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On 3 July 2024, Human Rights House Foundation delivered a statement at the 56th session of the UN Human Rights Council, raising the situation for continued attacks on freedom of association, as well as attacks on Belarusians forced into exile.

On 28 May 2024, the Georgian government adopted the so-called “foreign agent” law. Human Rights House Foundation recently spoke to Georgian human rights defender Baia Pataria about these critical developments and what they mean for civil society.

On the sidelines of the 56th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Human Rights House Foundation welcomed the appointment of Gina Romero in her role as the new UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association and asked how the Council can best ensure freedom of peaceful assembly and association is upheld, even in contexts such as Georgia that are witnessing rising authoritarian tendencies.

Human Rights House Foundation joins Belarusian and international organisations in calling on the Serbian authorities to stop the extradition of Belarusian filmmaker and co-founder of the “Free Association of Athletes SOS-BY”, Andrey Gnyot, from Serbia to Belarus.

We, the undersigned members of the Network of Human Rights Houses and other international civil society organisations urge the government of Georgia to immediately end the ongoing repressions against independent voices. We condemn the use of illegal and disproportionate force against largely peaceful protestors, physical attacks against civil society representatives, alleged illegal detention of a well-known blogger, coordinated campaign of smear, harassment and intimidation against journalists, human rights defenders and their family members, including children.

Human Rights House Foundation joins a coalition of press freedom, journalists and human rights organizations led by The International Press Institute (IPI) in writing to Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, urging him to withdraw the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, guarantee the safety of journalists and uphold press freedom in Georgia.

As Georgian authorities look to introduce new “foreign agent” legislation, HRHF’s Kety Abashidze outlines the situation unfolding in the country and highlights the importance of international organisations, civil society and like-minded states to show solidarity with the Georgian public and civil society and to call on the authorities to abandon the law.

We, the undersigned human rights organisations, condemn in strongest possible terms the Azerbaijani authorities’ detention of Anar Mammadli, a prominent human rights defender, leader of the country’s largest independent election watchdog and member of the Network of Human Rights Houses. We demand his immediate and unconditional release.

As Russia’s war in Ukraine continues, the resilience of those affected is tested daily. The psychological toll on the Ukrainian population is profound, with widespread reports of trauma, anxiety, and stress-related disorders. Ukrainian civil society organisations have mobilised to provide critical support to those in need while often needing support themselves. HRHF asked the partners from the Network of Human Rights Houses about the connection between mental health and human rights and what kind of role mental health support plays in the resilience of Ukrainian civil society.