Twenty years ago, the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action set out that human rights defenders should “enjoy the rights and freedoms recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the protection of the national law”. Two decades later however, there is mounting evidence that, far from being protected by law, the work of human rights defenders around the world is being impaired, restricted and even criminalised.
When: Tuesday, 5. March 2013 13:30
To: Tuesday, 5. March 2013
Where: Geneva, Palais des Nations
Host: International Service for Human Rights and other NGOs
Contact: Anna Innocenti (Anna.Innocenti@humanrightshouse.org / +41 22 33 22 556)
Speakers:
Documents:
In recent months, Serbia has witnessed an alarming crackdown on its civic space. This has unfolded through a wave of arrests, smear campaigns, and repressive tactics aimed at silencing dissent and undermining democratic principles. These actions, exacerbated by growing Russian and Chinese influence, reveal a systematic effort of Serbia’s authorities to suppress civil society and stifle public dissent.
Human Rights House Foundation joins a joint-statement from INGOs led by Human Rights Watch urging EU leaders to press the Azerbaijani Authorities to end its renewed and intensified crackdown on critical voices and independent civil society.
From October 7-11, 2024, 15 human rights defenders from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Russia, Serbia, and Ukraine gathered for a week of advocacy as a part of the Network of Human Rights Houses’ 30th anniversary celebrations. Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) and Network partners aimed to deepen engagement with Norwegian policymakers and raise awareness of critical human rights challenges across the region, emphasising the need for increased political and financial support from Norway for civil society.
