About

Our Impact Litigation team provides pro bono international legal representation to prisoners of conscience whose cases are emblematic examples of the brutality of dictatorships.

In authoritarian regimes, there is no separation of powers, resulting in a lack of judicial independence. Legal proceedings are a mere formality, and critics of the regime are often harassed, arrested, detained, tortured, and forcibly disappeared. They are unable to seek independent judicial review and obtain redress domestically.

HRFтАЩs Impact Litigation program addresses the inadequacies of judicial systems in authoritarian regimes, offers remedies for pursuing justice, and provides urgent humanitarian relief to victims.

Our Strategy

Advocacy

Advocacy

We advocate for human rights defenders through multi-pronged campaigns, videos, op-eds, and Universal Periodic Review submissions to the UN Human Rights Council, among other means. By drawing global attention to our clientsтАЩ cases, we increase pressure on regimes that suppress dissent by taking political prisoners, for instance. Our work shines a light on the injustices of authoritarianism.
Litigation

Litigation

We litigate on behalf of prisoners of conscience before international courts and semi-judicial bodies. Our team of international attorneys takes cases to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and other international bodies to secure positive outcomes for our clients. Using international law, we argue for our clientsтАЩ release, to ensure that their rights are respected.

Our Impact

complaints and urgent appeals submitted on behalf of victims
0 +
countries represented through our complaints and urgent appeals
0
Universal Periodic Reviews submitted to the UN Human Rights Council
0 +

How can we help?

Hit enter to search or ESC to close

Email Us

Join the cause by subscribing to our newsletter.