Cuba Video: The “Ladies in White” Steadfast Until Every Political Prisoner is Free
September 1, 2010
In order to provide an accurate backdrop with regard to the announcement of the Cuban government’s release and forced exile of 52 political prisoners, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) releases an exclusive video documentary short of the “Ladies in White,” a civil society group inside Cuba that organizes peaceful Sunday marches for freedom and human rights. [more]
- See the full video here.
HRF in The Huffington Post: Taiwan Fails to Learn From Its Own History
August 17, 2010
Today The Huffington Post published a piece by HRF President Thor Halvorssen and HRF Director of Institutional Affairs Alex Gladstein on Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) government and human rights. Halvorssen and Gladstein visited Taiwan in June at the behest of the country's KMT-led government. A month later, the KMT banned Rebiya Kadeer, the leader of China's Uyghur minority, from entering the country for three years. Kadeer, a human rights advocate and spokesperson for millions of China's repressed Uyghurs, was the keynote speaker at HRF's 2010 Oslo Freedom Forum.
- Read "Taiwan Fails to Learn From Its Own History" here.
HRF in The Washington Post: Behind exhumation of Simón Bolívar is Hugo Chávez’s warped obsession
July 25, 2010
Today The Washington Post published a piece by HRF President Thor Halvorssen on the exhumation of Simón Bolívar carried out on July 16, under Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez's orders.
Read the full article here.
HRF in The Huffington Post: Malaysia's Bridge is Falling Down
July 20, 2010
Today The Huffington Post published a piece by HRF President Thor Halvorssen on the trial of Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. Ibrahim is the former deputy prime minister of Malaysia and was a speaker at HRF's 2010 Oslo Freedom Forum.
- Read "Malaysia's Bridge is Falling Down" here.
HRF in The Washington Times: Venezuelans charged for statements on Twitter
July 16, 2010
Human Rights Foundation (HRF) president Thor Halvorssen is quoted extensively in an article, published in today’s Washington Times, about the case of two Venezuelan citizens charged with using Twitter to “destabilize the banking system.” Luis Enrique Acosta Oxford and Carmen Cecilia Nares Castro were both charged this week with “disseminating false rumors” on Twitter to allegedly incite a run on Venezuelan banks. Both could face up to 11 years of imprisonment, pending trial. [more]
- Read the full article here.
Ecuador: Video Presentation of Former Political Prisoner Guadalupe Llori
July 8, 2010
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) released a video presentation of Guadalupe Llori, former prisoner of conscience and current governor of the province of Orellana in Ecuador, in which she recounts the human rights violations she endured at the hands of the Ecuadorean government. Llori’s presentation took place this April at the 2010 Oslo Freedom Forum. [more]
- See Guadalupe Llori’s full presentation here.
- Read the letter on Llori's case sent by HRF to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention here. (Spanish only)
- See more Oslo Freedom Forum videos here.
HRF in The Huffington Post
July 6, 2010
Today The Huffington Post published a piece by HRF President Thor Halvorssen on the seizure of Diego Arria's farm in Venezuela. Arria is the former Assistant Secretary General to the United Nations and was a speaker at HRF's 2010 Oslo Freedom Forum.
Read "Venezuela's 'Animal Farm'" here.
HRF and Activist María Conchita Alonso to Discuss Oliver Stone's Documentary on Fox Business News Tonight
July 6, 2010
Human Rights Foundation (HRF) President Thor Halvorssen will appear tonight on Fox Business News with David Asman to discuss Oliver Stone’s new film about Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, as well as Stone’s failure to acknowledge the appalling human rights record under that leader’s regime. Halvorssen will appear alongside María Conchita Alonso, a Cuban-Venezuelan actress and activist who has already expressed strong criticism over the film’s factual inaccuracies. The show airs tonight at 7:00 PM EDT, with the segment running toward the end of the show. [more]
Video on Venezuela: HRF Marks Third Anniversary of RCTV Shutdown
May 27, 2010
On the third anniversary of the shutdown of Radio Caracas Television (RCTV), the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) released a video of Marcel Granier, RCTV’s general manager, speaking about attacks endured by the independent media in Venezuela under President Hugo Chávez. Granier’s presentation took place this past April at the 2010 Oslo Freedom Forum. [more]
See Marcel Granier’s full presentation here.
