CIVIL RIGHTS DEFENDERS

20/05/2026

16/04/2026

Hungary’s government controlled the media, the courts, and academia. Yet people still managed to vote for change. After 16 years, Viktor Orbán’s rule has come to an end.

Here are five steps and why they matter:

1. Make the courts independent again
Judges and prosecutors must follow the law not political orders. 👉 Under Orbán, judicial independence was eroded through political appointments and pressure.

2. End political control of the media
Without free media, there can be no free elections. 👉 Orbán’s government brought large parts of the media under political control and silenced critical voices.

3. Lift the Pride ban — stand up for equal rights
Peaceful assembly and equal treatment are fundamental human rights. 👉 Under Orbán, Pride marches were banned and information about LGBTI+ people was restricted by law.

4. Let civil society and academia work freely
Organisations, researchers and students must not be silenced by laws or intimidation. 👉 Civil society groups, researchers and universities have faced repressive legislation, threats and political interference.

5. Ensure free and fair elections
Power should be earned through trust, not through rigged rules. 👉 Elections were held, but the rules were heavily skewed in favour of the governing party.

📌 Democracies are dismantled step by step.
📌 They are rebuilt step by step too.

We will follow every step closely. Hungary’s election shows that change is possible — even in dark times. Support civil society’s fight for democracy and human rights.

Take a small action today that makes a difference: 👉 Share this post

23/03/2026

Human rights defender and Natalia Project participant Nasta Loika has been released from prison as Belarus released 250 political prisoners. We celebrate this long-awaited moment with her and her community.

But while we welcome this news, more than a thousand political prisoners remain behind bars in Belarus. And the practice of using human rights defenders as political leverage or geopolitical bargaining chips must end.

Releases tied to political deals do not amount to justice – their freedom must come unconditionally.

Read more about Nasta Loika and Natalia Project on crd.org.

12/03/2026

A European ICE? 🧊 NO, thank you! ❌ The EU is negotiating new legislation that would increase and normalise immigration raids and surveillance and could lead to:

❌ RAIDS IN PRIVATE HOMES
Authorities could enter and search for undocumented people, including in offices and shelters.

❌ RAIDS IN PUBLIC SPACES
Checks at train stations, buses, airports, and on roads.

❌ MANDATORY REPORTING
Public services could be required to report undocumented people.

❌ RACIAL PROFILING
Checks based on appearance or language, leading to even more discrimination.

❌ SURVEILLANCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Collection and sharing of large amounts of personal data and the use of biometric technology.

In short: ICE‑like methods in the EU.
(ICE is the U.S. federal agency responsible for immigration enforcement and related criminal investigations.)

The U.S. has shown us what such methods lead to: fear, families torn apart, and people who are afraid to seek healthcare and support. This is not how we want to treat our neighbours, friends, and community members.

Members of the European parliament must vote no to the Deportation (”Return”) Regulation.

❌ NO to an ICE in the EU.

📢 We need to act. Share this post to ensure the proposal does not pass in silence.

10/03/2026

Sunday, 10 March 2019, will always remain in our memories as the day we lost our dear friend and colleague Josefin Ekermann in a tragic plane crash outside Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She is greatly missed, and our thoughts are with Josefin’s family and loved ones.

08/03/2026

Today, on International Women’s Day, we recognise that where impunity thrives, women are fighting back.

👉 Through the Global Initiative Against Impunity (GIAI), women human rights defenders are supporting families of the disappeared in their search for truth and justice in Sri Lanka,
👉 confronting enforced disappearances in Mexico,
👉 and documenting conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan—often at great personal risk.

They are gathering the evidence others try to erase.
They are naming the crimes others deny.
They are forcing accountability onto systems built to resist it.

Impunity depends on silence. Women human rights defenders are breaking it.

⚖️ On , we stand with the women who are not only demanding justice, but driving it.

Read more about our work:

Global Initiative Against Impunity When someone enjoys impunity, their actions and misdeeds go unpunished. In international law, impunity refers to the failure to bring perpetrators of international crimes and serious human rights violations to justice. This makes it harder for survivors to get just...

19/12/2025

👉 Open position! We're looking for a Programme Officer Eurasia, based in Stockholm. Are you an expert on the political and human rights situation in Eurasia? Do you want to use your strategical skills to contribute to the advocacy work of Civil Rights Defenders? Then you might be the one we are looking for. Apply now! ✒️ 🧡

Are you an expert on the political and human rights situation in Eurasia? Do you want to use your strategical skills to contribute to the advocacy work of Civil Rights Defenders?

19/12/2025

👉 Open position! We're looking for an accountant with a passion for accuracy and structure. Are you at the early stage of your accounting career and want to contribute to the protection of human rights while developing your skills in an international organisation? Apply now! 🧡🖋️

Are you at the early stage of your accounting career and want to contribute to the protection of human rights while developing your skills in an international organisation?

10/12/2025

Today is Human Rights Day, a day that reminds us that all people have equal value and rights. On December 10, 1948, the UN adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Yet for many, these rights are still far from reality.

Every day, human rights defenders around the world risk their freedom and safety to stand up against oppression, violence, and injustice. They do it for all of us: for the right to speak freely, live without fear, and be treated with dignity.

We exists to provide them with support and protection. Civil Rights Defenders work across four continents to strengthen those who dare to speak out when others are silenced. Today, our work feels more important than ever.

According to V-Dem’s latest democracy assessment, 94 countries have regressed in democratic factors since 2019. History speaks clearly: where democracy weakens, so does the protection of people’s freedom and rights.

No one should have to risk their life to defend our human rights. But when they do, they should never stand alone. That’s why we are here.

Do you want to stand up for those who dare to stand up for our rights? Learn more at crd.org.

👉 All actions matter – share this post to support the fight.

09/12/2025

Idag är det Internationella dagen för människorättsförsvarare🧡

Över hela världen ser vi hur människorättsförsvarare arbetar under allt svårare förhållanden. Varje steg de tar övervakas, och varje försök till handling censureras och motarbetas.

Därför anordnade vi en säkerhetsutbildning i Moldavien för 24 människorättsförsvarare från länder i hela Eurasien. Tillsammans diskuterade vi mer än sådant som handlar om säkerhetsprotokoll, cyberattacker och nödåtgärder: vi upptäckte att verklig säkerhet kommer från att stödja varandra, från att hitta den gemensamma styrkan att fortsätta.

Läs om Annas och andras erfarenheter i vår artikel på crd.org!

I november samlades 24 människorättsförsvarare från länder inom Östliga partnerskapsnätverket för att delta i ett nytt säkerhetsprogram.