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.
Publication May 17, 2024 Bad Business In my Impromptus today, I have some sports — starting with Simone Biles — and some presidential politics — a lot of that — and some language — the shape-shifting of English — and other matters. Try it here.
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.
Publication Apr 26, 2024 San Francisco Casts Lens on Art, Fashion and Activism SFMOMA holds latest Art Bash fundraiser, while couture history and ethical fashion get the spotlight at the de Young, courtesy of FiSF and Wear Your Values.
Publication Apr 26, 2024 How to Dictator-Proof Your Money Human-rights activists around the world have a new tool: unstoppable electronic cash.
Announcement Apr 19, 2024 HRF Launches the Finney Freedom Prize On this fourth halving day, April 19, 2024, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is proud to announce the launch of the Finney Freedom Prize, an award designed in Hal Finney’s memory to celebrate global achievements in the area of Bitcoin and human rights.
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.
Press Release Apr 12, 2024 HRF Petitions the State Department on Vladimir Kara-Murza’s Detention On Thursday, the second anniversary of Russian pro-democracy advocate Vladimir Kara-Murza’s detention, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF), Free Russia Foundation (FRF), McCain Institute, and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights (RWCHR) filed a request to the US Department of State, calling for it to designate Kara-Murza as wrongfully detained and transfer his case to the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs.
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.
Announcement Apr 8, 2024 HRF Announces CISA Research Fellowship The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is pleased to announce the launch of the CISA Research Fellowship.
Press Release Apr 5, 2024 HRF Brings UN Attention to Rights Abuses in Five Countries Last week, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) submitted contributions to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) regarding the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Nicaragua, North Korea, and Qatar.
Announcement Mar 28, 2024 HRF Launches Webinar to Help Nonprofits Integrate Bitcoin The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is delighted to announce a free quarterly webinar to teach nonprofits, particularly human rights organizations, how to integrate Bitcoin into their work to challenge state censorship and confiscation.
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.
