Posts Tagged ‘Human Rights Defenders’

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Belarus frees 250 prisoners – including human rights defenders – as US eases sanctions

March 23, 2026

The Human Rights Center “Viasna” published a joint photo of three of its employees — Marfa Rabkova, Nasta Loika, and Valiantsin Stefanovich — who were released.

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko released 250 political prisoners on 19 March 2026, the largest group freed so far, as the United States moved to lift more sanctions, The releases are part of a broader effort by Minsk to improve ties with Washington after years of isolation and sanctions. Among those freed was Katsyaryna Andreyeva, a journalist with Polish Belarusian-language broadcaster Belsat, according to reports.

Also released was Marfa Rabkova, an activist with Belarusian human rights group Viasna who was arrested in September 2020 and sentenced to 14 years and nine months on charges including “extremism,” the Reuters news agency reported.

Coale – an envoy for US President Donald Trump – said he expected all remaining political prisoners to be released by the end of the year, adding that Washington would lift all sanctions imposed over the 2020 crackdown on protesters if that happens, Reuters reported. He also said Lukashenko had been urged to halt further arrests. The United States has agreed to lift sanctions on several Belarusian banks and the country’s finance ministry, as well as fertiliser producers, according to the AFP news agency.

Coale said earlier on Thursday that Lukashenko may soon visit the United States, a trip that would signal a potential breakthrough after years of diplomatic isolation over human rights abuses and his support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Previous talks between Coale and Lukashenko led to the release of dozens of political prisoners in September and a further 123 in December, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski. In response, the United States lifted sanctions on Belarusian potash, a key export used in fertilisers. [see: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2025/12/16/ales-bialiatski-free-but-more-human-rights-defenders-must-be-released-in-belarus/]

Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the latest prisoner release as a moment of “great joy” and “huge relief.”

Civil Rights Defenders welcomes the news that human rights defender Nasta Loika has been released from prison in Belarus as part of the country’s largest mass release of political prisoners to date. Nasta is a longstanding advocate for human rights in Belarus and an alarm bearer in the Natalia Project, the world’s first alarm and positioning system for human rights defenders at risk.

“We are deeply relieved that Nasta Loika is finally free. Her courage, resilience, and commitment to human rights have inspired countless people in Belarus and beyond. While we celebrate her release, it comes after years of unjust persecution. No one should ever be imprisoned for defending fundamental rights,” says Gabrielle Gunneberg, Global Department Director at Civil Rights Defenders.

Reacting to the release of 250 individuals imprisoned in Belarus on politically motivated grounds, including human rights defenders Marfa Rabkova and Nasta Loika, as a part of a deal with the United States, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, said:

“While the release of hundreds of individuals unjustly detained on politically motivated charges is a welcome step, it must not be mistaken for justice. Marfa Rabkova, Nasta Loika, Valiantsin Stefanovich and others should not have spent a day in prison. Freedom should never be the product of geopolitical bargaining in human beings. Justice will not be served until those responsible for their unlawful imprisonment are held accountable.

https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7785/Artykul/3662656,belarus-frees-250-prisoners-as-us-eases-sanctions

https://www.fidh.org/en/region/europe-central-asia/belarus/belarus-valiantsin-stefanovic-and-marfa-rabkova-are-finally-free

Natalia Project Participant Nasta Loika released from Belarusian prison

Viasna human rights defender, Valiantsin Stefanovich, spoke with reporters about his release, family, and desire to continue his human rights work.

https://spring96.org/en/news/119858

https://nashaniva.com/amp/en/390812

Human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski reacted to the release of fellow human rights defenders:

“I am immensely happy, like all my colleagues, about the release of our friends, our colleagues: Valiantsin Stefanovich, Marfa Rabkova, and Nasta Loika. The thing that we expected — I have been expecting it for the last three months, and my colleagues have been expecting it for more than five years — has come true. Because Marfa Rabkova served five and a half years, Valiantsin Stefanovich served four and a half years, and Nasta Loika served several years. And it was an absolute injustice, it shouldn’t have been like this.

https://spring96.org/en/news/119855

https://nashaniva.com/amp/en/390908

https://www.civicus.org/index.php/fr/medias-ressources/112-news/8185-belarus-releases-viasna-human-rights-defenders-marfa-rabkova-and-valiantsin-stefanovich

https://reform.news/en/andreyeva-loika-and-stefanovich-apply-for-international-protection-in-poland/amp

