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Write for Rights 2026 Activist Toolkit

November 9, 2026

On 4 November 2026 Amnesty International’s Write for Rights letter-writing kit was published. Here you will find everything you need to successfully take part in the Write for Rights 2026 campaign. Write for Rights changes lives and your words matter.

The people featured in this year’s campaign are from all around the world, like Owen Chow jailed in Hong Kong simply for standing up for democracy, and Rokiatou Doumbia in Mali, detained for daring to ask why food was too expensive on TikTok.

A letter can change someone’s life. That’s the idea behind Write for Rights, our global letter-writing campaign. In 2001, a small group of activists in Poland decided to run a 24-hour letter-writing marathon for 10 December – Human Rights Day. The idea took off and this year marks the 25th anniversary of people taking over 50 million actions against injustice, writing letters and signing petitions in support of people whose human rights have been denied.[https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2026/10/24/write-for-rights-campaign-turns-25-here-7-successes/]

How does Write for Rights work?

2026 Cases

Right now, all around the world, human rights are under attack. This year we’re taking action for individuals and communities from around the world, who are courageously speaking truth to power.

You can check out videos of all the cases here.

For all the cases, in one printable PDF, see our Helpful Resources

TUNISIA: Ayachi Hammami is a Tunisian human rights lawyer imprisoned after a sham terrorism related trial linked to his defence of judges, lawyers, journalists, activists and opposition figures. Ayachi has spent decades fighting for justice and human rights in the country. His imprisonment reflects Tunisia’s growing crackdown on peaceful dissent and misuse of the justice system to silence critics.

RUSSIA: Daria Egereva is an Indigenous rights defender from Russia facing up to 20 years in prison for peaceful activism. A climate justice advocate and proud member of the Selkup People, she has dedicated her life to protecting Indigenous lands, languages and cultures. Despite threats and detention, Daria has remained courageous and committed to defending the rights of her people.[https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2026/11/02/portraits-break-the-silence-over-the-cost-of-defending-nature/]

TANZANIA: Former ambassador Humphrey Polepole was abducted at his home in Dar es Salaam on 6 October 2025. He has not been seen since. Humphrey appears to have been targeted because of his criticism of the president and ruling party for restrictions on civic space, crackdowns on human rights, and attacks on opposition members. His family miss him dearly, and need answers.

PAKISTAN: Human rights lawyers and married couple Imaan Mazari-Hazir (right) and Hadi Ali Chatth (left) have dedicated their careers to representing victims of state oppression, despite threats and harassment by the authorities. In January 2026, they were given long prison sentences for their posts on sochttps://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2026/01/27/human-rights-lawyers-couple-imaan-mazari-and-hadi-ali-chattha-sentenced-to-jail-in-pakistan/ial media expressing solidarity with Baloch and Pashtun activists and criticizing the Pakistan military.

EGYPT: Marwa Arafa is an Egyptian human rights activist arbitrarily detained for over six years because of her peaceful activism supporting detained children and their families. Arrested in front of her young daughter, she faces unfounded terrorism-related charges which can carry life imprisonment. Her case is part of a wider effort to silence peaceful dissent in Egypt.

HONG KONG: Owen Chow joined his first pro-democracy protest at just 15 years old. He later became one of the “HK47” – a group of activists and politicians prosecuted under Hong Kong’s draconian National Security Law for their political participation.

Owen should be doing the things he loves like photography, hiking and travelling. Instead, he faces more than 12 years in prison for hoping to serve the underprivileged and build a fairer society.

MALI: Rokiatou Doumbia is a businesswoman, activist and social media influencer from Mali who remains in detention after criticizing rising living costs and the failures of Mali’s military authorities during a TikTok livestream. A mother of two and a supporter of women in her community, she has dedicated her life to helping others. Instead of being protected for speaking out, she became a target.

