Freedom House

08/20/2026

Maykel “Osorbo” Castillo should be celebrating his birthday with his family. Instead, the Cuban artist and co-author of Patria Y Vida remains behind bars.

But imprisonment has not silenced him.

On Maykel’s birthday, hear Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart lend his voice to Maykel’s words and join us in calling for his immediate release.

08/20/2026

Read the latest Spotlight 🔆 on Freedom:

🔒 Political Prisoners Watch: Tsi Conrad Still Has Hope for Democracy in Cameroon
📣 Event: The Political Prisoners Xi Jinping Doesn’t Want the World to See
🌎 Transnational Repression: Exile No Longer Offers Safety in Latin America

More: https://bit.ly/4c36iK5
Subscribe: https://bit.ly/Subscribe_FHnewsletter

08/19/2026

Leaving your country doesn't always put you beyond an authoritarian government's reach.

At least 54 governments have targeted critics across borders since 2014. In Nicaragua, Freedom House has documented at least 20 cases of physical transnational repression.

Freedom House President Gerardo Berthin and Latin America and the Caribbean Programs Director Alejandra Argueta explain why exiled activists need greater protection in a new piece for the Kettering Foundation:

Freedom House President Gerardo Berthin and Alejandra Argueta, director of Latin America and Caribbean programs, examine the growing threat of transnational repression in Latin America, with a focus on Nicaragua—and the deadly consequences for those who speak out.

08/18/2026

SAVE THE DATE!

Join us on September 15 for a timely and crucial conversation on the CCP’s political repression ahead of President Xi Jinping’s visit to DC next month.

Register today to save your seat or receive information about the livestream: https://freedomhouse.org/event/political-prisoners-xi-jinping-doesnt-want-world-see

08/17/2026

How free is your country?

Our 2026 report documents the state of political rights and civil liberties in 210 countries and territories around the world.

Visit our website to explore our interactive map of freedom: https://freedomhouse.org/explore-the-map

08/14/2026

Yalda Moaiery’s photographs showed the world what was happening inside Iran. Now, the regime wants to silence her.

The photojournalist has been sentenced to 15 years in prison as Iranian authorities escalate executions and pressure artists and other critical voices.

Journalism, art, and peaceful dissent are not crimes. Freedom House stands with the Iranian people, who have endured decades of repression and continue to demand their fundamental freedoms. Read more in Le Monde:

The authorities are intensifying their crackdown on spaces of freedom. Photojournalist Yalda Moaiery has been sentenced to 15 years in prison, executions are on the rise, artists are being summoned by the authorities and cafés are being shut down.

08/13/2026

On September 10, Freedom House CEO Jamie Fly joins Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs' Joel Rosenthal for a fireside chat focused on democracy, morality, and what’s required to combat the rising tide of autocracy around the globe.

Be sure to RSVP for this conversation:

Register to attend the next virtual event in Carnegie Council's Values & Interests series: Democracy as a Moral Principle.

08/12/2026

Around the world, heads of state are increasingly circumventing term-limit restrictions to prolong their rule.

From manipulated referendums and constitutional rewrites to loyalist-packed legislatures and executive role-swapping, the playbook takes many forms.

See how six leaders extended their grip on power, then read our full report: https://freedomhouse.org/report/special-report/2026/overstaying-their-welcome-problem-presidential-term-limit-evasion

08/12/2026

Weeks ago, Pastor Ezra Jin was imprisoned in China for practicing and sharing his faith. Yesterday, we had the joy of welcoming him, his daugther Grace Jin Drexel, and his new grandson to Freedom House.

After advocating for Pastor Jin’s release through our program, it was especially meaningful to welcome him in person to our offices and celebrate his reunion with his family.

His release is a powerful reminder that sustained advocacy can make a difference. But the CCP continues to imprison people for exercising their fundamental freedoms, including eight other Zion Church leaders. We will keep pressing for their release and for the release of all political prisoners in China.

08/11/2026

Freedom House CEO Jamie Fly and Taiwan Office Manager Kevin Slaten were pleased to meet with Taiwan National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu in Taipei last week.

As a democracy facing sustained pressure from Beijing, Taiwan brings an important perspective to the global effort to counter authoritarian threats. Their conversation included China’s new Ethnic Unity Law and the risks posed by governments reaching across borders to intimidate critics and restrict fundamental freedoms.

We value our longstanding ties with Taiwan and its continued commitment to freedom and democracy.