Andrzej Poczobut finally released:

https://en.belsat.eu/92960789/andrzej-poczobut-finally-released

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Freedom House report: Freedom in the World 2026: The Growing Shadow of Autocracy

March 21, 2026

Military coups, violence against peaceful protesters, and efforts to weaken constitutional safeguards in 2025 drove the 20th consecutive year of decline in global freedom, according to a new report released on 19 March by Freedom House. The report, Freedom in the World 2026: The Growing Shadow of Autocracy, found that 54 countries experienced deterioration in their political rights and civil liberties, while only 35 registered improvements. Today just 21 percent of the world’s people live in countries rated Free, down from 46 percent two decades ago.

“Even as 2026 has brought new opportunities for those living under authoritarian rule from Venezuela to Iran, the last 20 years have been a dark period for global freedom,” said Jamie Fly, chief executive officer of Freedom House. “Armed conflict, coups, attacks on democratic institutions, and crackdowns on rights by authoritarians have now resulted in two full decades of decline. Those who still enjoy the blessings of freedom must do more to counter authoritarianism and provide more effective support for the democratic aspirations of people standing up to repression around the world, or this persistent decline will continue.”

In addition to deepening repression among authoritarian regimes, the past year featured a chequered performance among the world’s democracies. Of the 88 countries rated Free, the United States experienced the sharpest decline, with a drop of 3 points to a score of 81 on the report’s 100-point scale; it was matched in this group only by a decline in Bulgaria (−3), closely followed by Italy (−2). Worsening gridlock in Congress and escalating assertions of unilateral executive authority—combined with a multiyear rise in threats and reprisals for nonviolent speech, and a weakening of anti-corruption safeguards—brought the US score to its lowest level since Freedom in the World began publishing 0–100 scores in 2002. The United States’ decline for 2025 contributed to a 12-point erosion over the past two decades, under both Republican and Democratic administrations.

Key report findings:

  • Global freedom declined for the 20th consecutive year in 2025. A total of 54 countries experienced deterioration in their political rights and civil liberties during the year, while only 35 countries registered improvements.
  • Largest increases and best overall scores: On Freedom in the World’s 100-point scale for political rights and civil liberties, Syria (+5), Sri Lanka (+5), Bolivia (+4), and Gabon (+4) recorded the largest gains for 2025. The best overall country scores were those of Finland (100), Sweden (99), Norway (99), and New Zealand (99).
  • Largest declines and worst overall scores: Guinea-Bissau (−8), Tanzania (−7), Burkina Faso, (−5), Madagascar (−5), and El Salvador (−5) had the largest one-year score declines.The countries with the worst overall scores were South Sudan (0), Sudan (1), and Turkmenistan (1).
     
  • Status changes: Three countries—Bolivia, Fiji, and Malawi—improved from Partly Free to Free status thanks to competitive elections, growing judicial independence, and the strengthening of the rule of law.
  • Deepening and persistent authoritarian repression: Conditions for freedom continued to deteriorate in Iran in 2025, with authorities arresting more than 21,000 people as part of a crackdown on alleged espionage and collaboration following the regime’s 12-day war with Israel in June, and expelling some 1.8 million Afghan migrants and refugees without regard for their basic rights. The country’s score fell by 1 point to 10 out of 100. The scores for Russia and China remained unchanged at 12 and 9, respectively, but Russian authorities took further steps to suppress antiwar speech and independent journalism, while Chinese officials cracked down on small but multiplying protests.
  • Although the scores for many rights and liberties deteriorated over the last two decades, media freedom, freedom of personal expression, and due process have suffered the heaviest impacts. Coups, armed conflicts, attacks on democratic institutions by elected leaders, and intensified repression by authoritarian regimes have been the main drivers of global decline during this 20-year period.
  • Since 2005, the group of countries with Partly Free status has shrunk substantially. Of the 59 countries that were rated Partly Free as of 2005, a total of 19 have dropped to Not Free, swelling the ranks of the world’s autocracies, whereas just 9 have improved to Free.
  • Most democracies remain resilient in the face of daunting challenges. Despite internal pressures and threats from foreign powers, democracies continue to demonstrate that their domestic political systems are responsive and capable of course correction. Of the 87 countries rated Free in 2005, a total of 76—more than 85 percent—have remained Free throughout the two-decade period of global decline.