EL SALVADOR: Ruth López is a lawyer and human rights defender who spent years speaking out against corruption and injustices in El Salvador.In May 2025, Ruth was arrested at her home and locked up. One year later she is still in detention, without regular access to her family or lawyer. Her story is an example of the criminal legal system being used as a weapon to silence critical voices.https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2026/05/19/alarm-over-yearlong-detention-of-woman-human-rights-defender-ruth-lopez-in-el-salvador/

Rainbow case

Alongside the cases, above, Amnesty International Australia has included another action that we think will be of interest to people taking part in Write for Rights 2026, wanting to take powerful written actions for human rights and justice.

TÜRKIYE: Over 100 LGBTI Rights Defenders, including board and oversight committee members of Türkiye’s foremost LGBTI rights organization KAOS GL, Janset Kalan, Nedime Erdoğan, Umut Derin and Selin Berghan, and journalist, Tuğba Tekerek, have been detained in a wave of police operations targeting Türkiye’s LGBTI people, organizations, and allies since 12 September 2026.

https://www.amnesty.org.au/write-for-rights-2026-activist-toolkit

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Apply now for CIVICUS Human Rights Internship 2027 in Geneva

November 9, 2026

The CIVICUS Human Rights Internship 2027 presents an opportunity for emerging human rights professionals, international relations graduates and aspiring civil society advocates to gain practical experience supporting global human rights advocacy at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.

CIVICUS Global Alliance, an international organisation dedicated to defending civic freedoms and strengthening civil society participation, is seeking a motivated Human Rights Intern to support its UN advocacy priorities, human rights research, member engagement and international policy activities.

Based in Europe, this internship offers an opportunity to contribute to meaningful human rights initiatives while gaining exposure to international advocacy processes, UN human rights mechanisms and the work of civil society organisations operating across different regions.

Applications close on 15 November 2026, making this an important opportunity for qualified candidates interested in developing careers in international human rights, diplomacy, public policy and civil society advocacy.

The selected Human Rights Intern will work under the supervision of the UN Advisor and UN Advocacy and Network Officer, supporting the implementation of CIVICUS’s advocacy priorities at the United Nations in Geneva.The position combines human rights research, international advocacy, stakeholder engagement, communications and administrative support.

The opportunity is intended for candidates with an academic background and demonstrated interest in international human rights, international relations, law, politics or related social sciences.

US’s UN advocacy work in Geneva, Switzerland.

The successful candidate is expected to commence the position in mid-January 2027 or on 1 February 2027.

Interviews are scheduled to take place in December 2026.

APPLY HERE NOW

CIVICUS Human Rights Internship 2027: Apply for an International Advocacy Opportunity in Geneva, Switzerland

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Opening for programme internship with ISHR New York

October 27, 2026

This internship offers a unique opportunity to view the United Nations human rights system at work in New York. It provides hands-on experience working for an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) as well as the opportunity to contribute to our work supporting human rights defenders, strengthening human rights systems, building and leading human rights coalitions, and responding to significant and systemic human rights concerns. For more information, consult our website https://ishr.ch/.

Key tasks

  • Providing support to programme staff in the implementation of project activities, across ISHR’s strategic programme areas including improving civil society engagement at the UN, addressing reprisals, as well as other projects seeking to enhance protection for human rights defenders;
  • Contributing to ISHR’s outreach and communications, including regular online publications;
  • Monitoring and reporting on UN human rights meetings, including the ECOSOC’s Committee on NGOs and General Assembly’s Third Committee;
  • Approximately 15-20% of the work will be administrative in nature, including assisting with the organisation and preparation of events, training and meetings.

Internship modalities

The internship will be in person, in ISHR’s New York Office and will start on 11 January 2027. It is a 6-months full-time (37.5 hours per week) position with no possibility of extension.

