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After several years of unprecedented global events, the Network of Human Rights Houses convened in Warsaw from 20-24 November for the first in-person Network meeting since 2019. Colleagues from 28 CSOs from 12 countries reconnected to discuss successes, common challenges, and emerging human rights trends. Together, the Network welcomed its newest member, Human Rights House Banja Luka.

Ane Tusvik Bonde joined Amnesty Norway in September 2023 following almost two decades with the Human Rights House Foundation. In this interview, Ane shares her reflections about the significance of the Human Rights House concept, the Network and the power of solidarity.

Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) was active throughout the 54th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) advocating on key issues including calling for the renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on human rights in Russia, as well as the issue of reprisals for civil society engaging with the UN, and the human rights situations in Belarus, Georgia, Serbia and Ukraine.

14 human rights defenders refined their advocacy skills and deepened their knowledge of Council of Europe (CoE) advocacy throughout 2023 as part of the Human Rights House Foundation’s Advocacy Capacity Building Programme, co-funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European Union.

With reference to upcoming Human Rights Council elections in October, Human Rights House Foundation delivered a statement at HRC54 on 29 September 2023, repeating condemnation of Russia’s application for Council membership, and underlining that no State which retaliates against civil society for engaging with the UN should be a Council member.

On 25 September 2023, Human Rights House Foundation highlighted the death of Belarusian artist Ales Pushkin behind bars, as well as the situation for the 1490+ political prisoners in the country.

On 3 October 2023, Human Rights House Foundation hosted “Protecting and expanding civic space in the OSCE region”, a side event at the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference. The side event was co-sponsored by the Belarusian Human Rights House, as well as Human Rights Houses Banja Luka and Yerevan.

Human Rights House Foundation co-signs the Sunflower Declaration that was launched by Nobel Peace Prize laureates at the Nobel Peace Conference in Oslo on 31 August 2023. The Declaration calls for urgent action to protect human rights defenders at risk.

Human Rights House Foundation welcomes the news that Leanid Sudalenka, our colleague from Viasna Human Rights Centre, was released today after spending two and a half years behind bars. The case against him was unjust and he should not have been imprisoned in the first place. We repeat our call for the release of his Viasna colleagues and all political prisoners in Belarus.