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10 NGOs Taking Action for Transitional Justice

November 20, 2025
Human Rights Careers

In the aftermath of conflict, dictatorship, or mass human rights violations, societies face the challenge of addressing past atrocities while rebuilding for the future. Transitional justice refers to a set of legal and social mechanisms designed to achieve justice, accountability, and reconciliation in such contexts. These processes include truth commissions, criminal prosecutions, reparations for victims, and institutional reforms aimed at preventing future abuses. Rooted in the principles of human rights and international law, transitional justice seeks to balance the need for justice and survivor healing with the complexities of political and social stability.

Across the world, many charities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) play a crucial role in supporting transitional justice efforts. Whether by documenting human rights abuses, advocating for victims, or facilitating truth and reconciliation initiatives, these organisations help societies navigate the difficult journey toward justice and peace. This article by Barbara Listek explores some of the key NGOs working in the field, highlighting their impact in post-conflict and post-authoritarian contexts.

#1. International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ)

The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) supports societies recovering from mass human rights violations by helping them confront the past and build more just and inclusive futures. Working alongside victims, local communities, and institutions, ICTJ provides expertise on truth commissions, reparations, criminal accountability, and institutional reform. Whether advising on the creation of truth-seeking bodies or supporting prosecutions of those responsible for serious crimes, the organisation’s work is rooted in the belief that acknowledging harm and delivering justice are essential for healing and long-term peace.

Since its founding, ICTJ has played a key role in transitional justice processes across the globe, including in Colombia, Tunisia, and The Gambia. Its approach is deeply grounded in the lived experiences of survivors, ensuring that justice efforts are not only technically sound but also meaningful to those most affected. By focusing on systemic change and survivor-centred solutions, ICTJ works to prevent the recurrence of violence and strengthen democratic institutions in countries emerging from repression and conflict.

#2. REDRESS

Redress is a London-based organisation founded by British businessman Keith Carmichael after he was unlawfully detained and tortured in Saudi Arabia. Frustrated by the lack of legal support and accountability available to survivors like himself, Carmichael launched REDRESS to fill a critical gap in access to justice. His personal experience became the driving force behind the charity’s mission: to secure justice and reparation for victims of torture and other grave human rights violations.

Now more than 30 years old, REDRESS continues to lead efforts globally to end impunity for torture. The organisation provides legal representation to survivors, supports strategic litigation before national and international courts, and advocates for stronger laws and policies that prevent torture and ensure reparations. By working directly with survivors, while also influencing governments and international institutions, REDRESS helps ensure that survivors’ voices are heard and that justice becomes a meaningful reality, central to any process of healing and transitional justice.

#3. The Center for Justice and Accountability

The Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA) is an organisation founded in 1998 on the principle, first used during the Nuremberg trials after World War II, that certain crimes are so egregious that they represent offences against all humankind. These crimes include genocide, crimes against humanity, extrajudicial killing and torture, and as CJA argues, they should never go unanswered.

CJA’s approach is survivor-led and collaborative. The organisation works closely with local partners and in-country prosecutors to build cases that centre the voices and experiences of those most affected. Alongside this, CJA advocates for stronger laws and policies that make it harder for abusers to escape justice and hold everyone accountable to the human rights standards.

#4. The African Transitional Justice Legacy Fund

The African Transitional Justice Legacy Fund (ATJLF) is an organisation launched in 2019 to support African-led responses to past atrocities, rooted in the belief that sustainable peace and justice must be shaped by those directly affected. Backed by the MacArthur Foundation and WellSpring Philanthropic Fund, the ATJLF emerged alongside the African Union’s Transitional Justice Policy, helping translate its goals into practical, community-driven action. Managed initially by the Ghana-based Institute for Democratic Governance, the Fund has since become a nine-year institutionalised effort supporting civil society across West Africa.

By empowering survivor-led groups and grassroots initiatives, the ATJLF has helped amplify voices often excluded from transitional justice processes. Since its inception, over $2.5 million has been distributed to 46 organisations working in countries including Guinea, Liberia, and The Gambia. As it enters its legacy phase (2024–2026), the Fund is scaling its efforts beyond West Africa and focusing on deeper, long-term partnerships to ensure the impact of its work endures well beyond its closure.

#5. Impunity Watch

Impunity Watch is an international non-profit organisation working with victims of violence to deliver redress for grave human rights violations and to promote justice and peace. The organisation approaches transitional justice work through a victim-centred approach, taking into account the long-standing criticism of transitional justice not being sufficiently victim-centred. It is also their aim to overcome systemic impunity and its root causes in order to achieve transformative justice (here we could link the article I wrote on transformative justice, but it is not published yet).