Internships will be compensated with:

  • a stipend of USD700/month.
  • 25 annual vacation days per calendar year, pro-rated based on start/departure date (12,5 days for six months)

How to apply

Interested candidates should apply by sending a cover letter, a CV (no profile picture please) and a writing sample here. In their cover letter, candidates should demonstrate their commitment to human rights and social change.

Application deadline: 30 November 2026 (midnight, NYC time). Incomplete applications will not be considered.

https://reliefweb.int/job/4235592/full-time-programme-internship-new-york

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Human Rights Defenders want to strengthen redress for victims in Africa

October 26, 2026
Group photo 9Sep

On 9-10 September 2026 the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) gathered legal practitioners, civil society representatives, and victim advocates from across anglophone Africa in Johannesburg, to consider means of strengthening access to justice in non-criminal processes.

The regional consultation was convened as part of a wider global initiative to elaborate guidance for human rights advocates in efforts to secure effective redress for gross human rights violations and abuses and serious violations of international humanitarian law. The consultation focused on strengthening non-criminal justice pathways, including  through judicial and administrative processes, customary and traditional legal systems, and strategic civil litigation. 

“Alongside criminal pathways a wide spectrum of non-criminal justice processes which are civil, administrative, traditional and hybrid have developed within national and regional systems. These mechanisms can deliver outcomes that criminal trials alone cannot deliver, such as restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction and guarantees of non-occurrence.” said Kaajal Ramjathan-Keogh, ICJ Africa Regional Programme Director. 

Participants addressed persistent gaps between official legal recognition of harm and actual delivery to survivors, noting how administrative reparation awards and truth commission recommendations, such as in South Africa, The Gambia, and Kenya, routinely stall due to such factors as political inertia and administrative bottlenecks. Practitioners mapped strategies to close these accountability deficient gaps, including record-building efforts that harmonize narrative truth-seeking with the strict evidentiary standards and archive disclosure rules required by domestic and regional courts. 

Participants also examined the interface of customary and traditional justice systems, such as those in South Sudan and Rwanda, which were purported to operate on principles of restorative harmony and local reconciliation, while stressing the need for adherence to human rights norms around gender equality and conditional amnesties.

In contexts of severe civic space closure or systemic State immunity, litigators explored extraterritorial jurisdictions and sub-regional courts like the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) and ECOWAS Community Court of Justice to bypass domestic blockades…

“On top of striving to adopt a more victim-oriented approach in the criminal justice system, non-criminal justice avenues at local, regional, and international levels must be explored, reassessed, and strengthened with a view to implementing the rule of law effectively” stated Justice Aruna Devi Narain, ICJ Commissioner and Judge of the Supreme Court of Mauritius. 

The Johannesburg gathering represents the third stage of the ICJ’s multi-year initiative on non-criminal justice mechanisms, following global and regional forums in Geneva (November 2025) and Bogotá (June 2026) The insights gathered in Johannesburg will feed directly into the ICJ’s elaboration of practical global guidance for jurists, litigators, and policymakers on designing and implementing non-criminal justice mechanisms.

The initiative is supported by the Republic and Canton of Geneva. 

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Write for Rights campaign turns 25, here 7 successes

October 24, 2026

Amnesty International

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Amnesty International’s global Write for Rights campaign, which has supported more than 200 people and groups.

That’s 25 years of people taking action against injustice, writing letters and signing petitions in support of people whose human rights have been denied. Some have been imprisoned for peacefully expressing their views. Others have been targeted because of who they are or who they love. Some have been criminalized simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

More than 50 million actions have been taken – in the form of letters, emails, cards, petition signatures, social media posts and more – since Write for Rights started in 2001. Amnesty’s brilliant supporters have written letters both to those whose rights are being violated, and the person in authority who can make change happen.

People have taken action because they believe hope and humanity can win over fear.

As a result, over 100 people featured in our Write for Rights campaign have seen a positive outcome in their situation. People unlawfully detained have been released, families have been reunited and justice achieved. Just as important – individuals have been reminded that they have not been forgotten.

