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Warsaw, 23 September 2015 – Human Rights House Network has highlighted the growing intimidation and persecution of human rights lawyers, and made the case for strengthening the protection they receive, in its report Human Rights Lawyers at Risk: Making the Case for Protection of Legal Professionals in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine.

The Sport for Rights coalition calls for the release of detained Meydan TV journalist and an end to pressure against independent media in the country.

In Azerbaijan, space for independent civil society has disappeared, following a crackdown since the presidential election in October 2013. Ahead of the parliamentary elections in November 2015, all leading civil society actors are either in prison or have fled the country.

Civil society has less and less space to breathe or even exist in many countries, let alone participate in public life. Authorities are using restrictions as a pretext to prosecute and imprison human rights defenders, criminalising the right to be a human rights defender, and the right to assemble and associate.

Criminalisation and repression of human rights defenders is not the right way forward for Europe. Watch the video of the panel debate here!

They have been silenced, so the Network will tell their story. Human Rights House Network, united in Oslo to celebrate its 20th year, was walking to raise awareness of those who are not free to walk.

The founders of the Human Rights House Network believed change is possible.
They believed much could be achieved by collaborating locally and internationally. Today, the Network is a community of more than 100 independent organizations operating in 16 Human Rights Houses located in 13 countries.

On 1 September, the Baku Court of Grave Crimes convicted Ismayilova on charges of embezzlement, illegal entrepreneurship, tax evasion, and abuse of office. Ismayilova was acquitted of the charge of inciting someone to attempt suicide. We consider the charges against Khadija Ismayilova to be politically motivated and connected to her work as an investigative journalist

In 1989, some Norwegian human rights organisations came together to create a human rights community that would help improve cooperation, share knowledge and expertise, and reduce operating costs.