International Service for Human Rights

08/20/2026

Voting for candidates to the Human Rights Council will take place at the General Assembly in October 2026 🗳️

Ahead of the elections, ISHR & Amnesty International will host an online Pledging Event on 3 September 2026 🌍



Don’t miss it: https://ow.ly/cGH650ZA9Ra

08/18/2026

🗞️ 🔊 : 'The overwhelming majority of people and countries have a shared interest in freedom, justice, equality and fairness. We don’t like being bullied, we don’t like being subject to discrimination, and the international human rights framework is a bulwark against that.'

On this episode of swissinfo's 'Inside Geneva' podcast, ISHR's Executive Director Phil Lynch and Deputy Executive Director Pooja Patel spoke about our work in support of human rights defenders and why the international human rights system is at a critical juncture at this moment.

Listen to the full conversation:

UN investigations have documented war crimes in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan. So why is no one being held accountable?

08/18/2026

The UN Committee against Torture has found that Morocco violated the Convention Against Torture in the case of Abdelmoula El Hafidi, a Sahrawi human rights defender who was subjected to degrading detention conditions.

Read our full article: https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/morocco-un-committee-finds-torture-violation-over-sahrawi-defenders-detention-conditions/

08/17/2026

India: Law enforcement use of metallic pellet guns at ‘Cockroach Party’ protest a brazen violation of human rights

ISHR has urged UN human rights experts on freedom of assembly and torture to publicly address the unlawful use of metallic pellet guns by India’s security forces against protestors taking part in the peaceful ‘Sansad Chalo’ protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party on 20 July 2026.

https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/india-law-enforcement-use-of-metallic-pellet-guns-at-cockroach-party-protest-a-brazen-violation-of-human-rights/

08/09/2026

On we honour the work of people like Casselle, who defends the rights of Indigenous Peoples from the Kankana-ey tribe of the Cordillera region in the Philippines. Watch her story by clicking on the link below!

And we celebrate the 5th anniversary of an important UN resolution : after much push from civil society organisations like ISHR and others, the United Nations Human Rights Council recognised the right to a in 2021!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dLc800DdYU

08/06/2026

🌎 Human rights defender's story: meet Carolina Almeida, a human rights defender and an international advisor at Geledés – Black Woman Institute, an organisation based in Brazil. In an interview with ISHR, she shared her inspiration and discussed what drove her commitment for human rights.

Her main goal, she summarised, is ‘to ensure that Black women [in Brazil] are both agents and beneficiaries of sustainable development with the power, opportunities, and the rights to shape our own futures’. Carolina was also among the 11 participants in the 2026 edition of ISHR’s flagship training course, the Human Rights Advocacy Programme (HRDAP).

Discover her story: https://ishr.ch/defender-stories/human-rights-defenders-story-carolina-almeida-from-brazil/

08/05/2026

Why renewing the mandate is critical:

1️⃣ Persistent Structural Risks 🚨: Maduro’s removal has not eliminated the drivers of atrocity crimes. The institutions, security structures, and legal frameworks enabling crimes against humanity remain in place.

2️⃣ Scrutiny Matters Most 🔎: During political transitions, independent investigation offers the greatest preventive value. The FFM distinguishes genuine reform from cosmetic changes, provides early warnings of renewed repression, and incentivizes meaningful reform.

3️⃣ Complementary Mandates 🤝: The FFM and OHCHR perform distinct functions. Weakening the FFM would remove the leverage that sustains OHCHR’s access and cooperation.

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In 2019, the Human Rights Council (HRC) established the The Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) on Venezuela to assess alleged human rights violations committed in the

08/04/2026

When defenders can safely engage with the , the entire human rights system becomes stronger. Their work drives accountability and change. We must support them, not silence them. ✊ Join the campaign: take action and send an email to States: https://ow.ly/79sH50ZjJa2

07/28/2026

We congratulate the UN High Commissioner on the extension of his mandate for another four years. We reaffirm our commitment to engage constructively with his mandate to seek accountability for human rights violations, fight discrimination and inequalities, protect and promote the vital work of human rights defenders everywhere, ensuring they have a seat at the UN table to co-create solutions the world needs right now.
(Photo: UN Web TV)

07/28/2026

🌎 Human rights defender's story: Meet Celeste Fernández, a human rights activist from Argentina working with the Civil Association for Equality and Justice (ACIJ), and one of 11 participants in the 2026 edition of ISHR’s flagship training course, the Human Rights Advocacy Programme (HRDAP).

In an interview with ISHR, she shared her inspiration and described her ultimate aim as that of building a ‘social fabric that is more fraternal’ and a community that is ‘less individualistic’.

Discover her full story: https://ishr.ch/defender-stories/human-rights-defenders-story-celeste-fernandez-from-argentina/