Here are the stories of a few of them, whose lives have changed – and even been saved – thanks to the support of people like you…


Germain Rukuki – Burundi

A man stands bathed in sunlight, looking down the street.
Human rights defender Germain Rukuki was arrested in July 2017 and was serving a 32-year prison sentence after he was convicted of “rebellion” amongst other things. During Amnesty International’s global Write for Rights campaign, supporters in 37 countries took action and called for his immediate and unconditional release. He was released from prison on 30 June 2021.

On 30 June 2021, Burundian human rights defender Germain Rukuki was released from prison four years into a 32-year sentence. He had been found guilty of a number of sham charges relating to his human rights work. He was jailed before getting a chance to hold his youngest child, born just weeks after he was arrested in July 2017.

Yves Makwambala and Fred Bauma – Democratic Republic of Congo

Youth activists Yves Makwambala and Fred Bauma were released at the end of August 2016 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. An amazing 170,000 people took action for the pair as part of Write for Rights 2015. “Every letter, every visit, every word has strengthened us and reinforced our determination in this long but just struggle for freedom and democracy,” said Yves.

Seán Binder – Greece

As night closes in, a man in a dark jumper stands against a brightly lit building.
After more than seven long years, Seán Binder and all 23 defendants were been cleared of all charges in Greece relating to their humanitarian rescue work on Lesvos.

In January 2026, human rights defender Seán Binder and 23 others connected to a search and rescue NGO were acquitted of all charges in Greece. After years on trial, Seán no longer faces the possibility of a 20-year prison sentence for helping refugees.

Eight years after Amnesty first called for the charges to be dropped, Seán was finally acquitted.

Moses Akatugba – Nigeria

A man stands looking to camera with his hands clasped. He wears a red jumper.
Moses was waiting for the results of his secondary school exams when he was arrested by the Nigerian army in 2005, shot in the hand and beaten. After eight years in prison, he was sentenced to death by hanging. Activists including many young people and Amnesty International demonstrated outside their country’s Nigerian embassies his behalf. Moses was freed in 2019.

Moses Akatugba was a 16-year-old student when he was arrested in 2005 by police in southern Nigeria, on suspicion of armed robbery and stealing three telephones. He was tortured by police during their interrogations, beaten and suspended upside down from a ceiling fan for hours. His nails were pulled out with pliers to coerce him into signing a “confession” – the only basis for his death sentence eight years later.

Rita Mahato – Nepal 

Rita Mahato Chamar is a human rights defender from Nepal.

In 2009, human rights defender Rita Mahato was threatened with death, rape and kidnapping for helping women in Nepal who had suffered acts of violence. She was a health adviser at the Women’s Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC), a leading NGO in Nepal, yet police failed to provide Rita with protection or to investigate the threats. After Amnesty took up her case for Write for Rights 2009, schools, campuses and other institutions around the world started sending letters, postcards and other materials in support of her. The publicity and posters became so widespread that the police and local authorities began calling Rita to provide support, making her feel less alone. While the harassment has ended, Rita still stands up for what she believes in.

Aleksandra (Sacha) Skochilenko – Russia

A woman with long brown hair
Aleksandra (Sasha) Skochilenko, visits Amnesty in the Netherlands, Amsterdam, to thank them from for their support.

Russian artist Aleksandra “Sacha” Skochilenko was arrested for protesting Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In March 2022, she replaced price tags at a supermarket with paper labels that contained information censored by Russian state-run media. She was charged with “dissemination of knowingly false information about Russian Armed Forces” and sentenced to seven years in December 2023. In 2024, thanks in part to international pressure from Write for Rights 2022, Sacha was finally released as part of a huge prisoner swap, involving Russia and Belarus, who agreed to a swap with the United States, Germany, Norway, Poland, and Slovenia.  Sacha now lives in exile in Germany.

https://amnesty.ca/urgent-actions/outcome-uae-sudanese-political-activist-released-after-19-months

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ICC wins EU Parliament’s human rights prize 2026

October 22, 2026

The 2026 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is collectively awarded to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its officials.