For more information about the organisation, we recommend visiting their website for an abundant collection of resources and information, such as the charity’s 2023-2027 Strategic Plan, information about the complex work Impunity Watch does, as well as their multimedia resources section.

#6. Global Survivors Fund

The Global Survivors Fund (GSF) is an international charity organisation based in Switzerland, that has it as its mission to enhance the access to reparations for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence around the globe. It was founded in 2019 by Dr Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad – 2018 Nobel Peace Prize laureates.

The organisation’s work is centred around three core pillars: acting to provide interim reparative measures in situations where States or other parties are unable or unwilling to meet their responsibilities; advocating for the legally responsible parties (duty-bearers) and the international community to develop reparation programmes; and guiding States and civil society by providing expertise and technical support for designing reparation programmes.

To learn more about the organisation’s transformative work, donate or find information about positions openings, visit their website.

#7. Global Initiative for Justice, Truth and Reconciliation

Founded in 2014, the Global Initiative for Justice, Truth and Reconciliation (GIJTR) is a consortium of nine global organisations dedicated to addressing the transitional justice needs of societies emerging from conflict or periods of authoritarian rule. The initiative collaborates with communities worldwide to amplify survivors’ voices and inspire collective action in confronting human rights violations. By addressing past traumas, GIJTR aims to pave the way for a more just and peaceful future.

Over the past decade, GIJTR has engaged with communities in over 70 countries, collaborating with more than 800 local civil society organisations and supporting over 500 grassroots projects. Its initiatives include documenting human rights abuses, providing technical assistance to civil society activists, and promoting reparative justice efforts. Notably, the organisation has worked alongside survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in contexts such as Bangladesh, Colombia, and Guinea, supporting them in advocating for their rights and developing community-based programs aimed at meeting survivors’ needs.

#8. International Coalition of Sites of Conscience

The International Coalition of Sites of Conscience is the only global network of historic sites, museums, and memory initiatives that connects past struggles to today’s human rights movements. With over 350 members in 65 countries, its mission is to ensure that the sites preserve the memory of past injustices while fostering dialogue and learning that prevent future violations.

Their slogan being “Remembering is a Form of Resistance,” the Coalition works with local communities, governments, and international partners to ensure that these sites serve as platforms for reconciliation, education, and activism. It convenes impactful projects and initiatives as well as training events that bring together site professionals, historians, and activists to develop best practices for memory‑based reconciliation and community empowerment

If you are interested in how museums can contribute to upholding human rights, or would like to visit one of such sites, we recommend checking out our article on “20 Human Rights Museums Around The World” to discover inspiring spaces that might be worth visiting (perhaps on your next trip!).

#9. Post-Conflict Research Center

The Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC) is a Sarajevo-based, women-led research centre and NGO, dedicated to advancing transitional justice and promoting peace in post-conflict societies. Founded in 2011 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, PCRC works on issues related to justice, accountability, reconciliation, and human rights. Its efforts include conducting research, providing education, and supporting projects aimed at improving social cohesion and fostering sustainable peace. PCRC is also involved in advocacy and works with local and international organisations to develop and implement policies that address the needs of survivors of conflict and promote justice for atrocities.

PCRC’s signature programmes include Balkan Diskurs, an online platform empowering young journalists to report on regional issues, and Ordinary Heroes, a multimedia project showcasing stories of rescue and courage to promote tolerance and reconciliation. Its work has earned international recognition, including the 2014–15 Intercultural Innovation Award from the UN Alliance of Civilizations and the BMW Group, and praise from the Council of Europe for its exemplary peace education model.

Are you inspired by PCRC’s blend of research and action? Learn what it takes to follow in their footsteps by reading our guide on “How to Become a Human Rights Researcher.”

#10. Rights for Peace

Rights for Peace is a London-based international organisation that seeks to address the root causes of violence and promote peace through human rights advocacy and transitional justice. Focusing on countries in transition from conflict or repression, Rights for Peace engages with local communities to ensure that victims of violence are heard and that justice mechanisms are effective. It works to strengthen the rule of law, promote accountability, and support processes of social healing through legal reforms and community-led initiatives. By fostering a culture of peace and justice, the organisation aims to prevent the recurrence of violence and contribute to long-term stability.

