Newsletter Aug 22, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #37 In Russia, the crackdown on charitable donations continues. Ksenia Karelina, a dual Russian-American citizen, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for donating $51 to a Ukrainian charity. Her case highlights the severe risks individuals face when supporting Russian opposition and reminds us of the critical need for financial privacy, especially for the billions of people who live under tyrannical regimes.
Newsletter Aug 15, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #36 As Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro tightens his grip on power, he has restricted access to Binance, the world’s largest Bitcoin and cryptocurrency exchange. For many Venezuelans, Binance was a helpful lifeline offering peer-to-peer access to USD, Bitcoin, and stablecoins. Now, many are left increasingly trapped with the crumbling bolívar.
Blog Post Aug 14, 2024 Election Watch: Bangladesh Took One More Step Toward Authoritarianism When the people of Bangladesh went to the polls on Jan. 7, they did so knowing the outcome was already predetermined: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the ruling Awami League won a fourth consecutive term, pushing the country further toward authoritarianism.
Blog Post Aug 9, 2024 A History of Sports & Dictators, Part 2: The Rise of Fascism Long before the inception of the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece, sports have been used to distract the masses, test foreign policies, thaw diplomatic tensions, and broadcast political and social messaging.
Newsletter Aug 8, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #35 In Nigeria, widespread discontent with President Bola Tinubu’s financially repressive policies sparked nationwide protests. Security forces descended on citizens peacefully protesting against the devaluation of the naira and soaring inflation, which has reached a 30-year high in a country where 40% of the population already suffers under extreme poverty.
Blog Post Aug 5, 2024 Freedom In Focus | HRF Summer Newsletter In this edition of Freedom in Focus, we are excited to share some of our major achievements this summer and progress in the fight for freedom and democracy worldwide.
Newsletter Aug 1, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #34 In Venezuela — recently home to one of the most catastrophic episodes of hyperinflation in history — dictator Nicolás Maduro fraudulently claimed victory in the country’s presidential election.
Blog Post Jul 31, 2024 Election Watch: Modi Secures Third Term Amid Electoral Irregularities India has recently concluded the world’s largest electoral exercise, with some 640 million voters casting their ballots over seven weeks beginning on April 19.
Newsletter Jul 19, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #32 This week, authoritarian regimes intensified financial controls in response to global cost of living pressures. In El Salvador, President Nayib Bukele initiated investigations into supermarkets allegedly hiking the prices of basic goods.
Newsletter Jul 8, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #30 In Kenya, thousands of young citizens protested new taxes and a bailout for the government, which continues to erode democracy. Thirty-nine people were killed. Meanwhile, Bolivia experienced an alleged coup attempt led by the former commander general of the military, which some suspect was orchestrated by President Luis Arce to boost his dwindling popularity amid severe financial hardships.
Newsletter Jun 28, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #29 This past week, Russian officials detained a Russian-American woman for the “crime” of donating $51.80 to a pro-Ukraine charity. Meanwhile, in China, the regime renamed over 600 villages significant to the Uyghur Muslim minority group in its efforts to further erase Uyghur cultural identity.
Newsletter Jun 13, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #27 From June 3 to 5, human rights advocates gathered in Norway for the Oslo Freedom Forum to share their stories and reclaim individual rights from authoritarian regimes. During the Financial Freedom track, speakers highlighted how Bitcoin funds counter-terrorism and pro-democracy movements, provides banking services to repressed populations, and safeguards against the risks of central bank digital currencies.
Newsletter May 30, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #26 This week in Nicaragua, the number of political prisoners continues to grow. This time, the targets are journalists and teachers who are arbitrarily detained and often cut off from their banking accounts.
Newsletter May 23, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #25 In Hong Kong, officials launched a pilot program for China’s central bank digital currency (CBDC), the e-CNY, marking its first expansion beyond the mainland. But even under duress, adoption remains limited as many Chinese workers are quickly converting their e-CNY for traditional currency, emphasizing their distrust of centralized digital currencies.
Newsletter May 16, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #24 This week in Russia, Vladimir Putin’s “reelection” for a fifth term underscores a deepening authoritarian regime, characterized by stringent control over the financial system and harsh crackdowns on dissenters — a far cry from his pledge to “preserve and develop democracy” when first assuming office in 2000.
Blog Post May 9, 2024 Thailand Election: A New Beginning or Political Déjà Vu? Thailand’s general elections are set to be held on May 14. Up to 70 political parties, both big and small, are running candidates in these elections hoping to win seats in the parliament.
Newsletter May 9, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #23 n Nigeria, the director general of the Securities and Exchange Commission announced the government’s intention to delist the naira from peer-to-peer platforms, a move that would effectively trap the public inside the failing currency.
Newsletter May 3, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #22 This week news centered around the harassment of press freedom defenders through financial de-platforming. In Somalia, the regime froze the bank accounts of the Somali Journalist Syndicate (SJS).
Newsletter Apr 28, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #21 Last week, on halving day, the Human Rights Foundation launched the Finney Freedom Prize to honor the legacy of Hal Finney and inspire others to follow in his footsteps. As the world becomes increasingly digital, the fight for electronic privacy and cash becomes more and more important.
Newsletter Apr 18, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #20 Depending on your time zone, Bitcoin’s fourth halving will take place tomorrow or Saturday at block height of 840,000. Here’s a great 101 from Andreas Antonopolous on the basics of the halving, why it is important, and what he expects to happen as a result of Bitcoin issuance being cut in half.