Announcing the 2026 laureate in the hemicycle on Thursday, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola declared: “The European Union is built on respect for multilateralism and international institutions. With the award of the Sakharov prize to the International Criminal Court and its officials, the European Parliament recognises the Court’s important work in upholding international law and justice.”

The International Criminal Court (ICC) investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression.

The Court is a crucial actor in the global fight to end impunity, and through international criminal justice, it aims to hold those responsible accountable for their crimes and to help prevent these crimes from happening again. As a court of last resort, it seeks to complement national courts. Governed by an international treaty called the Rome Statute, the ICC is the world’s first permanent international criminal court.

The award highlights the ICC’s work, including investigations, prosecutions, trials and the issuance or authorisation of arrest warrants. See also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2026/08/13/four-us-human-rights-groups-sue-trump-administration-over-crippling-icc-sanctions/

In Parliament’s 2025 annual reports on the implementation of the common Foreign and Security Policy and on the human rights and democracy in the world, MEPs expressed their deep concern at the growing threats and the various waves of sanctions imposed since 2025 on the ICC, notably by the USA, as well as on its prosecutors, judges, staff and partners, considering these to be serious attacks on the international justice system.

MEPs have repeatedly called on the European Commission to activate the EU’s so-called ‘blocking statute’ to protect officials working at the ICC from extraterritorial attacks, and to enable it to continue its activities in complete independence. The blocking statute protects European operators, regardless of their size or sector of activity, by nullifying within the EU the effect of any foreign judicial decision based on foreign laws, also enabling them to seek compensation in court for damages caused by the extraterritorial application of foreign laws.

For more on this award, see: https://trueheroesfilms.com/equip/digest/?sort=most&laureate=13a10c16-6014-4132-8ed7-c4af3b1ef2a8

A newspaper wondered why the news attracted little attention in the British press, despite the award’s significance [https://leftfootforward.org/2026/10/right-called-out-after-echr-wins-prestigious-award-but-where-was-the-media-coverage/]. But I think there was quie bit worldwide, see e.g.:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/eu-sakharov-prize-icc-9.7391471

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/22/us-sanctioned-icc-wins-sakharov-prize-eus-top-human-rights-award

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20261018IPR48263/the-international-criminal-court-and-its-officials-awarded-the-sakharov-prize

Sakharov Prize

https://www.politico.eu/article/icc-wins-eu-parliaments-human-rights-prize

https://1lurer.am/en/news/1588229

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UN Third Committee Hears that Human Rights Defenders face growing repression

October 21, 2026
United Nations

Enforced disappearances are reaching alarming levels worldwide, while human rights defenders face increasing persecution and surveillance, United Nations experts warned the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) on 20 October 2026 citing thousands of unresolved cases and growing threats to those seeking justice and accountability.

Andrea Bolaños Vargas, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, warned that criminalization has become the most prevalent global threat facing those who expose abuses and defend fundamental freedoms. Presenting findings from a survey of 1,122 respondents, she reported that 66 per cent of women human rights defenders believed their situation had deteriorated, rising to 78 per cent among LGBTIQ+ women defenders. Three quarters said restrictive laws and regulations had undermined their work.

“Criminalization is combined with disinformation and stigmatization, surveillance, arbitrary detention, administrative restrictions, funding restrictions, digital attacks, and in some cases, violence against defenders themselves, as well as their families,” she said. Such threats extend even to regions with long-standing democratic traditions. “The human cost is enormous,” she stressed, reporting that 83 per cent of survey respondents experienced negative effects on their mental health. Nearly half of the women human rights defenders surveyed reported having to leave their homes to seek safety, with 24 per cent internally displaced and 22 per cent forced into exile.

