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“We cannot rely on Trump’s United States to attempt to civilise human conflict. Now we must rely on American civil society and the EU” writes Human Rights House Foundation’s Chairperson Bernt Hagtvet in a recent op-ed for the Norwegian publication VG.

Appeal to the Heads of State and Government and the institutions of the European Union to take action to fill the gaps in international development aid created by the U.S. Presidential Executive Order on Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid and the reinstatement of the Global Gag Rule.

Aleksandra Skochilenko is a Russian anti-war musician, artist and campaigner. Skochilenko came to prominence during protests following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Skochilenko was detained in April 2022 for distributing anti-war messages in the Russian city of Saint Petersburg. She was held as a political prisoner by the Russian authorities until her release on 1 August 2024 as part of an international prisoner exchange. She now lives in exile.

Unprecedented peaceful protests in Georgia are being met with unprecedented levels of violence and brutality according to Georgian human rights defender and psychologist Lela Tsiskarishvili. In this interview with Human Rights House Foundation, Tsiskarishvili outlines the use of torture and ill-treatment against peaceful protesters in the context of the current situation in Georgia as well as reflecting on her work rehabilitating survivors and the resilience of those she helps. Estimated reading time: 4 minutes.

Irene Kinunda Afriyie is a Norwegian author and columnist. Through her work, Afriyie tackles issues including human rights, racism, and immigrant integration in Norwegian society. Afriyie arrived in Norway as a refugee and aims to highlight the challenges and opportunities in the country of her origin, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as other African countries. She is notably critical of traditional aid models and advocates for transitioning from the era of aid to the era of taxation.

Human Rights House Foundation joins several INGOs in calling for members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to act decisively to uphold Council of Europe values and protect civil society in Azerbaijan.

On 8 January 2025, Human Rights House Foundation delivered an intersession statement at the UN Human Rights Council urging states to ensure consistent monitoring and reporting of the human rights situation in Crimea, to advocate for the release of all political prisoners and for access for independent monitors of detention facilities, and to continue to support the work of international accountability mechanisms.

From June 2022 to November 2024, Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) implemented a 30-month regional project that provided opportunities for emergency support for Ukrainian civil society and independent media in the wake of the full-scale Russian invasion. The project was funded by the European Union and implemented by ERIM-led coalition of partners, including including Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House, Black Sea Trust, East Europe Foundation, Human Rights House Tbilisi and HRHF.

Hennadii Vypynashko is a Ukrainian human rights defender who coordinated the Protection Program of the Educational Human Rights House Chernihiv for over 2.5 years, supporting civil society representatives affected by Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine. In this interview, he shares stories about supported human rights defenders and journalists, his motivation, and key takeaways from his experience.

Maryna Savchenko is a journalist from the Kherson region. Following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the occupation of the Kherson region, she stayed in the city to report on the situation for the outside world for as long as she could while facing increasing threats. In this interview, she gives insight into her work and life under occupation, the story of her escape and the support she received to sustain herself.

HRHF joins international human rights organisations led by IPHR in urging the Georgian authorities to halt the extradition of Azerbaijani Journalist Afgan Sadigov, as well as to ensure the protection of him and his family.

In a joint statement, Human Rights House Foundation and members of the Network of Human Rights Houses urge the Georgian authorities to take immediate action to the violent crackdown on protestors, protect the right to peaceful assembly, and comply with international law. Additionally, we call on the international community to condemn these violations, pressure Georgian authorities to end police violence and the use of ill-treament against protestors, and work with Georgian human rights defenders to address documented violations and ensure accountability.