Latest

ARTICLE 19 issued this statement on behalf of 12 NGOs, including Human Rights House Foundation, during the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression at the 50th Session of the UN Human Rights Council.

Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) highlighted the chilling effect that online surveillance and legal harassment including SLAPPs have on freedom of expression. In addition, HRHF raised its concern about the situation for independent journalists and media outlets in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, and Russia.

Human Rights House Foundation joins over 60 international civil society organisations in an open letter calling on the UN Secretary-General to identify an outstanding candidate for the next UN High Commissioner for Human Rights through a consultative process and to vigorously defend the independence of the Office of the High Commissioner, including through adequate resourcing.

Human Rights House Foundation welcomes the unanimous adoption of two important resolutions of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) regarding the situation of political prisoners in the Russian Federation and the need to restore human rights and the rule of law in the North Caucasus. Both resolutions underscore the need for greater international attention to the domestic situation in Russia and the continued need of support for civil society.

On 17 June 2022, Human Rights House Foundation underlined the importance of civil society’s access to resources at an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the freedoms of assembly and association.

On 16 June 2022, Human Rights House Foundation highlighted human rights violations committed by Russian forces in Ukraine at the 50th session of the UN Human Rights Council, in a statement at the Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s oral update on the situation in Mariupol.

Human Rights House Foundation joins Polish and international civil society organisations writing to the President of the Commission and the commissioners responsible for the Rule of Law, requesting an infringement action as regards the National Council of the Judiciary.

The on-going and worsening attacks by the Belarusian authorities against civil society and human rights defenders must cease immediately and all political prisoners must be released. We call on the Belarusian authorities to comply with their international obligations in this regard. Furthermore, we call on the international community to renew its commitment to human rights in Belarus.

On 16 May 2022, HRHF and international and Ukrainian civil society organisations hosted an event at the Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting in Vienna. At that time, we issued recommendations to participating States to strengthen the Moscow Mechanism mandates.