Even exile offers no guarantee of protection, she warned, citing surveillance, attacks against relatives, deprivation of nationality and other forms of transnational oppression. “Protection alone is not enough,” she declared, adding: “The aspiration must be that no one has to risk their safety, freedom or life to defend human rights.” [see e.g. https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2026/09/28/over-130-human-rights-experts-issue-global-call-for-states-to-end-transnational-repression/]

Delegates Clash over Imprisoned Activists

…The Czech Republic’s representative highlighted the imprisonment of human rights defenders in Belarus and the Russian Federation, drawing attention to Ukrainian activists Iryna Danylovych and Amet Suleymanov, held in Russian Federations prisons without adequate medical care.

Germany’s delegate urged Moscow to release two Indigenous human rights defenders and called on China to free Hong Kong lawyer Chow Hang Tung.

Rejecting the criticism, China’s representative accused Germany of spreading “smears”. “Some countries and political forces seek to portray criminals as human rights defenders to whitewash their unlawful and criminal conduct,” he said.

Belarus’s delegate dismissed the Czech Republic’s allegations concerning medical care for detainees, insisting that free healthcare is available to all, including prisoners. The Russian Federation’s representative, meanwhile, accused Ukraine and the Baltic States of persecuting those defending Russian-speaking populations, citing the arrest of Latvian activist Viktor Gushchin.

The European Union’s representative, speaking in its capacity as observer, warned that growing fear and self-censorship among people cooperating with United Nations human rights mechanisms represents “a substantive loss to us all”, expressing concern over technology-facilitated transnational repression….

https://press.un.org/en/2026/gashc4446.doc.htm

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Both UN experts and NGOs urging India to end the crackdown on peaceful protests

October 20, 2026

On 20 October 2026, a large number of UN special rapporteurs and experts as well as 4 important NGOs called on India to end the crackdown on peaceful protests and release arbitrarily detained protesters.

Alarmed by a repeatedly heavy-handed police response to peaceful youth-led demonstrations in New Delhi and other parts of the country over the past three months, UN experts and international NGOs ca;;ed on Indian authorities to respect, protect and fulfil the right to peacefully protest, and ensure justice for human rights violations reported during these and previous protests.

“This crackdown reflects a broader, troubling pattern,” the experts said. “We have repeatedly alerted the Indian authorities to undue restrictions on peaceful assembly, excessive use of force, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, and the targeting of student activists, amongst others.” In March, 10 student and labour-rights activists were reportedly detained in New Delhi by plain-clothes police officers, held incommunicado for more than 24 hours, and allegedly subjected to ill-treatment, threats, coercion and forced declarations, before being released following habeas corpus proceedings.

Over the last months, hundreds of thousands of students and their supporters have been gathering peacefully to protest in different parts of the country against Government decisions regarding the education system, and more recently, voter-roll deletions which affect 130 million individuals, reportedly belonging to the Muslim minority, Scheduled Castes and Tribes. “Despite the non-violent nature of the assemblies, law enforcement agencies have reportedly deployed force against unarmed students, including lathi charges and have prevented thousands from joining the protests,” the experts said.

The experts raised concerns over reports that Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) – or India’s criminal procedure code – has been invoked to impose broad bans on public gatherings, suspend public transportation and execute internet shutdowns.

“We call on the authorities to immediately cease the use of excessive force, rescind blanket assembly bans, and refrain from the misuse of digital surveillance, including through biometrics, and internet disruptions.” The experts called for an independent, impartial, and thorough investigation into the conduct of law enforcement and affiliated forces to be launched without delay to ensure full accountability, justice, and victims’ reparations.

Amnesty International, CIVICUS, Front Line Defenders and South Asians for Human Rights also call on the Indian authorities to release everyone arbitrarily detained for the exercise of their right to freedom of peaceful assembly and ensure accountability for abuses by security forces.