Visit FreeRCTV here.
See more Oslo Freedom Forum videos here.
HRF Honors Global Cuba Solidarity Day
May 21, 2010
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) released videos of former prisoner of conscience Armando Valladares and world-renowned blogger Yoani Sánchez in honor of Global Cuba Solidarity Day. The videos were filmed exclusively for the 2010 Oslo Freedom Forum and are now available on YouTube. [more]
See Armando Valladares’s video, please visit here.
See Yoani Sánchez’s video, please visit here.
For more information on Global Cuba Solidarity Day, please click here.
HRF's Oslo Freedom Forum Interview with Imprisoned Monk Thich Quang Do to Screen in California’s Vesak Festival
May 20, 2010
The Human Rights Foundation’s Oslo Freedom Forum will screen its recently-filmed interview with The Most Venerable Thich Quang Do at the Vesak Festival in Westminster, California. The screening will be held on Sunday, May 23, at 11:00 a.m. PDT at the Dieu Ngu Pagoda at 14472 Chesnut Street in Westminster. The Vesak Festival is an event celebrated by Buddhists around the world, commemorating the 2554th celebration of Buddha’s birth. Thich Quang Do is the 81-year-old patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam and an outspoken advocate for human rights and democracy in Vietnam. Currently under house arrest in Ho Chi Minh City, Thich Quang Do has been a prisoner of conscience of the Vietnamese government for more than 28 years. [more]
Venezuela: Political Prisoner Oswaldo Álvarez Paz Conditionally Released, HRF Calls for Dismissal of Case
May 18, 2010
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) called today for a definitive stay of the proceedings against Social Christian politician Oswaldo Álvarez Paz. After spending almost two months detained in the headquarters of Venezuela’s secret police Álvarez Paz was conditionally released from custody last week, pending a criminal trial for criticizing President Chavez and his government. [more]
Read the report written about Oswaldo Álvarez Paz's case here.
HRF in The Huffington Post
May 13, 2010
Today's The Huffington Post published 
a piece by HRF President Thor Halvorssen on “On Own Feet: The Centipede Children,” a children’s organization that provides humanitarian assistance to children in countries torn by violence and instability.
Read "A Different Kind of Army" here.
HRF's Oslo Freedom Forum Screens Rare Interview with Imprisoned Monk for Vietnam Human Rights Day on Capitol Hill
May 11, 2010
The Human Rights Foundation's Oslo Freedom Forum will present its recently-filmed interview with The Most Venerable Thich Quang Do at a congressional ceremony on Capitol Hill this afternoon. Thich Quang Do, the 81-year-old patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam and outspoken advocate for democracy and human rights in Vietnam, has been a prisoner of conscience of the Vietnamese government for more than 28 years. [more]
Presidential Medal to Oslo Freedom Forum; Romania’s First Democratic Leader Celebrates Human Rights Conference
April 29, 2010
Romanian leader Emil Constantinescu presented the Oslo Freedom Forum with a presidential silver medal he issued in order to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Romanian Revolution that led to the downfall of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. [more]
Venezuela: HRF declares Oswaldo Álvarez Paz a prisoner of conscience of the Chávez government; Warns about the “chilling effect” of his imprisonment
April 5, 2010
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) joins numerous prominent individuals and international organizations calling for the immediate release of Oswaldo Álvarez Paz. In a letter sent to President Hugo Chávez, HRF declared Álvarez Paz a prisoner of conscience of his government. Last week, HRF’s chairman, Václav Havel, called for Alvarez Paz’s immediate release. HRF released a legal report on the Álvarez Paz case today, and warned that both the imprisonment of Álvarez Paz and the arrest of Guillermo Zuloaga could have a devastating “chilling effect” on what is left of freedom of expression in that country. [more]
Read the letter HRF sent to President Chavez here.
Read the report written about Oswaldo Álvarez Paz's case here.
Insulza Dot No!