Currently active in Sudan and South Sudan, Rights for Peace collaborates with local partners to strengthen rule‑of‑law institutions and ensure that victims’ voices shape accountability processes. Its casework includes monitoring identity‑based violations and developing strategic litigation to hold perpetrators accountable, reflecting the organisation’s commitment to survivor‑centred justice.

10 Charities Taking Action for Transitional Justice
Transitional justice efforts around the world

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European Parliament pledges to tackle transnational repression against human rights defenders

November 15, 2025

On 14 November 2025, Scilla Alecci of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, Inc. (ICIJ) wrote about a parliamentary report which identified China and other authoritarian regimes as harassing and attacking dissidents abroad, echoing findings from ICIJ’s China Targets.

European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium.

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution urging member states to confront efforts by authoritarian regimes to coerce, control or silence political opponents and dissidents living in Europe. “Human rights defenders are a key pillar of democracy and the rule of law, and they are insufficiently protected,” a statement from the parliament said.

The resolution, adopted with a majority of 512 votes (to 76 against and 52 abstentions), called for targeted sanctions against perpetrators, market surveillance of spyware and better coordination among European authorities to counter what lawmakers labeled “transnational repression.”

“For the first time, the European Union will call this phenomenon by its name,” rapporteur Chloe told reporters ahead of the Nov. 13 vote. [see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2024/03/19/transnational-repression-human-rights-watch-and-other-reports/]

The resolution is not legally binding but signals that European lawmakers want to take a clear position on the issue and draw attention to it, Elodie Laborie, a spokesperson for the Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights, told the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists in an email.

The parliamentary report identifies China, Egypt and Russia among 10 countries whose governments are responsible for nearly 80% of known cases, which include targeted killings, abductions, harassment and the misuse of international policing tools such as Interpol’s red notice system.

It confirms findings by ICIJ’s China Targets investigation, which revealed how Beijing continues to use surveillance, hacking and threats against Chinese and Hong Kong dissidents, Uyghur and Tibetan advocates and their families to quash any criticism of the regime abroad.

See also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2025/04/28/chinas-tactics-to-block-voices-of-human-rights-defenders-at-the-un-major-report/

https://www.icij.org/investigations/china-targets/european-parliament-pledges-to-tackle-transnational-repression-against-human-rights-defenders

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Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International condemn Tunisia’s ‘assault on the rule of law’

November 15, 2025

On 14 November 2025, Al Jazeera (Mariamne Everett) and other media reported that international NGOs, such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have decried a sharp decline in civil liberties and a pervading “injustice” in Tunisia since President Kais Saied came to power in 2019, as authorities escalate their crackdown on the opposition, activists and foreign nongovernmental organisations.

“Tunisian authorities have increasingly escalated their crackdown on human rights defenders and independent non-governmental organizations (NGOs) through arbitrary arrests, detention, asset freezes, bank restrictions and court-ordered suspensions, all under the pretext of fighting ‘suspicious’ foreign funding and shielding ‘national interests’,” Amnesty International said in a statement on Friday.

Tunisia’s crackdown on civil society has reached an unprecedented level, according to Amnesty, as six NGO workers and human rights defenders from the Tunisian Council for Refugees are “being criminally prosecuted on charges solely related to their legitimate work supporting refugees and asylum seekers”. The trial’s opening session, initially scheduled for October 16, has been adjourned to November 24.

Within the past four months, Tunisia has temporarily suspended the activities of at least 14 Tunisian and international NGOs, said Amnesty, including the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women and the World Organisation against Torture.

UN experts call for justice for Tunisian human rights defender Sihem Bensedrine

Human Rights Watch said in a statement on Friday that Tunis’s Court of Appeal will hear on November 17 the appeal of more than 30 people “unjustly sentenced to heavy prison terms in a politically motivated ‘Conspiracy Case’” mass trial in April.

“Four of those detained are on hunger strike, including one who, according to his lawyers, was subjected to physical violence in prison on November 11.”

The defendants were charged with plotting to destabilise the country under various articles of Tunisia’s Penal Code and the 2015 Counterterrorism Law. Human Rights Watch, which reviewed the judicial documents, said the charges are unfounded and lack credible evidence. The NGO has called on the court to immediately overturn the convictions and ensure the release of all those detained.

The 37 people detained include opponents of Saied, lawyers, activists and researchers. Their prison terms range from four to 66 years for “conspiracy against state security” and terrorism offences. Jawhar Ben Mbarek – cofounder of Tunisia’s main opposition alliance, the National Salvation Front – began a hunger strike on October 29 to protest his arbitrary detention. Ben Mbarek was sentenced to 18 years behind bars on charges of “conspiracy against state security” and “belonging to a terrorist group”.