https://freedomhouse.org/article/new-report-global-freedom-declined-20th-consecutive-year-2025

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Joint NGO appeal for Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace on 15th anniversary of his arrest in Bahrain

March 19, 2026
Dr Abduljalil AlSingace – Bahrain – Credit Hasan Jamali

17 March 2026: PEN International, together with a coalition of human rights organisations, wrote to King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain, urging the release of Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace, a 64-year-old human rights defender imprisoned for fifteen years for his pro-democracy activism. The letter highlights his deteriorating health due to denial of medical care, including delayed surgery and lack of physiotherapy, and his hunger strikes protesting the confiscation of his manuscripts and research. The organisations call on Bahraini authorities to release Dr Al-Singace, provide adequate healthcare, and return his confiscated work, noting that his release ahead of Eid Al-Fitr would be a meaningful act of compassion and reconciliation amid ongoing regional turmoil.

Your Majesties,

We are writing to respectfully urge Your Majesties to order the release of human rights defender Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace, who has now completed fifteen years of arbitrary imprisonment while serving a life sentence for his role in the pro-democracy movement.

Bahrain is currently facing unprecedented challenges as the regional conflict intensifies. The country has been subjected to multiple attacks and its airspace has been closed. At such a difficult time for the nation, acts that promote compassion, unity, and reconciliation are more important than ever. The release of Dr Al-Singace and others imprisoned for their human rights work and political views would send an important message during this difficult time.

Dr Al-Singace, now 64 years old, has been held in medical facilities since July 2021 and is currently detained at Muharraq Specialised Health Care Centre. He began a hunger strike in protest of the confiscation of his manuscripts and academic research. Since then, he has survived primarily on liquid intake, including multivitamin supplements. At times, he has resorted to full hunger strikes to protest the denial of medication and access to specialised medical treatment.

In November 2025, the UN Committee against Torture expressed serious concerns regarding his ongoing detention and urged Bahrain to release Dr Al-Singace, alongside fellow human rights defenders Hassan Mushaima and Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja.

We remain deeply concerned that Dr Al-Singace continues to suffer from the systematic denial of adequate medical care. For example, since 2021, he has experienced severe shoulder pain. After prolonged delays in obtaining a proper diagnosis, he finally received an MRI scan last year and doctors advised that surgery is required. However, there has been no indication as to when this operation will take place. He also continues to be denied physiotherapy despite his disability. These medical concerns should be addressed without further delay.

With Eid Al-Fitr approaching, an occasion traditionally marked by royal pardons, we respectfully ask that Dr Al-Singace be included among those pardoned. In the meantime, we urge Your Majesties to ensure that he is held in conditions that meet international standards, receives his medication without delay, and has access to adequate healthcare in compliance with medical ethics. We also urge the relevant authorities to facilitate the return of his confiscated research to his family at the earliest opportunity.

At a time when the region is experiencing profound turmoil, the release of political prisoners, including Dr Al-Singace, would offer a meaningful gesture of compassion and help ease the suffering felt by many families in Bahrain.

Yours sincerely,

  • ALQST for Human Rights
  • ARTICLE 19
  • Bahrain Centre for Human Rights
  • Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD)
  • The British Society for Middle Eastern Studies Committee on Academic Freedom
  • CIVICUS
  • Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
  • DAWN
  • English PEN
  • The Free Al-Khawaja Campaign
  • Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR)
  • International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
  • International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
  • PEN International
  • Reprieve
  • Salam for Democracy and Human Rights (DHR)
  • Scholars at Risk
  • Wales PEN Cymru

https://www.pen-international.org/news/bahrainjoint-appeal-for-dr-abduljalil-al-singace-on-15th-anniversary-of-his-arrest

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/oct/10/immensely-brave-abduljalil-al-singace-named-international-writer-of-courage-pen

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Right Livelihood on Human rights defenders in exile

March 19, 2026

The Right Livelihood Foundation and partners have gone into the problems faced by Human Rights Defenders in exile:

Leaving your country means more than crossing a border. It means stepping into uncertainty, a place where language falters, futures blur and belonging must be rebuilt. But exile can also open doors. It can broaden perspectives, forge new alliances and inspire people to rebuild on their own terms.

