Press Release Nov 8, 2024 HRF Condemns Second Assassination Plot Against Iranian Activist Masih Alinejad The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) condemns the assassination plot, made public today by the U.S. Department of Justice, against Iranian journalist, women’s rights activist, and former Oslo Freedom Forum speaker Masih Alinejad. This is the third attempt on her life in the last three years orchestrated by the Iranian regime.
Blog Post Nov 8, 2024 Election Watch Tunisia: Tunisia’s Democratic Dismantling Tunisian President Kais Saied won yet another election on Oct. 6, securing an overwhelming 90.7% of the vote, up from 73% since his previous win in 2019. His win, however, is anything but surprising, considering that he’s dismantled nearly all forms of democratic checks to his power.
Blog Post Sep 4, 2024 The Survival of Kurdish Identity in Turkey The Kurds make up the world’s largest stateless population, with more than 30 million living in Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey; they make up a fifth of Turkey’s population. Like other indigenous populations in the post-World War I era in the Middle East, European diplomats decided the Kurds’ fate.
Blog Post Aug 5, 2024 The Silencing of Dissident Artists Art, in all its forms, is etched into the fabric of society. It is a testament to humanity’s unique ability to create; with a painter’s stroke, word, musical note, or dance move, an artist can evoke compassion in their viewers.
Press Release Jul 30, 2024 HRF Submits Petition to United Nations on Egyptian Human Rights Activist Ahmed Amasha This month, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) submitted a petition to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) on behalf of Ahmed Amasha, an Egyptian veterinarian, environmentalist, and human rights activist.
Press Release Jul 23, 2024 HRF submits joint petition to the United Nations on behalf of Iranian dissident rapper Toomaj Salehi Last week, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) submitted an individual complaint to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) in the case of Iranian dissident rapper Toomaj Salehi in conjunction with Doughty Street Chambers and Index on Censorship.
Op-Ed Jul 19, 2024 Authoritarian Qatar puts 2,000 cops and armoured cars on the streets of Paris Two weeks before the Olympic Games are set to kick off in Paris, Qatari security forces, equipped with armoured vehicles and urban camouflage livery, arrived in the French capital to help “secure” the global event.
Press Release Jun 25, 2024 Iran Supreme Court Overturns Toomaj Salehi’s Death Sentence On June 22, Iran’s Supreme Court overturned the death sentence of Iranian hip-hop artist and Havel Prize Laureate Toomaj Salehi.
Announcement May 29, 2024 Infiltrating America: New HRF Report on UAE Political Interference The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) published a new report, “Infiltrating America: How the United Arab Emirates Launched an Unprecedented Political Interference Campaign in the United States,” as part of its Combating Kleptocracy program.
Op-Ed May 3, 2024 Iran’s death sentence for rapper shows how far it’ll go to squelch dissent There’s no length Iran won’t go to in order to quash dissent. Murder included.
Publication Apr 24, 2024 Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi sentenced to death for songs critical of regime LONDON — An Iranian court sentenced outspoken rapper Toomaj Salehi to death after his arrest over songs that criticized the government, his lawyer said Wednesday.
Op-Ed Mar 7, 2024 UAE once again tries to launder its image While the United Arab Emirates keeps up its farcical image-laundering — an attempt to look like a place that doesn’t crack down on dissent and individual freedoms — it has found another façade to hide behind: International Women’s Day.
Report Feb 1, 2024 Infiltrating America: How the United Arab Emirates Launched an Unprecedented Political Interference Campaign in the United States For years, one foreign dictatorship has overseen an unprecedented interference effort aimed at the heart of the U.S. political process, unleashing squadrons of lobbyists while launching illicit campaigns that reached directly into the highest ranks of the American government.
Blog Post Jan 12, 2024 Fueling Ambition: Aramco’s pivotal role in Saudi Arabia’s sports expansion In November 2023, news broke that Aramco—Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil and energy giant—was set to complete a “significant sponsorship” deal with FIFA that would make it the football governing body’s biggest sponsor over the coming decade.
Publication Nov 20, 2023 Jailed Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi released on bail Salehi was imprisoned for his support for the anti-government protests following the death of Jina Mahsa Amini.
Blog Post Oct 24, 2023 The Silent Chains of Saudi Arabia: My Fight for My Daughter and Our Freedom In 2011, while working in Tunisia, my life completely changed. I witnessed the start of the Arab Spring and fall of Tunisia’s dictator, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, due to a popular uprising against injustice.
Press Release Oct 9, 2023 HRF to UN: Do Not Elect Dictatorships to Human Rights Council On Oct. 10, 193 member states of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) face the crucial task of filling 15 of the 47 seats of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
Op-Ed Sep 12, 2023 Hold Iran to account for Mahsa Amini’s murder (and other horrors) when UN meets next week The first anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s murder on Sept. 16, 2022, couldn’t come at a better time: It coincides with the commencement of the UN General Assembly’s 78th session— the perfect time to hold Iran’s feet to the fire.
Announcement Aug 31, 2023 Human Trafficking & Authoritarianism: Read HRF’s Latest Reports Human trafficking, considered a modern form of slavery, impacts tens of millions and exists in every region of the world. In 2023, an estimated 28 million individuals were trapped in modern slavery and 22 million trapped in forced marriage globally.
