Blog Post 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 25, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #33 Across the world this week, authoritarian regimes predictably continue leveraging centralized technologies and top-down policies to tighten their grip on power. In Russia, Vladimir Putin pushes for harsh regulations on Bitcoin mining, citing fears of potential power outages.
Blog Post 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.
Blog Post Jul 11, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #31 This week, financial policies impacting personal freedoms worldwide take center stage. In Russia, imprisoned opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza was transferred to a prison hospital, while officials issued an arrest warrant for Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Alexei Navalny and new chair of the Human Rights Foundation, for being part of an “extremist group.”
Blog Post 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.
Blog Post 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.
Blog Post Jun 20, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #28 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.
Blog Post 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.
Blog Post 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.
Blog Post 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.
Blog Post 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 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.
Blog Post 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).
Blog Post 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.
Blog Post 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.
Blog Post Apr 13, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #19 After five failed currencies in the last ten years, Zimbabwe is launching yet another currency. This time, one ostensibly backed by foreign reserves and precious metals. Observers, however, remain skeptical, questioning whether the regime will provide sufficient reserves to back up the new currency.
Blog Post Apr 8, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #18 This week’s news is led by the headline that SWIFT — the global messaging system for banks — is developing a central bank digital currency platform to facilitate the interoperability of CBDCs across the globe, most of which are being issued by authoritarian governments.
Blog Post Mar 28, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #17 In Hong Kong, lawmakers have passed a new national security law aimed at suppressing dissent among citizens. Meanwhile, the ruling Indian government has frozen the bank accounts of the Indian National Congress, the largest political opposition group in the country, further raising concerns over the erosion of freedom and democracy.
Blog Post Mar 21, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #16 We’re thrilled to announce that this week HRF granted $500,000 to 14 projects worldwide as part of its Bitcoin Development Fund.
Blog Post Mar 14, 2024 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #15 This past week, BRICS — an intergovernmental organization led by the Russian and Chinese dictatorships — explored the development of an independent payment system that aims to use digital currencies and potentially central bank digital currencies.