On 10 October 2026, protests were called by the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and backed by student groups calling for the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner of India, following reports that the nationwide Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls by the election commission removed around 130 million names from voter lists.

Arbitrary detentions continued on 11 October and there were reports of physical attacks by police on protesters in detention. Many women protesters and journalists accused security personnel of sexual harassment while detaining them during the protests.Right-wing vigilante groups were also seen threatening and assaulting protesters and journalists. Some of them harassed Muslim women journalists while they were covering the protests.

Nearly 40 journalists were detained over the two days. Some of them were physically assaulted, intimidated, and had their camera and mobile phones seized or destroyed despite showing their press identity cards. A group of lawyers who carried out a rally near the Supreme Court in support of protesters also faced unlawful force by police and some were detained briefly.

Instagram accounts of the news outlets Molitics and Journo Mirror have been blocked in India during its coverage of the protests citing Information Technology Rules.

On 10 October authorities also ordered a 24-hour mobile internet shutdown in central Delhi. Mobile internet was also reportedly blocked at eight stadiums used as detention centres, cutting detainees off from their lawyers and families. Reports also suggest that the shutdown was taking place beyond areas of protests and detention.

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/10/india-un-experts-alarmed-fresh-crackdown-protests-and-rights-violations

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/statement-report/india-end-crackdown-peaceful-protests-and-release-arbitrarily-detained-protesters

https://m.thewire.in/article/rights/backstory-its-a-terrible-time-to-be-a-journalist-in-modis-india/amp

https://kmsnews.org/kms/2026/10/17/six-us-lawmakers-urge-rubio-to-raise-indias-crackdown-on-protesters-during-visit.html

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Tomorrow 20 October webcast event on transnational repression and reprisals against HRDs in New York

October 19, 2026

Recent developments within the UN human rights system have brought increasing attention to the scale of TNR, its human rights impacts and the obligations of States and other actors to prevent and respond to it. On 23 September 2026, more than 130 Special Procedures mandate holders and Treaty Body members issued a joint statement on TNR, describing it as a growing, direct challenge to the international human rights system and the UN Charter’s principles. The statement clarifies the legal obligations of States under international law, and sets out a roadmap for States, businesses, INTERPOL and international organisations to better prevent and respond to TNR, and protect and assist individuals and groups affected. These recommendations build on existing reports by UN Special Procedures, the brief on TNR by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and resolutions adopted by the Human Rights Council. [see https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2026/09/28/over-130-human-rights-experts-issue-global-call-for-states-to-end-transnational-repression/]

TNR also increasingly intersects with acts of intimidation and reprisal against individuals and groups who cooperate, or seek to cooperate, with the United Nations. The Secretary-General’s 2026 annual report on reprisals (A/HRC/63/62) documents TNR-related reprisals affecting individuals and organisations across regions, including through digital technologies. These practices can extend the reach of repression across borders, targeting defenders and other civil society actors even after they have left the country in which the original threats arose. They can also affect relatives, colleagues and communities, creating a broader chilling effect on engagement with the United Nations. Of the  32 States cited in the report, 15 are cited for violations that include TNR, affecting at least 43 individuals and four organisations. [see https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2026/10/01/un-report-warns-of-transnational-reprisals-human-rights-defenders-cooperating-with-the-un/]

The growing recognition of these interconnected patterns creates an opportunity to move from documentation and recognition towards coordinated prevention, protection and accountability. Responses to TNR should be grounded in international human rights law and should address the conduct of both States perpetrating repression abroad and States within whose territory such acts occur. They should also ensure that people at risk can safely access international and regional human rights mechanisms, including the United Nations.

This UNGA81 side event will bring together UN experts, States and civil society to examine how TNR and reprisals manifest in practice, clarify applicable human rights standards and responsibilities, and identify concrete measures that States, the UN and other actors can take to prevent violations, protect those at risk and ensure accountability.