Note that on 10 November the Martin Ennals Award announced that Saadia Mosbah, a leading Tunisian human rights activist and co-founder of Mnemty (‘My Dream’), was selected as a runner up. [see https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2025/11/10/breaking-news-women-human-rights-defenders-recognised-with-the-2025-martin-ennals-award/]

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2025/11/14/rights-groups-decry-tunisias-injustice-crackdown-on-activists

https://www.ft.com/content/15a04a32-f975-4f5e-9748-874f8e26cbe5

Tunisia: Escalating crackdown on human rights organizations reaches critical levels

https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20251130-prominent-tunisian-activist-chaima-issa-arrested-as-hundreds-protest-clampdown-on-dissent

https://thearabweekly.com/tunisia-calls-eu-parliament-rights-resolution-blatant-interference-releases-high-profile-lawyer

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Breaking news: Women human rights defenders recognised with the 2025 Martin Ennals Award

November 10, 2025

For this 31st edition, ten of the world’s leading human rights NGOs composing the Jury of the Martin Ennals Award – Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, FIDH, HURIDOCS, Bread for the World, Human Rights First, World Organisation Against Torture, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), and Front Line Defenders – have selected, after much deliberation, three human rights defenders for their exceptional contribution to the human rights movement. [se also https://www.trueheroesfilms.org/thedigest/awards/043F9D13-640A-412C-90E8-99952CA56DCE]

The 2025 Laureate is Ana Paula Gomes de Oliveira (Brazil), who co-founded the collective ‘Mothers of Manguinhos’ to fight for justice after the killing of her son, a 19-year-old Black man, who was shot in the back by a military police officer in the favelas of Rio on his way back from his girlfriend’s house in May 2014. The collective serves as a front for resistance and advocacy, but also as a network of emotional support and solidarity between women who share stories of similar loss. These women, in their majority Black, many of whom have lost children and other family members to violent actions by law enforcement officials, came together to denounce violence in the favelas, especially police violence that disproportionately affects poor Black youth. ‘When we are born Black and raised in the favelas, we are targeted by a racist system that is also reinforced by public security policies based on death and imprisonment,’ says Ana Paula. According to the UN, killings by the police have more than doubled in the last ten years in Brazil, with more than 6000 killings every year over the past six years. Black people, overwhelmingly men, represent a shocking rate of 82,7% of the killings by police officers in 2023. ‘The racist violence in Brazilian streets merits the full attention of the federal government and the international community,’ says Hans Thoolen, Chair of the Martin Ennals Award Jury. The collective ‘Mothers of Manguinhos’ fights for truth, memory, justice, freedom and the human rights of Black, poor, and peripheral lives. The collective is a member of the UN Antiracism Coalition (UNARC) and during the 57th session of the Human Rights Council, Ana Paula delivered a powerful message at a side event organised by UNARC on the perspectives of the Afro-Brazilian community directly affected by police violence in Brazil.

The Jury also recognised two finalists:  Aloikin Praise Opoloje (Uganda) and Saadia Mosbah (Tunisia).

Aloikin Praise Opoloje is a 26-year-old Ugandan student who has become a leading voice against corruption, social injustice, and human rights abuses in Uganda. Inspired by the dire living and educational conditions in her home district of Palisa, she has mobilised thousands through social media and organised major peaceful protests, including the March to Parliament and the Nude Protest against government mismanagement, which prompted official accountability for the Kiteezi landfill tragedy. Despite repeated arrests in 2024 and ongoing legal charges, Aloikin went on to create the WeThePeople movement, which informs young Ugandans about their civic rights and non-violent resistance.

Saadia Mosbah is a leading Tunisian human rights activist and co-founder of Mnemty (‘My Dream’), the main organisation dedicated to fighting racism and racial discrimination in Tunisia. She has spearheaded initiatives through education, awareness raising and legislative advocacy, which have led to the 2016 national debate on systemic racism, the adoption of the Anti-Racism Law No. 50 (2018), and the declaration of 23 January as the National Day for the Abolition of Slavery for Tunisia (since 2019). Her work has also focused on combatting prejudice against migrant people and promoting migrant and refugee rights. Despite her legitimate activism, Saadia Mosbah and Mnemty have faced intense smear  campaigns. She was arrested on 6 May 2024 on false accusations of financial crimes and remains in pre-trial detention without a set trial date.

