedomhouse.org/report/transnational-repression

Human Rights Watch, “We Will Find You” A Global Look at How Governments Repress Nationals Abroad, 2024, https://www.hrw.org/report/2024/02/22/we-will-find-you/global-look-how-governments-repress-nationals-abroad;

The immediate effect of TNR is the violation of, or constraint on the exercise of, fundamental human rights. States have obligations towards those subject to such violations taking effect within their territory. These obligations have long been recognised, but have not yet been the subject of focused discussion in relation to TNR, leaving the scope and nature of the duties of host States unclear.

This event will bring together defenders and UN experts to discuss the international human rights law obligations of States in respect of transnational repression against individuals and groups within their territory, as well as the strengthening of international standards, and gaps arising from shortcomings in their implementation domestically.

Speakers:

Sayed Ahmed al-Wadaei, Director of Advocacy, Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD)
Birgit Kainz-Labbe, Coordinator of Civic Space Unit, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Ben Saul, UN Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights
Hélène Tigroudja, Human Rights Committee, Vice-Chair

Moderator: Raphael Viana David, International Service for Human Rights

This event is organised by ISHR and co-hosted with Human Rights Watch, Human Rights House Foundation and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).

https://ishr.ch/events/tackling-the-protection-gap-host-states-responsibility-to-prevent-and-respond-to-transnational-repression

https://sovanews.tv/en/2026/04/19/freedom-house-lists-georgia-among-countries-using-transnational-repression-tactics/amp/

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/digital-exile-when-distance-does-not-end-the-threat-exile-is-often-imagined-as-an-escape

Posted in FIDH, Freedom House, HRW, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, Human Rights Foundation, ISHR | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Artificial intelligence, Ben Saul, Birgit Kainz-Labbe, FIDH, Freedom House, Geneva, Georgia, Human Rights Defenders, Human Rights Watch, ISHR, live streaming, Panel of Experts, Sayed Ahmed al-Wadaei, transnational represion

Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards