Blog Post Dec 26, 2025 The Playbook: How Venezuela’s Football Revival May Unite Its People in their Struggle for Democracy On a tense September night in Maturín, hope bloomed early as Venezuela surged to a 2–1 lead over Colombia, only to crumble following a cascade of goals that sealed their World Cup qualifying fate.
Blog Post Dec 22, 2025 Transnational Repression: A Year in Review At home, autocrats, having consolidated their power, enjoy near-total impunity, crushing dissent through brutality, prisons, torture, and censorship.
Blog Post Dec 22, 2025 The Lasting Impacts of Transnational Repression Transnational repression is a growing threat to global human rights. In 2025, authoritarian regimes continued to surveil and silence dissidents abroad, relying on physical, legal, and digital tactics to reach beyond their borders and clamp down on the fundamental freedoms of these courageous individuals.
Blog Post Dec 22, 2025 Weaponizing the International System Authoritarian regimes have more tools than ever at their disposal to target dissidents and activists abroad.
Blog Post Dec 22, 2025 Violence Beyond Borders Transnational repression has become a common tactic for authoritarian regimes seeking suppression of dissent beyond their borders. With the rapid spread of technology, globalization, and unprecedented ease of global mobility, it is easier than ever for regimes to reach their opponents, even from thousands of miles away.
Newsletter Nov 13, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #97 The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has raised alarm over an escalating crisis for press freedom in Pakistan, where local journalists and media workers are being financially targeted.
Newsletter Nov 6, 2025 Financial Freedom Report #96 In Cuba, independent media outlet El Toque is again under pressure for publishing data on the informal exchange rates for the Cuban peso. The tool tracks the growing…
Newsletter Oct 30, 2025 Financial Freedom Report #95 Russia’s Ministry of Finance has proposed granting dictator Vladimir Putin sweeping powers to restrict foreign currency transactions, including limits on individual dollar…
Newsletter Oct 23, 2025 Financial Freedom Report #94 In Venezuela, opposition leader María Corina Machado received the Nobel Peace Prize for her steadfast defense of democracy and freedom. Despite persecution from Nicolás Maduro’s dictatorship…
Newsletter Oct 9, 2025 Financial Freedom Report #93 In China, the central bank has opened a new international operations center for the digital yuan in Shanghai to expand the central bank digital currencies’ (CBDCs) role in global finance
Newsletter Oct 2, 2025 Financial Freedom Report #92 In North Korea, the totalitarian regime launched its first automated banking hotline to support account inquiries as it pushes away from cash and towards…
Newsletter Sep 25, 2025 Financial Freedom Report #91 In Vietnam, the central bank deactivated more than 86 million bank accounts on Sept. 1, erasing nearly half the country’s financial accounts. The move is part of a national push for mandatory biometric ID, framed by…
Newsletter Sep 18, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #90 In Thailand, the central bank froze more than 3 million Thai bank accounts and imposed daily transfer limits in a bid to reduce online scams. The heavy-handed approach offers a glimpse into how broad state financial measures can unintentionally lead…
Newsletter Sep 11, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #89 In Russia, the Kremlin is increasing efforts to push citizens onto its new state-run messenger app, Max. Voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram have been disabled, and new legislation requires all new phones to come with Max pre-installed. But the…
Newsletter Sep 4, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #88 In Georgia, a Tbilisi court froze the bank accounts of seven major Georgian NGOs, accusing them of “sabotage” and “financing” protests under charges made possible by the country’s recently enacted…
Newsletter Aug 28, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #87 In Russia, Vladimir Putin signed a new law allowing police to freeze citizens’ bank accounts for up to 10 days without a court order. While framed as an anti-fraud measure, the law gives police a fast and…
Blog Post Aug 22, 2025 The Blurry Lines Between Private and Public As a human rights organization, we see economic freedom as inseparable from political and civil freedoms. The freer world we live in today owes much to the expansion of international trade and capital flows. But while economic openness has…
Newsletter Aug 21, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #86 In Cuba, the peso’s parallel market rate increased to 400 pesos per US dollar, a record low reflecting a 94% devaluation in just a few years. High inflation, stagnant wages
Newsletter Aug 14, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #85 In Bolivia, 25% inflation has sent trust in the boliviano falling and pushed more individuals toward Bitcoin for daily transactions and savings. Since unbanning digital assets…
Newsletter Aug 13, 2025 HRF’s AI for Individual Rights Newsletter #3 Welcome back to the Human Rights Foundation’s (HRF) monthly newsletter giving you the low-down on how AI and individual rights converge. This month, we’re continuing to explore…