The UN High Commissioner for human rights will award the selected laureate during the ceremony to take place on 26 November 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland. [https://www.martinennalsaward.org/2025-edition/]

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/statement-report/martin-ennals-award-2025-laureate-and-finalists-announced

https://crm.ishr.ch/civicrm/mailing/view?reset=1&id=1761&cid=8618&cs=2024ebbc1d0d243bef9dca9f079add01_1762761923_168

https://www.amnestyusa.org/press-releases/brazil-police-massacre-in-rio-de-janeiro-is-evidence-yet-again-of-systemic-and-racist-violence/

https://www.fidh.org/en/region/americas/brazil/brazil-police-repression-and-massacre-in-rio-de-janeiro

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Nominations for the 2026 Front Line Defenders Award now open

November 6, 2025
Home

The Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk [see also https://www.trueheroesfilms.org/thedigest/awards/2E90A0F4-6DFE-497B-8C08-56F4E831B47D] was established in 2005. You can now submit your nomination for the 2026 Front Line Defenders Award online. Simply answer the questions by clicking the link below and when you have answered all of the questions, input the four digit security code and click on the submit button.

The Front Line Defenders Award is intended for HRDs for whom visibility can contribute to their security and who have not already had a lot of international recognition for their human rights work.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS: 23rd January 2026

Selection Criteria:

  • the nature of human rights defender’s work
  • the impact of human rights defender’s work in advancing the rights of others
  • the level of risk or negative consequences associated with human rights defender’s work
  • the continued commitment to advancing human rights, despite high level risks
  • the potential impact of receiving the Award on the human rights defender and their work

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/secure/nomination.php?l=en

https://www2.fundsforngos.org/individuals/front-line-defenders-award-for-human-rights-defenders-at-risk-2026/

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Day of the Dead 2025: PEN International, Amnesty International, ARTICLE 19, and PEN Centres honour journalists killed in Mexico 

November 3, 2025

Every journalist who dares to speak the truth faces danger, yet their courage lights the path for all of us. Remembering those killed is not enough; we must demand justice, protection, and a world where truth can be spoken without fear”. Burhan Sonmez, PEN International President  

31 October 2025: On the Day of the Dead, we the undersigned, honour the journalists  in Mexico who have been killed for their work. This act of remembrance is also an urgent appeal: violence against the press has reached alarming levels in the region. In Mexico, practicing journalism carries deadly risks. The Mexican State must acknowledge this reality and take immediate action. 

PEN International and Article 19’s Mexico and Central America office have documented the killing of at least ten journalists over the past twelve months in Mexico. Seven of these cases are believed to be directly linked to their work, while the motives behind the remaining three killings are still under investigation. The past year,  UNESCO, PEN, CPJ, RSF also recorded the murder of journalists in Brazil (1), Colombia (3), Ecuador (2), Honduras (1), Guatemala (1), Haiti (2), and Peru (2), positioning Mexico once again as the country with the highest number of journalists murdered in the continent. The murders of journalists are closely linked to their reporting on matters of high public interest, including corruption, organised crime, drug trafficking, human rights violations, environmental concerns, and abuses of power. 

The brutality of the attacks, combined with entrenched impunity, has created a perpetual cycle of violence that undermines not only the right to freedom of expression but also the public’s right to be informed. 

Despite its international obligations, the Mexican State continues to fail to ensure the protection of journalists and a safe environment for journalism, and to deliver effective justice for victims and their families. 

This reflects a reality that cannot be ignored: Mexico faces not only a crisis of violence, but also a crisis of structural impunity that enables attacks to continue without consequence. Such impunity creates a chilling effect of self-censorship, restraint, and fear among journalists. 

Emblematic cases 

We remember the journalists Kristian Uriel Martínez Zavala and Calletano de Jesús Guerrero,  killed in Mexico in 2025. …

see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2020/08/24/killing-of-journalists-in-mexico-juan-carlos-morrugares-the-latest-victim/

Mexico’s ongoing crisis is no accident. It is the result of entrenched impunity and a state either unable or unwilling to protect those who bring truth to light. 

We urge the Mexican State to: 

  1. Take concrete steps to guarantee that journalists in Mexico can exercise their right to freedom of expression without fear of reprisals. 
  2. Review and strengthen the Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists, ensuring that effective measures are deployed swiftly. 
  3. Undertake thorough, impartial, and independent investigations into the killings of and attacks on journalists, and deliver effective justice for victims and their families. 