Through the project “Reconceptualising exile”, Right Livelihood together with the Global Campus of Human Rights, work with a group of 14 fellows living in exile to rebuild life, regain identity and purpose while the ground they left behind remains too dangerous to return to. This visual story challenges what you think exile means. It invites you to see how it feels and how people rebuild from fragments, carrying language, memory and conviction across borders.

What forces someone into exile? Behind those numbers are real people punished for what they believe in:

For Natallia Satsunkevich, a human rights defender from Belarus, it was fighting for democracy in the face of the dictatorship.

For Viacheslav (Slava) Samonov, a Russian lawyer and LGBTQ+ activist, the dissolution of his NGO amid the post-invasion crackdown and the rapidly escalating repression against LGBTQ+ people.

For Askold Kurov, a Russian documentary filmmaker, it was promoting free media and LGBTQ+ rights.

For Helen Mack Chang, it was challenging the rampant corruption in Guatemala.  

For Abdul Rahman Yasa, it was standing up for human rights, women’s issues and youth advocacy under the Taliban. 

TAKE A DEEP DIVE INTO THEIR FULL STORIES

We didn’t go quietly: Human rights defenders redefining life in exile
Human rights defenders in exile call for stronger protection systems

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Front Line’s Rest & Respite Programme for human rights defenders

March 17, 2026

The purpose of Front Line Defenders Rest & Respite Programme is to enable human rights defenders to take some time out and to recharge their batteries in a safe environment while at the same time enhancing their skills so that they can work more effectively when they return home.

The programme has a flexible approach and tries to respond to the needs of the HRD. Some human rights defenders are hosted in Ireland, others choose a destination closer to home, where they have a particular interest or existing contacts. It is generally for short stays ranging from one week to three months.

Human rights defenders can take some well-earned rest and escape the stressful and difficult circumstances in which they work for a short time. They can focus exclusively on their health and well-being or spend some quality time with their family. They can also choose to work on a specific project, learn about digital security or improve other skills relevant to their work.

Rest & Respite opportunities are offered on an invitation-only basis.

“This programme is great for women human rights activists who have been subjected to stressful, tense and often dangerous and threatening situations in their work.“
– HRD, Afghanistan, Rest & Respite Programme

“Before the support, I had serious burnout caused by the stress from my work, especially from a domestic violence case I was working on when I was attacked and my computer and phones taken.  I had a constant headache and was very stressed, but I’m feeling well again and am back to work.“
– HRD, Cameroon, Rest & Respite Programme

see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2025/03/01/guidelines-for-universities-hosting-human-rights-defenders/

as well as: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/tag/shelter-city-network/

Barcelona Guidelines on Wellbeing & Temporary International Relocation of HRDs at Risk

The PROTECTDEFENDERS.eu Temporary Relocation Programme: Supporting Defenders in the Most Challenging Contexts

https://frontlinedefenders.org/en/programme/rest-respite

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Interview with Mary Lawlor the departing Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders

March 15, 2026

https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/22592839/

Drivetime on RTE Radio of 13 March 2026 carries an interview with Mary Lawlor the departing UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders about her work as a human rights activists.

https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/22592839/

see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2025/10/29/interview-with-mary-lawlor-departing-un-special-rapporteur/

Andrea Bolaños Vargas next Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders?

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Two new interactive tools to strengthen diplomatic initiatives to support human rights defenders

March 13, 2026

ISHR is launching two new interactive tools to strengthen diplomatic initiatives to support human rights defenders.

  • one tool designed for diplomats and
  • the other for defenders;

The resources provide practical guidance on how to enhance diplomatic support for defenders to prevent risks, respond to threats and better protect those working to promote and defend human rights. The tools will be available in English, French and Spanish.

Human rights defenders (HRDs) play a vital role in promoting accountability and advancing justice. Yet defenders around the world increasingly face harassment, criminalisation, surveillance, detention and reprisals because of their work. Diplomatic missions can play an important role in the overall protection strategy for defenders, including by addressing risks, monitoring cases, engaging authorities, or providing emergency support when defenders face serious threats. Some countries or region have adopted specific ‘Diplomatic Guidelines’ on the protection of human rights defenders (HRDs), including Switzerland, Canada, the European Union, Norway, Finland, and the UK.