March 24, 2010
HRF Opinion
Today, the most powerful inter-governmental body of the Americas, the Organization of American States, will reelect Chilean politician Jose Miguel Insulza as its Secretary General. After five years of inefficacy and inconsistency in applying the Inter-American Democratic Charter, Secretary General Insulza’s reelection will irreparably damage the most significant regional initiative of the last decade. [more]
HRF to Appear on CNN en Español Tonight with Patricia Janiot
March 23, 2010
Human Rights Foundation General Counsel Javier El-Hage will appear tonight on CNN en Español’s Panorama Mundial with Patricia Janiot. They will discuss the reasons behind HRF’s launch of www.Insulza.no – focusing specifically on how Jose Miguel Insulza has failed to protect human rights and democracy in the American continent during his tenure as secretary general of the Organization of American States. HRF has called for Insulza’s resignation and opposes his re-election as secretary general. The show airs tonight at 9:00 PM EDT. [more]
Watch the video here.
HRF on the Anniversary of “Black Spring:” Cuban Regime Must Release all Political Prisoners
March 18, 2010
Seven years after Cuba’s “Black Spring,” when the Castro regime imprisoned 75 independent journalists, underground librarians, and democracy activists, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) urges the Cuban regime to release all political prisoners.
“The ‘Black Spring’ anniversary is a sad reminder that nothing has changed now that the younger Castro brother is the dictator,” said Thor Halvorssen, president of HRF. “In the wake of Orlando Zapata Tamayo’s death, the Cuban government has increased its harassment, arresting many advocates arbitrarily. What it should do instead is release its more than 200 political prisoners,” declared Halvorssen. [more]
OAS: HRF Launches www.Insulza.no, Urges Action
March 17, 2010
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) launches www.Insulza.no, an interactive website that denounces the terrible role played by José Miguel Insulza, secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), in the promotion and protection of democracy in the Americas.
“We hope that Insulza.no can be a place where millions of Latin Americans, tired of watching helplessly as authoritarian governments dismantle democracy in their countries, can express their frustrations about the silence – and sometimes even complicity – of the OAS secretary general,” said Thor Halvorssen, president of HRF. “We invite everyone who opposes authoritarianism and endorses accountability to visit Insulza.no and send an e-mail to the OAS representatives asking that they vote against Insulza’s reelection next week,” continued Halvorssen. [more]
OAS: HRF Calls on Insulza to Resign as Secretary General; Report Reveals Mishandling of Honduran Crisis
March 9, 2010
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) calls for the resignation of the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza. Today, HRF published a 300-page legal report exposing numerous errors in judgment, gross negligence of duty, and willful complicity in the undermining of the Inter-American Democratic Charter by the OAS secretary general. HRF contends that the actions of the OAS escalated the Honduran crisis, when its duty was to resolve it. These actions included: making deceptive statements to U.S. congressmen about the OAS’s participation in Honduras; misleading both the public and member states; and disregarding information sent by the Honduran Congress before the June 28 coup d’état that deposed President Manuel Zelaya. [more]
Read “The Facts and the Law behind the Democratic Crisis of Honduras, 2009” here.
Venezuela: HRF condemns media crackdown and relaunches its campaign for press freedom in Venezuela
February 2, 2010
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) condemns the recent media crackdown in Venezuela that sent RCTV International (RCTV-I), along with other five cable and satellite TV channels (TV Chile, Ritmo Son, Momentum, America TV, and American Network), off the air last Sunday after they failed to broadcast a speech by President Hugo Chávez. In view of this new attack on freedom of expression, HRF has relaunched its Free RCTV campaign (www.FreeRCTV.com), which aims to raise international awareness about the grave situation of freedom of expression in Venezuela. [more]
Angie Harmon, Patricia Heaton, David Hunt, Jason Sehorn, and Gary Sinise join HRF’s Haiti Relief Program
January 27, 2010
Actors Angie Harmon, Patricia Heaton, David Hunt, and Gary Sinise, along with NFL great Jason Sehorn, have joined Kelsey Grammer in contributing to the Human Rights Foundation’s (HRF) emergency relief program for Haiti. 100% of donations received by the fund will go directly to a fully-operational anti-hunger initiative in the St. Clare’s community of Port-au-Prince. [more]
HRF Invites You to Join Haiti Relief for Children; Kelsey Grammer Provides Matching Grant
January 21, 2010
With a generous matching grant from actor Kelsey Grammer, the Human Rights Foundation has begun an emergency aid program that will provide donations directly to the St. Clare’s community of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, through an anti-hunger initiative that is fully operational and has not been affected by the recent earthquake disaster. [more]
Make your donation here.