Signed:

PEN International 

Amnesty International 

ARTICLE 19 

https://www.pen-international.org/news/day-of-the-dead-2025-pen-international-amnesty-international-article-19-and-pen-centres-honour-journalists-killed-in-mexico

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NGO Statement on the International Day of Political Prisoners (30 October)

October 30, 2025
Freedom House Logo - Torch next to words Freedom House

On this International Day of Political Prisoners, the NGOs mentioned below stand together to affirm a simple truth: no one should be imprisoned for exercising their fundamental rights or for peacefully expressing their beliefs. Yet around the world, there are an estimated one million political prisoners, who are unjustly detained for political reasons. These individuals—journalists, human rights defenders, democratic opposition leaders, religious leaders, artists, and ordinary citizens—represent the conscience of their societies. Their imprisonment is an assault not only on their freedom, but on the shared principles of human dignity and justice.

The International Day of Political Prisoners originated in the Soviet Union in 1974, when  political prisoners collectively held a one-day hunger strike. Soviet prisoners of conscience repeated this protest every October 30, supported by demonstrations of solidarity in major cities. In response to Vladimir Putin’s ongoing and deepening repression, Russian political prisoners rekindled the tradition in 2021. In the years since, it has become an international day of solidarity with political prisoners worldwide.

Political imprisonment corrodes the rule of law, silences dissent, undermines press freedom, and weakens the foundations of democracy. Authoritarian governments use it to suppress opposition, instill fear, and consolidate control. Each unjust detention sends a chilling message to others who seek to speak truth to power.

We, as organizations who advocate on behalf of those unjustly detained around the world, call on democratic governments to continue to make the release of political prisoners a global priority—to raise these cases consistently in bilateral and multilateral forums, to request information and specific actions be taken on the prisoners’ behalf, to support accountability mechanisms, and to continue to provide support to organizations that advocate on behalf of those unjustly detained and provide legal and humanitarian assistance to them and their families. Solidarity with the unjustly detained must be sustained, coordinated, and visible.

We also stand in solidarity with the families, lawyers, and civil-society organizations who continue to advocate for freedom in the face of repression. Their courage reminds us that the defense of liberty is a collective responsibility.

On this day, and every day, we reaffirm our shared commitment to the universal right to freedom of thought, expression, association, and belief. The world’s political prisoners must not be forgotten—and their freedom must remain a global cause.

Signed:

  1. Freedom House
  2. Free Russia Foundation
  3. McCain Institute
  4. National Endowment for Democracy
  5. Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran
  6. Al-Tahreer Association for Development (TAD)
  7. Amnesty International
  8. Center for Civil Liberties
  9. Committee to Protect Journalists
  10. Freedom Now
  11. George W. Bush Institute
  12. Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign
  13. Human Rights Center Viasna
  14. Human Rights Defense Center Memorial
  15. Human Rights First
  16. Human Rights Foundation
  17. Human Rights Watch
  18. International Republican Institute
  19. James W. Foley Legacy Foundation
  20. Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice
  21. Oma Organization for Human Rights and Democracy Promotion
  22. Organization for Community Civic Engagement
  23. OVD-Info
  24. Political and Governance Development Academy
  25. Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP)
  26. The 30 October Foundation
  27. The Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights
  28. Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation
  29. World Liberty Congress

https://freedomhouse.org/article/joint-statement-international-day-political-prisoners

https://goodlander.house.gov/media/press-releases/goodlander-helps-introduce-resolution-supporting-international-day-of-political-prisoners/

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UN experts are turning the spotlight on Kenya over a troubling pattern of human rights violations – the case of Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo

October 30, 2025
UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion Irene Khan
UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion Irene Khan
Mary Lawlor UN Special Rapporteur for human rights defenders
Mary Lawlor UN Special Rapporteur for human rights defenders

On 5 August 2025 a group of United Nations human rights experts has written to the Kenyan government over allegations of serious human rights violations.  These violations include the killing of protesters, the arrest and detention of human rights defenders, the deportation of a Ugandan lawyer, and the suppression of media freedom during the June 25 protests across the country.

The letter (referenced AL KEN 3/2025,) was sent by four UN Special Rapporteurs, namely Mary Lawlor (Human Rights Defenders), Matthew Gillett (Arbitrary Detention), Irene Khan (Freedom of Expression), and Gina Romero (Freedom of Assembly and Association). 

Copies of the letter were also shared with the governments of Uganda and Tanzania, given their involvement in the alleged incidents. The Kenyan government was given 60 days to respond to the communication before being made public on the UN’s human rights website.