[See e.g. : https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2019/09/01/ngos-call-canadas-revised-guidelines-on-human-rights-defenders-a-step-in-the-right-direction/

https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2014/11/02/swiss-guidelines-on-human-rights-defenders-analyzed-by-civil-society/

also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2014/06/11/osce-publishes-guidelines-on-the-protection-of-human-rights-defenders/

https://www.government.nl/topics/human-rights/human-rights-worldwide/supporting-human-rights-defenders

Quick reminder of the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders

To help strengthen the effective use of diplomatic protection measures, ISHR has developed two new interactive tools aimed at two complementary audiences: diplomats and human rights defenders themselves. 

The first tool provides practical guidance for diplomatic and permanent missions on how to better provide quality, consistent and targeted support and protection to defenders including through the implementation of existing ‘diplomatic guidelines’ (40 minutes to complete).  It outlines key principles for diplomatic engagement, including applying a “do no harm” approach, consulting closely with defenders, and adopting flexible and context-specific responses. It also highlights forms of diplomatic support, from regular engagement with defenders to trial observation, public advocacy, and emergency measures such as facilitating visas or temporary relocation. 

The second tool is designed for human rights defenders and civil society organisations (20 minutes to complete). It is intended to help defenders better leverage diplomatic support by developing understanding of diplomatic guidelines, how they work, and what defenders should consider to safely engage with embassies and diplomatic missions. It also outlines the types of support that may be available, from meetings with diplomats and public advocacy to targeted or emergency assistance in situations of risk. 

The content is grounded in the needs and lived experiences of HRDs, as documented by ISHR and other international organisations, and is informed by international human rights norms and standards. It draws in particular from the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and its recent supplement, the Declaration+25. 

By enhancing understanding of diplomatic initiatives and making them more accessible, ISHR aims to strengthen collaboration between diplomats and defenders and help ensure that defenders can continue their essential work in safer conditions. We also hope these tools may serve to catalyse action by States that have not yet adopted specific diplomatic guidelines. 

The two interactive tools are available on the ISHR Academy in English, French and Spanish. 

If you want more information or provide feedback on those initiatives, please contact us at: training@ishr.ch  

https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/new-tools-strengthening-the-protection-of-human-rights-defenders-with-diplomatic-guidelines

https://academy.ishr.ch/learn/diplomatic-support-for-human-rights-defenders/interactive-tool-1

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Risks for Human Rights Defenders amid war in the Middle East

March 10, 2026

On 5 March 2026, Front Line Defenders expressed deep concern over the escalating hostilities across the Middle East and their devastating impact on civilians following US and Israeli air strikes on Iran and subsequent retaliatory strikes by Iran against Israel and several Gulf states. In line with our mandate, we are particularly alarmed by the heightened risks faced by human rights defenders across the region, including those arbitrarily detained for their peaceful human rights work…

Human rights defenders deprived of liberty are particularly vulnerable in such contexts. During periods of conflict, detained defenders may face increased risks of ill-treatment while access to medical care, family contact, legal representation, and independent monitoring may become further restricted. The risk of such violations increases if hostilities occur in close proximity to detention facilities.

Woman human rights defender and Nobel Peace Laureate Narges Mohammadi, currently detained in Zanjan prison, reported severe explosions in close proximity following airstrikes. Golrokh Iraee, Sepideh Gholian, Shima Ghooseh, Sharifeh Mohammadi, Serveh Mohammadi, Mohammad Najafi, Mohammad Reza Faghihi, Reza Khandan, Ahmadreza Haeri, Taher Naghavi, Seyed Mehdi Karimi Farsi, Javad Alikordi, Abolfazl Ranjbari, Hashem Khastar, and Masoud Farhikhteh remain exposed to airstrikes. Their access to basic human needs are further restricted while detained in Tehran, Mashhad, Gilan, and other provinces.