From a TV Set to Prison: Gustavo Azócar is “Caracas Nine” Dissident #6
January 13, 2010
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) published a report today detailing the case of Gustavo Azócar, a journalist and university professor in the state of Táchira who, since 2000, has been the target of a criminal investigation fraught with violations of his fundamental rights. His is the sixth case in HRF’s “Caracas Nine” campaign. [more]
Trustee Tries to Cancel The Sugar Babies Screening at the University of Miami
November 12, 2009
Tonight’s screening of The Sugar Babies at the University of Miami will proceed as scheduled despite enormous pressure from a member of the university’s Board of Trustees. One of the board's senior trustees is Alfonso Fanjul, who is also the Chairman and CEO of Flo-Sun, Inc., a sugar company featured in the film for its inhumane labor practices, which include employing children to work sugar cane fields in conditions that can best be described as modern-day slavery. [more]
Cuban Bloggers Kidnapped, Assaulted by State Security on their Way to Peace March
November 10, 2009
Cuban bloggers Yoani Sánchez and Orlando Luís Pardo were abducted and battered by plainclothes state security agents on Friday, November 6. At the time, they were en route to an anti-violence march in downtown Havana with fellow blogger Claudia Cadelo and a female friend. Cadelo and their friend were taken to a police station while Sánchez and Pardo were forced into a different car and beaten. [more]
HRF's The Sugar Babies at the University of Miami
November 06, 2009
The Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Miami will screen The Sugar Babies on Thursday, November 12, as part of its Latin American Film Series. The screening will be followed by a question-and-answer session with filmmaker Amy Serrano. On November 13, Serrano will also lead a round table discussion about the film and the current situation of Haitian laborers in the Dominican Republic. [more]
HRF to Appear Tonight with Robert Morgenthau on Fox Business News with David Asman
September 9, 2009
Human Rights Foundation President Thor Halvorssen will appear tonight on Fox Business News with David Asman alongside fellow guest Robert M. Morgenthau, New York County District Attorney. They will discuss the alarming and growing relationship between the governments of Venezuela and Iran – governments that routinely and systematically violate human rights. The show airs tonight at 7:00 PM EST. [more]
HRF Mourns the Loss of Eduardo Mendoza
August 26, 2009
Eduardo Mendoza-Goiticoa, founding director of the Human Rights Foundation (HRF), former Venezuelan Secretary of Agriculture, scientific researcher and head of the Venezuelan Institute for Immigration, died yesterday afternoon at the age of 92. Mendoza began his public service at the age of 28, when he became the youngest cabinet minister in Venezuelan history during the government of Romulo Betancourt. Mendoza’s tenure in government oversaw all work with the International Refugee Organization (which would become the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and handled the protection and resettlement of tens of thousands of refugees coming from war-torn Europe. Mendoza’s refugee program was widely considered the most successful in the post-war period. [more]
VIDEO: Voices for Democracy and Human Rights, from the Mayor of Oslo to the Former President of Venezuela
August 17, 2009
Ivar Amundsen, Director, Chechnya Peace Forum: “In 1999, weeks after Vladimir Putin had taken office as Russia’s Prime Minister, Russia again went to war on Chechnya. It is estimated that another 100,000 lives had been lost, and altogether 40,000 children had been killed in those two wars. Chechnya today is in a state of emergency under a puppet president, Ramzan Kadyrov...”
Kristin Clemet, Director, Civita; President, Council of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee: “After his release in 1992, [Palden Gyatso] managed to smuggle Chinese instruments of torture out of the country as material proof of human rights abuses in Tibet. His memoir, Fire Under the Snow, bears witness to the physical and mental anguish endured by Tibetan political prisoners and proudly upholds the resilience of the human spirit...”
