Human Rights Foundation (HRF)

What keeps someone going when everything has been taken away? For Félix @maradiaga, it was the hope of seeing his wife and daughter again.

The people of Burma have endured more than five years of military rule, and their struggle for freedom continues. Watch the 2026 @OsloFF speaker Thin Lei Win @thinink reflect on everyday life under dictatorship. youtube.com/watch?v=uUoLnQ…

The convictions arose from the group's protest urging the public to boycott the military-planned election, opposing the junta's mandatory conscription policy, and calling for the release of political prisoners. The sentences mark another escalation in the junta's crackdown on dissent and political opposition.

HRF strongly condemns the prison sentences imposed by two courts in Burma on nine activists, who received up to 37 years in prison for campaigning against the military-planned election in December 2025. HRF remains deeply concerned by the continued crackdown on dissent and will continue to closely monitor the situation.

Learn more about transnational repression and the tactics used to silence activists across borders, including intimidation targeting their family members: hrf.org/latest/the-las…

Amid a recent July 2026 meeting between Thailand’s Prime Minister and China’s President Xi Jinping, HRF joined more than 50 organizations in urging Thailand not to forcibly return Chinese investigative journalist Bai Zhaodong. The coalition called on Thailand to refrain from cooperating in the persecution of Chinese human rights defenders, journalists, and dissidents. rsf.org/sites/default/…

HRF calls on Thailand to uphold the principle of non-refoulement, end the forced return of dissidents and human rights defenders to countries where they risk arbitrary detention, torture, ill treatment, or lengthy imprisonment, and facilitate their safe transfer to third countries.

HRF stands with the people of Pakistan-administered Kashmir and all those peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. The government must promptly investigate the reported killings, ensure accountability, and uphold due process for all those detained.

The crackdown has been accompanied by an internet blackout and severe restrictions on media access, making independent reporting nearly impossible. These developments reinforce HRF’s concerns over the shrinking space for press freedom in Kashmir, including the detention of journalist Irfan Mehraj. hrf.org/latest/hrf-urg…

According to a local civil society group, security forces opened fire on thousands of peaceful demonstrators. Protest organizers claimed that Pakistani officials removed bodies from hospitals and detained activists in an apparent attempt to conceal evidence. theguardian.com/world/2026/jul…

HRF condemns Pakistani officials' reported use of force on unarmed peaceful protesters in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, killing at least 30 people over two days. HRF calls on Pakistan to end the violent crackdown, restore mobile communications, and ensure accountability for all unlawful use of force.

As the regime continues to hold on to power, losing the ICC means that Venezuelans will be left with no competent independent court to hear their cases. While there is an ongoing trial in Argentina against Venezuelan officials under universal jurisdiction, domestic courts have a harder time enforcing their orders and rulings than internationally recognized tribunals, making the ICC's work crucially important.

The investigation from the ICC has not met the expectations of the victims and their advocates. Since it was officially launched in 2021, there have been no meaningful updates, even during the brutal post-electoral crackdown of 2024. The investigation was also marred by scandals, culminating in the recusal of the chief prosecutor of the ICC due to a conflict of interest. However, victims still look to the ICC for justice, and its efforts must be supported. washingtonpost.com/world/2025/08/…

HRF condemns the move by the Venezuelan regime to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC is one of the last avenues available to Venezuelan victims to pursue justice and accountability as domestic courts remain co-opted. All democracies must collaborate with the ICC to support its ongoing investigation into the regime’s crimes against humanity.

In recent years, Rohingya refugees in Malaysia have been targeted with increasing online harassment, including hate speech and dehumanizing rhetoric. HRF calls on Malaysia to uphold its obligations to respect the rights of refugees and asylum seekers, including their right to peacefully raise concerns and seek support.

The Rohingya are an ethnic minority from Burma who have endured decades of systematic persecution, violence, and discrimination. Following the military-led campaign of atrocities against the Rohingya in 2017, hundreds of thousands were forced to seek refuge in neighboring countries, including Bangladesh and Malaysia.

HRF expresses deep concern over Malaysia’s detention of more than 100 Rohingya asylum seekers after they gathered near a UN refugee agency (UNHCR) office in Kuala Lumpur.