Location: New York City, United States of America

Date: 20 October 2026

  • Time: 1:15PM – 2:30PM EST
  • Address: UN Headquarters, Conference Room 7
  • Event language(s) English
  • RSVP Needed: no
  • The event will be webcast on UN Web TV.

Opening remarks: Ambassador Laura Dupuy Lasserre, Permanent Representative of Uruguay to the United Nations

Speakers:

  • Claudia Fuentes Julio, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights [tbc]
  • Ben Saul, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism
  • Grażyna Baranowska, Chair of UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID)
  • Civil society representative

Closing remarks: Ambassador Florian Laudi, Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations

Moderator: International Service for Human Rights

https://ishr.ch/events/beyond-borders-not-beyond-reach

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Five Human Rights Defenders Targeted for Seeking Help Abroad

October 19, 2026
Freedom House Logo - Torch next to words Freedom House

PPI Watch_Sept2026

From left to right: Pham Chi Dung, Anar Mammadli, Joshua Wong, Mohammad Seifzadeh, Gasser Abdel Razek (Photo Credits: Pham Chi Dung Facebook, Wikimedia Commons, Center for Human Rights in Iran, Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights)

Brian Tronic, Director, Fred Hiatt Program to Free Political Prisoners, wrote “Dictatorial regimes are retaliating against democratic activists who talk to foreign governments and international bodies“

On September 2, prominent Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong pleaded guilty to charges under the territory’s notorious National Security Act—the second time he has faced prison time under the Beijing-imposed law. Having already been imprisoned since November 2020, he now faces the possibility of another lengthy sentence simply for demanding that Hong Kongers have a voice in their own government. Joshua’s detention has been widely recognized as emblematic of the Chinese Communist Party’s increasing restrictions on freedom in and the autonomy of Hong Kong.

However, his case is also an example of an important but less visible phenomenon: to hide truth about their abuses, dictatorial regimes are criminalizing the act of talking to the outside world. The allegations against Joshua included meetings in the United States with Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi and then Senator Marco Rubio. Unfortunately, activists around the globe are facing similar charges. The following cases highlight the efforts of repressive regimes to shut down engagement with foreign democracies and international bodies that have made protecting democracy part of their mission.

Vietnamese journalist Pham Chi Dung was detained after petitioning members of the European Parliament (EP) to pressure Vietnam over its human rights record. In 2019, he wrote to EP members asking them to postpone ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement until Vietnamese authorities made human rights improvements, and made a similar appeal in a video featured at an event hosted by a British EP member. Two days later, he was arrested. UN experts noted that the arrest “appears to be an act of reprisal for his human rights advocacy.” Dung was later sentenced to 15 years in prison for “conducting antistate propaganda,” and he remains imprisoned today.

Mohammad Seifzadeh, a human rights lawyer in Iran, wrote a letter with other human rights activists to UN Secretary General António Guterres in December 2022, asking him to respond to the Iranian regime’s execution of peaceful protesters. Just a few months later, as a result of the letter, he was convicted of “propaganda against the system” and “spreading false information” and sentenced to a year in prison (though his sentence was eventually suspended for medical reasons).

Azerbaijani activist Anar Mammadli, chair of the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Centre (EMDS), was arrested in 2024 a few weeks after calling on Azerbaijani authorities to release political prisoners and respect fundamental rights at events hosted by the UN Human Rights Council and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). A group of UN officials expressed “serious concerns that Mammadli’s detention and prosecution may be in retaliation for his human rights work and his engagement with UN mechanisms.” In 2026, Anar was sentenced to 13 years in prison on a variety of baseless charges.

In November 2020, three staff of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, including Executive Director Gasser Abdel Razek, were arrested a few days after discussing human rights issues with 13 foreign ambassadors and diplomats. While they were released a few weeks later, they were placed under a travel ban that remains in place to this day.

https://freedomhouse.org/article/political-prisoners-watch-five-democracy-advocates-targeted-seeking-help-abroad

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