By October 22, Kenya had not responded to the contents of the letter. The experts expressed grave concern over what they described as “an emerging pattern of criminalisation and harassment of human rights defenders in Kenya.”

According to the communication, nationwide protests on June 25, 2025, left 16 people dead and hundreds injured. The demonstrations, which marked the first anniversary of the 2024 anti-Finance Bill protest, were allegedly met with excessive police force.

During the protests, several major media houses reportedly had their transmission centres raided by police and communication officials who switched off live broadcasts. The Communications Authority of Kenya allegedly issued a directive barring media outlets from airing live coverage of the protests,  a decision later suspended by the High Court in Milimani, which termed it “potentially unconstitutional” pending a hearing scheduled for October 24, 2025.

Kenyan youth confronts UN with tough questions in Geneva forum [VIDEO]

The letter cites the arrest of Mark Amiani, John Mulingwa Nzau, and Francis Mutunge Mwangi, all members of the Social Justice Centres Working Group, who were detained by police on June 27 while travelling to work in Mombasa.  They were later charged with incitement of violence, damage to property, and theft, though the experts said no credible evidence was presented in court.

They were held for five days before being released on bail on July 2, with conditions requiring them to report to the police twice weekly. Their next court hearing was scheduled for August 21, 2025.

Prominent activist and photojournalist Boniface Mwangi was also arrested at his Nairobi home on July 19, where police allegedly confiscated electronic equipment and even tear gas canisters.  He was charged with unlawful possession of ammunition and released on bail two days later.

The UN experts noted that Mwangi had previously been arrested several times and was abducted in Tanzania in May 2025, before being found in Kenya’s coastal town of Ukunda days later.

The letter further highlighted the deportation of Ugandan lawyer Martin Mavenjina, a senior legal advisor at the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), who was expelled from Kenya on July 5 despite having a valid residency and a Kenyan family. 

He was allegedly detained at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and forced onto a flight to Kampala without being informed of the reason or given access to legal counselADVERTISEMENT

A day after Mavenjina’s deportation, armed men reportedly stormed a press conference hosted at the KHRC offices in Nairobi, where women and widows were calling for an end to police brutality and enforced disappearances.  The assailants allegedly destroyed journalists’ equipment and accused the women of organising protests. Despite reports being filed, no investigations have been launched, according to the letter.

UN calls for action and accountability: The UN experts urged the Kenyan government to clarify the legal basis for the arrests, detentions, and deportations, and to end the intimidation of journalists and human rights defenders. 

They also demanded investigations into the killings and injuries from the protests.

The experts warned that the events “constitute blatant violations” of international human rights laws, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees freedoms of

But good news the two were found back after more than a month, see: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/missing-kenyan-activists-freed-after-39-days-in-secret-ugandan-military-detention-5257852

and https://nation.africa/kenya/news/africa/kenyan-activists-bob-njagi-nicholas-oyoo-freed-after-diplomatic-pressure-on-uganda-5257840

and: https://k24.digital/411/activist-bob-njagi-opens-up-on-chilling-torture-he-faced-while-detained-in-uganda

https://www.pulselive.co.ke/articles/news/local/why-un-experts-are-calling-out-kenya-in-scathing-letter-to-government-2025102704150886531

https://nation.africa/kenya/news/abductions-kenya-risks-sanctions-for-ignoring-un-queries-on-human-rights-abuses-5245882

https://eastleighvoice.co.ke/national/231234/east-africa-law-society-warns-of-eroding-rule-of-law-as-kenyan-activists-tanzanian-diplomat-go-missing

https://nation.africa/kenya/news/kenya-responds-to-un-on-abductions-after-media-highlight-5249510

https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/kenya-tells-un-it-acted-within-the-law-on-rights-5251392#google_vignette

https://www.msn.com/en-xl/africa/kenya/activist-reveals-possible-whereabouts-of-bob-njagi-and-nicholas-oyoo-claims-they-ve-been-tortured/ar-AA1PLNzW

https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2025-11-08-activists-njagi-oyoo-freed-what-we-know-so-far

https://www.chron.com/news/world/article/kenyan-activists-released-from-ugandan-detention-21149624.php

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New Guidelines on Environmental Protest and Civil Disobedience

October 20, 2025

During October 2025, new guidelines on Environmental Protest and Civil Disobedience were released by Michel Forst, UN Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention. 

