WASHINGTON, September 15, 2023 — On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the death of 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman Jina Mahsa Amini in the custody of Iran’s so-called morality police, Freedom House president Michael J. Abramowitz issued the following statement: “One year ago, Jina Mahsa Amini’s tragic death at the hands of the Tehran […]
Freedom House
Posted inOp-Ed
Jessica White and David Meijer: Securing a Vibrant Future for the World’s Public Broadcasters
January 26, 2023 – In the century since the world’s oldest public broadcaster, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), began operating, people around the world have benefited from international public broadcasters that share reliable information. Even with the rise of social media and competing services, their global footprint remains significant. The BBC reached a record 489 million […]
Posted inOp-Ed
Freedom House: Biden Must Prioritize Human Rights Concerns on Visit to Saudi Arabia
WASHINGTON, July 11, 2022 — In advance of the US president’s official visit to Jeddah, where he will attend a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council and meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Freedom House issued the following statement: “The Saudi regime is one of the most repressive in the world, and its efforts […]
Posted inOp-Ed
Freedom House: Russian authorities’ use of violence and political imprisonment to silence critics must end
In response to today’s sentencing of opposition leader Alexey Navalny to nine years in a “strict regime penal colony,” Freedom House issued the following statement: The sentencing of Alexey Navalny is the latest act of despotism by the Kremlin, which will stop at nothing to crush dissent and hold onto power,” said Michael J. Abramowitz, […]
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Myanmar: United States Must Escalate Pressure on Coup Leaders to End Violent Repression, Says Freedom House
Washington, April 21, 2021 — In response to the escalating military violence and digital repression in Myanmar, Freedom House issued the following statement: “The situation in Myanmar is a matter of international urgency,” said Michael J. Abramowitz, president of Freedom House. “The military has physically attacked and killed hundreds of civilians and cut off critical internet […]
Posted inUS
Freedom House Calls on Lawmakers to Accept the Presidential Election Result
Washington, January 4, 2021 — With two days remaining before the US Congress formally validates the results of the presidential election on January 6, Freedom House issued the following statement: “President Trump’s allegations of fraud in the November presidential election have received a full and thorough hearing, and they have been conclusively rejected by independent state and […]
Posted inWorld
Hong Kong: Freedom House Condemns Disqualification of Prodemocracy LegCo Members
Washington, November 12, 2020 — The disqualification of prodemocracy members of the Legislative Council and subsequent resignation of the rest of the prodemocracy bloc leaves Hong Kong with a rubber-stamp body willing to enact Beijing’s preferred policies. In response to Hong Kong authorities’ move to disqualify four prodemocracy members of the Legislative Council (Legco), and the subsequent […]
Posted inUS
Freedom House Calls on Politicians and Journalists to Protect the Electoral Process
Washington, October 28, 2020 — With less than a week to go before the November 3 general elections, Freedom House is calling on politicians, journalists, and other public figures to take a series of precautionary measures that will help ensure a peaceful democratic exercise in which all eligible voters may participate, all valid votes are counted, […]
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Report: Freedom in the World 2020 finds established democracies are in decline
Washington, March 4, 2020 — Democracy is under assault around the globe, and the effects are evident not just in authoritarian states like China, Russia, and Iran, but also in countries with a long track record of upholding basic rights and freedoms. While protest movements in every region have illustrated widespread popular demand for better […]
Posted inWorld
Venezuela: Maduro Power Grab at National Assembly Must Be Condemned
Washington, January 6, 2020 — In response to the Maduro regime’s forcible interference with a vote for president of the National Assembly, Freedom House issued the following statement: “The use of force in a bid to seize control of the National Assembly, Venezuela’s last democratically elected institution, is a brazen new addition to the Maduro regime’s […]
Posted inUS
Freedom House releases Freedom on the Net 2019: The Crisis of Social Media
Nov. 5, 2019 – Governments around the world are increasingly using social media to manipulate elections and monitor their citizens, tilting the technology toward digital authoritarianism. As a result of these trends, global internet freedom declined for the ninth consecutive year, according to Freedom on the Net 2019, the latest edition of the annual country-by-country […]
Posted inOp-Ed
Freedom House: White Nationalist Terrorism a Growing Threat to Our Democracy
Washington, August 5, 2019 — Following a recent spate of violence inspired by white nationalism, Freedom House issued the following statement: We are deeply saddened by the terrible events of the past weekend. We must recognize and combat growing white nationalist terrorism in the United States and elsewhere. White nationalist ideology, which is the apparent motive behind […]
Posted inUS
Freedom in the World 2019: Democracy in Retreat
WASHINGTON, DC, Feb. 5, 2019 – Challenges to American democracy are testing the stability of its constitutional system and threatening to undermine political rights and civil liberties worldwide, according to Freedom in the World 2019, the latest edition of the annual country-by-country assessment of fundamental freedoms, released today by Freedom House. As part of this […]
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Narrow majority of Americans agree U.S. in “real danger of becoming a nondemocratic, authoritarian country”
WASHINGTON, June 26, 2018 – Even as Americans remain committed to the ideals of democracy, a majority see democracy in the United States as weak and getting weaker, according to a national survey jointly commissioned by Freedom House, the George W. Bush Institute, and the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement. With democracy […]
Posted inUS
Withdrawal from UNHRC Undermines American Interests
Washington, June 19, 2018 — In response to the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw the United States from the United Nations Human Rights Council, the premier global human rights body, Freedom House and 11 other democracy and human rights organizations have issued a joint letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arguing that the decision is counterproductive […]
Posted inWorld
Ukraine: Authorities Should Respond to Attacks Targeting Peaceful Demonstrations, Says Freedom House
Washington, March 14, 2018 — In response to the recent attacks against peaceful protesters commemorating International Women’s Day in Kyiv, Lviv, and Uzhgorod, Freedom House issued the following statement: “The attacks on peaceful gatherings marking International Women’s Day in Ukrainian cities and authorities’ failure to respond is deeply disturbing,” said Marc Behrendt, director for Europe and Eurasia […]
Posted inWorld
Democracy in Crisis: Freedom House Releases Freedom in the World 2018
WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2018 – Democracy is under assault and in retreat around the globe, a crisis that has intensified as America’s democratic standards erode at an accelerating pace, according to Freedom in the World 2018, the latest edition of the annual report on political rights and civil liberties, released today by Freedom House. The […]
Posted inWorld
Russia: Authorities Try to Silence Dissent, Anti-Corruption Protests
WASHINGTON, March 27, 2017 – In response to Russian police arresting hundreds of people in anti-corruption protests across the country on March 26, including the largest demonstration in Moscow in five years, Freedom House issued the following statement: “The protests targeted corruption that has mushroomed under the authoritarianism of President Putin and his government, […]