John Fund, Political Journalist; Columnist, Wall Street Journal: “Editorial cartoonists are able to convey in a simple yet vivid and powerful message, what the columnist needs often thousands or hundreds of words to do. The best cartoons, funny or sobering and serious, are like an unexpected punch to the gut. The brilliance of a great editorial cartoon is its simplicity in carrying great substance.”
Jan Erik Helgesen, President, Venice Commission to the Council of Europe; Professor, University of Oslo: “I see a bridge between the sad past experiences we have been witness to during this conference and a promising future. And this bridge is built by the thousands and thousands of NGOs who are out there defending the human rights defenders.”
Tom G. Palmer, Vice President for International Programs and General Director, Atlas Global Initiative; Senior Fellow, Cato Institute: “A free society doesn't just happen when you remove a dictator. It’s not an easy matter to build up the institutions of constitutional democracy—democratic elections, independent judiciary, the institutions of property, exchange, and free association that allow us to realize our liberty.”
David Satter, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and Former Moscow Correspondent of the Financial Times of London: “In the end it wasn't Lithuania which was crushed, but the Soviet Union itself... the example of Lithuania was potent in revealing one of the most important vulnerabilities of the Soviet regime which was its attempt to homogenize individuals and to homogenize nations.”
Fabian Stang, Mayor of Oslo, Norway: “Dear friends of a better world, welcome to Oslo—a special welcome to those of you who have paid an extremely high price in prison in the battle for human rights on behalf of the generations to come. Thank you.”
Ramón José Velásquez, Former President, Venezuela: “[In Venezuela], the ruler has been trying out a model... There are two ways of governing in this world: Through dictatorships or through democracy. You can't mix them in such a way that the legislative power, judicial power, and the moral power... are all controlled by him alone. That's the current situation of the country, and confronting it is a great popular struggle.”
Tatiana Yankelevich, Director, Sakharov Program on Human Rights, Harvard University: “[Norway] gave Sakharov recognition—possibly in hope of protecting him from the persecution in his own country—but the way he took this award was in spirit of recognition for all human rights activists in the Soviet Union, for all prisoners of conscience in the Soviet Union. And in his Nobel speech, he listed as many of them as he could.”
Video: Voices from The Economist to Amnesty International
August 7, 2009
John Peder Egenæs, Secretary General, Amnesty International Norway: “Mr. Armando Valladares was arrested and sentenced to 30 years in prison not for something he did, but for something he refused to do—and that was to become a part of Fidel Castro’s propaganda machine.”
Birgitta Ohlsson, Swedish Parliamentarian: “The Chinese communist dictatorship regime – they tried to break Harry Wu, but they failed. The Chinese communist regime – they tried to end his life, but he survived the beatings, the torture, and the starvation. The Chinese communist dictatorship regime – they tried to kill his voice, but Harry is still traveling around the world, testifying about his years in labor camps, in front of students, in front of congress, in front of us all here today.”
Richard Miniter, Vice President of Opinion, Washington Times: “It is possible to have peace. It is possible for people in a multi-cultural society to get along if they begin to respect the rights of other people to say things with which they disagree.”
Edward Lucas, Central and Eastern Europe correspondent, The Economist: “Vladimir Bukovsky [...] came out of the Soviet Union in ’76 and has been living in my country, in England, ever since, keeping up a phenomenal output of books, journalism, and speeches, criticizing both the totalitarian regime in the Soviet Union until it fell and then the deplorable tendencies that we’ve seen in the 1990s and thereafter as the old KGB comes back to power.”
Tammy Bruce, Author and talk radio host: “One thing we do know with all the stories that we have heard is that-- something that actually hasn’t been discussed--is that there is a common thread besides the tyranny and torture and disappearance of people within totalitarian societies. Within their ruling elite, they are devoid of women, for the most part. It is the first thing that tyrants do, is silence the voices that they know have the real impact of reform, the voices of women. The war begins with women.”
Benson Whitney, former U.S. Ambassador to Norway: “Guided by a passion for the people of the remotest parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan, Greg saw a deep need and a hope for the opportunity that could come from education. He did not wait for others to act; he did not do a study; he did not write a white paper; he didn’t give an interview or make a speech. Instead, Greg rolled up his sleeves and using his heart, hands, and his head founded and then grew the Central Asia Institute.”