The new guidelines aim to support states, civil society, environmental activists, and legal practitioners in understanding and implementing the rights guaranteed under the Aarhus Convention. The document underscores that individuals and groups have a recognised international right to engage in peaceful environmental demonstrations, even when challenging public or private actors whose practices may harm the environment.

The document outlines five guiding principles to help states ensure that peaceful environmental activism is respected, not repressed:

  1. Address the root causes of the protest: Governments should tackle the real reasons behind environmental protests, such as inaction on environmental protection, lack of transparency, or exclusion from decision-making.
  2. Reject criminalization of defenders: Authorities and media must stop portraying environmental activists as criminals and instead recognize their legitimate role in defending public interests.
  3. Protect civic space: Civil disobedience must not be used as a pretext to restrict fundamental freedoms or limit peaceful public expression.
  4. Ensure human rights–based policing: Law enforcement responses must be lawful, necessary, and proportionate — never arbitrary, excessive, or punitive.
  5. Uphold justice and civic freedom: Courts should avoid rulings or sanctions that discourage peaceful protest or shrink civic space.

Furthermore, the guidelines recognize that some environmental defenders may resort to civil disobedience when legal channels fail, and the guidelines set out conditions under which such acts may be tolerated (e.g., proportionality, non-violence, necessity, public interest). The guidelines stress the need for states to prevent and remediate retaliatory actions against protestors, such as legal harassment, surveillance, excessive use of force, or criminalisation of protest. The text encourages states to review and reform national laws, police protocols, and judicial practices to ensure that protest rights are respected, especially for environmental defenders, and it calls for transparent mechanisms to monitor how protests are handled, report abuses, and hold responsible persons and institutions to account.

The guideline highlights that public authorities (including political figures) should refrain from using language labelling protesters as threats, “eco-terrorists,” or “foreign agents”, and media (especially public or state media) should maintain factual accuracy, avoid derogatory language, and refrain from mischaracterising environmental defenders.

https://unipd-centrodirittiumani.it/en/news/un-rapporteur-michel-forst-issues-new-guidelines-on-environmental-protest-and-civil-disobedience

Guidelines on the Right to Peaceful Environmental Protest and Civil Disobedience – October 2025

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Nobel laureates blast death of Iranian Somayeh Rashidi in prison as ‘state murder’

September 30, 2025

The death of a female Iranian political prisoner in hospital following a series of seizures has sparked outrage from Iran’s two Nobel laureates and right groups who have labeled her death a state-sponsored murder. Somayeh Rashidi died after several days in hospital following her transfer from Qarchak Prison near Tehran, Iran’s judiciary-affiliated Mizan news agency reported on Thursday.

Rashidi, born in 1983, was detained in April for allegedly writing anti-government graffiti slogans in Tehran’s Javadieh district.

Nobel Peace laureates Narges Mohammadi condemned her death in custody, describing it as part of a pattern of abuse in detention. “This devastating loss of Somayeh Rashidi is not an accident but the result of a systematic policy of neglect and cruelty inside Iranian prisons,” Mohammadi said in a post on X.

Rights groups and activists including Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi had previously raised alarm about Rashidi’s deteriorating condition, highlighting her urgent need for medical attention.

Iran International reported earlier this month that Rashidi’s condition had severely declined, with doctors holding little hope for her recovery.

Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, who faced a death sentence and torture in prison but was ultimately released, called Rashidi’s death a deliberate act to suppress dissent. “Such deliberate disregard for political prisoners is an example of silent, systematic suppression and elimination of dissenters. Why should anyone be arrested for graffiti?” Salehi posted on X. [see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2024/05/25/vaclav-havel-international-prize-for-creative-dissent-2024-goes-to-iranian-hip-hop-artist-uyghur-poet-and-venezuelan-pianist/]

Former political prisoner and women’s rights defender Hasti Amiri said Rashidi’s case showed deliberate neglect.

Sources speaking anonymously to Iran International alleged that security officials pressured Rashidi’s family to describe her hospitalization as a suicide attempt, intensifying accusations of a cover-up.

Qarchak deaths mount

Human rights groups including the Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) have publicly called for the closure of Qarchak, describing it as “one of the darkest symbols of systematic human rights violations in the Islamic Republic.” Rashidi death comes less than a week after another prisoner, Maryam Shahraki, died in Qarchak last Friday. According to Norway-based rights group Hengaw Organizattion, three women have already died in this facility this year due to lack of adequate medical care — Jamileh Azizi on September 19, Shahraki on September 13, and Farzaneh Bijanipour on Januar

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202509253807

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