Human rights groups are expressing concern over the deteriorating situation in Evin prison in Iran, where many human rights defenders are currently detained. Based on reports these groups have received from prisoners “the Security Ward 209 has been evacuated” and “anti-riot forces are stationed in the surrounding buildings.” Food distribution has reportedly also been disrupted. On the evening of 2 March 2026, the Israeli military forces reportedly issued an urgent evacuation order to people in the Evin neighbourhood. On 23 June 2025, during the twelve-day Israel-Iran conflict, Israeli forces attacked the Evin compound and Evin prison. Prisoners, including human rights defenders, were evacuated from the prison following the attacks. Iranian officials reported over 70 people killed from this attack on the Evin compound..

In Bahrain, there have been reports of strikes only kilometres from Jau prison where human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja continues to serve a life sentence for his peaceful human rights work alongside fellow human rights defender Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace. Front Line Defenders is also concerned over reports of arrests of defenders linked to anti-war protests in Bahrain and calls on the authorities to respect the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

All parties to the conflict must uphold their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians and those deprived of liberty. Hospitals, schools, and other sites protected under international humanitarian law, where human rights defenders and other civilians carry out essential work and provide humanitarian assistance, must not be targeted. Authorities should also immediately release detained human rights defenders and ensure they have access to adequate healthcare, contact with family members and legal counsel, and independent monitoring.

Front Line Defenders call on the international community, states, and multilateral organisations to remain attentive to the situation of human rights defenders in the region, raise protection concerns with the relevant authorities and provide concrete support and protection measures for human rights defenders at risk, if necessary through support with temporary relocation and emergency visa support.

Front Line Defenders stands in solidarity with human rights defenders across the region who continue their work under extremely difficult and dangerous circumstances.

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/statement-report/heightened-risks-human-rights-defenders-amid-escalating-hostilities-middle-east

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Strategy 2030: ISHR’s new Strategic Framework

March 9, 2026

For over 40 years ISHR has worked with human rights defenders to promote freedom, dignity, equality and justice. We have partnered with them to strengthen human rights laws, systems, networks and narratives. Over the next decade the work of defenders, supported by ISHR, will be critical to reverse rising authoritarianism, combat the accelerating climate crisis, prevent regress in the areas of women’s rights and the rights of LGBTIQ+ people, address systemic racism and discrimination, adequately regulate new and emerging technologies, and promote accountability for widespread atrocity crimes, among other challenges.

This Strategic Framework is designed to ensure that human rights defenders and the international human rights movement and system are equipped to respond to these challenges. It will ensure that ISHR’s work is relevant, responsive, effective, efficient, impactful and sustainable, and that our partnerships are equitable, powerful and influential.

In developing this Framework, we consulted more than 800 human rights defenders working in diverse contexts and on diverse issues. The strategy is also informed by key intelligence and insights gathered over the period 2021-25 from 5 staff strategy retreats, 9 Board and expert panel discussions, over 10 programme and campaign evaluations, a 40th anniversary survey with key stakeholders, and an intensive 3-month process of internal and external reflection on 12 key strategic questions.

https://ishr.ch/defenders-toolbox/resources/ishr-strategy-2030

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Launch of the 2025 Freedom of Thought Report

March 8, 2026

On 25 February 2026 Humanists International launched its flagship publication, the 2025 Freedom of Thought Report

The Freedom of Thought Report by Humanists International assesses every country in the world on the basis of human rights and the legal status with regard to humanists, atheists, and the non-religious.

Systemic, legal discrimination can include such things as established state churches (resulting in religious privilege), religious instruction provided without secular ethical alternative classes in schools, through to severe punishments such as prison for crimes of “insulting” religion, or death merely for expressing your atheism.

This landmark report is the only worldwide index dedicated to monitoring how laws and state authorities treat humanists, atheists, and the non-religious. At a time of shrinking civic space and growing threats to democracy, this work is more urgent than ever. The report analyzes human rights in every country in the world and documents discriminatory national laws ranging from religious instruction without secular alternatives in schools to death sentences for renouncing religion. This year, the Key Countries edition assesses the right to freedom of religion or belief in a world of rising authoritarianism.

Focus on Bangladesh, El Salvador, Georgia, Kenya, Lebanon, Malaysia, Malta, Myanmar, Sudan, and the USA, the report captures positive developments while highlighting instances of democratic backsliding and religious nationalism. 

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