Peter Berkowitz, Tad and Dianne Taube Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University: “In the beginning of The Gulag Archipelago, Solzhenitsyn mentions the former Gulag guards, administrations and interrogators who, after the camps were closed, wanted to let bygones be bygones. They would quote a Russian proverb. It went, ‘dwell on the past, and you’ll lose an eye.’ They omitted, Solzhenitsyn ruefully noted, the remainder of the proverb, ‘forget the past, and you’ll lose both eyes.’ Solzhenitsyn’s monumental literary achievement actually suggests a corollary to the proverb—‘Restore the past, and you’ll give sight to others eyes.’”
Video: Human Rights Defenders from North Korea to Uzbekistan, from China to Bolivia
August 2, 2009
Harry Wu, Chinese Laogai survivor: “Today I'd like to introduce a word. The word is classicide. Do you remember about the Soviet Union’s and China’s so-called communism revolution? [...] I was there. I was classified as a bourgeois class member and many of us were abolished – eliminated.”
Vytautas Landsbergis, former head of state, Lithuania: “Everything is challenged today by widely spread relativism [...] Democracies united by the European Union and certain eastern non-democracies go together announcing the common space of freedom, justice, and human rights [...] Written on paper it looks beautiful [...] Unfortunately, human rights are tested by abuses, not signatures on paper.”
Park Sang-Hak. North Korean defector: “In this country, one can die from uttering one wrong word; people starve to death; one cannot go anywhere without a public pass. In this country, there are modern-day Auschwitz concentration camps; no religion exists [...] millions starve to death while the dictator spends close to a billion dollars for his father’s memorial; there is neither radio nor internet. In this country [...] there is the biggest income gap in the world; and the monthly wage is less than a dollar for most people. This country is North Korea.”
Mutabar Tadjibayeva, Uzbek political prisoner: “So [the Uzbek government] demanded that I admit my guilt. And when I refused to do that, I was tortured, I was tormented. I really, as I said earlier, I just did not believe I would come out of that prison alive. I was certain that they would kill me; they would murder me for fighting for democracy.”
Victor Hugo Cárdenas, former Vice President, Bolivia: “The day he was inaugurated as president, three years ago, Morales promised Bolivia a government respectful of human life. He frequently says that they are part of the culture of life. Nevertheless, in three years, 60 lives have already been lost as the result of his aggressive and repressive politics of political antagonism. Evo Morales has more human lives on his shoulders than any Bolivian military dictatorship.”
Roar Hagen, Norwegian political cartoonist: “I think it is a privilege to be criticized and to criticize—even to insult and be insulted. In the more and more globalized world, [cartoons are] one of the means we have to do that. I think if the editors have the courage and are brave, they can be one of the main contributions to this interaction that we have to be a part of.”
Diego Scharifker, Venezuela student activist: “if you look at my Venezuelan ID, on the bottom, it says VENEZOLANO, Venezuelan. It doesn’t say if I’m Jewish, Catholic, Muslim or Protestant. So I ask myself naively, what does it matter if I am Jewish or if I’m not?”
Norway Tells Cuba to Stop Attacking Human Rights Defender; Foreign Ministry Reprimands Cuban Ambassador
July 30, 2009
Norwegian daily newspaper Aftenposten reported on July 16 that Cuba’s ambassador to Norway, Rogerio Santana, was to be reprimanded by Norway’s Foreign Minister for the third time for attacking a Norwegian government official. Ambassador Santana referred to Jan Tore Sanner, a member of Norway’s parliament, as an “insect” and as a “banana republic politician” with links to “terrorists.” Sanner had written to the Cuban Embassy expressing concern about the conditions of political prisoners and imprisoned journalists. [more]
Video: From Three Cups of Tea to Protecting Uyghur Rights -- Testimonies from Activists Around the World
July 17, 2009
Greg Mortenson, co-author of “Three Cups of Tea”: “I will close with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who said, “Even if the world ends tomorrow, I will still plant my seed today.” And I think that real seed is the hope that can come through education. Fighting terrorism, or those who promote terrorism, that is based in fear. But promoting peace is based in hope. The real enemy, whether it is in Afghanistan, or Pakistan, or Norway, or the US, or Africa, the real enemy is ignorance and it is ignorance that breeds hatred.”
Elena Bonner, former Soviet dissident: “I hope that countries, their leaders, and people everywhere will recall and adopt Sakharov's ethical credo: In the end, the moral choice turns out to be also the most pragmatic choice.”
Emil Constantinescu, former President of Romania: “For a half century, citizens of the former communist countries were deprived of all their rights including the right to life... An ideology where human rights are almost nonexistent cannot last forever.”
Abdel Nasser Ould Ethmane, Mauritanian abolitionist: “On August 8, 2007 the Mauritanian parliament passed a law criminalizing the practice of slavery. This was the crowning achievement of our efforts, even though the magistrates are still reluctant to apply the new law because of their common interest with the slave masters, their peers.”
Vo Van Ai, Vietnamese rights activist: “As a little boy, I... felt the bitter humiliation of a people living under submission. So I joined the resistance movement for national independence... I was arrested, tortured, and only miraculously escaped execution. One of the torturers loved Vietnamese opera, and he forced a prisoner to sing as he tortured us. I will never forget, the sound of his song mingling with screams of pain. I was just thirteen years old.”
Arne Liljedahl Lynngård, Chairman of Norway’s Rafto Foundation: “Today there is a cultural genocide going on Xinjiang. The old tone of the historic city of Kashkar is being demolished. I therefore call on every government in the free world, also the Norwegian government, to receive Mrs. Rebiya Kadeer on a political level and listen to her story. It is time for the world to speak out for the Uyghurs.”
Video: Human Rights Voices from Turkey, Chad, Sweden, Chechnya, and the United States
July 8, 2009
Leyla Zana, Kurdish rights activist: “But I did not pity myself for my pain and suffering. I condemned all alternatives other than enduring, persisting, and struggling. What remained were only my inexhaustible hopes, my love of human kind, my resistance to cruelty, my patience against pain, and my belief in freedom.”
Jacqueline Moudeina, Chadian civil rights defender: “I organized a peaceful rally and mobilized women of all kinds to denounce the presidential elections of May 2001, which were stolen [...] It was in front of the French Embassy that a grenade was thrown at me by a law-enforcement officers and accomplices of Hissene Habré [...] I live with a permanent handicap because grenade fragments remain in my body. My doctor tells me I’ll have to integrate pain into my life from now on.”
Hans Rosling, Swedish statistician: “My view is that independent of whether human rights drives economic growth or health improvement, it has a value of its own. And so does the right for cultural expression and the freedom of speech. I think too often we argue for human rights as a means to achieving something else. To me, even if I am a statistics geek, human rights has a value of its own.”
Akhmed Zakaev, Chechen leader in exile: “In the past 15 years there have been 250,000 civilian deaths in Chechnya—40,000 of them children—and 20,000 missing persons. Over 300,000 have been forced to leave Chechnya, saving themselves and their children from certain death and looking for asylum in other countries. Behind these dry statistics, ladies and gentlemen, is immense heartache and profound suffering of individual people.”
Marc Wachtenheim, Director, Cuban Development Initiative: “In [...] Cuba, scores of young people are detained simply for wearing a white bracelet like this one that is emblazoned with the word cambio or ‘change’ on it – a word that a few months ago led one presidential candidate to the White House in the United States, in Cuba can land you in jail.”
HRF calls on the OAS to suspend Honduras' antidemocratic government
June 30, 2009
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) has called on OAS Member States to apply the democratic clause and suspend the government of Honduras that forcibly overthrew President Zelaya. Pursuant to the Charter of the OAS and the Inter-American Democratic Charter, the situation in Honduras amounts to a grave alteration or interruption of the democratic order, and it is the duty of the OAS to act, said HRF. [more]
Video: Human Rights Heroes from Tibet, Russia, Cuba, and the United States
June 26, 2009
Palden Gyatso, Tibetan dissident: “The only reason I could get out of prison after thirty-three years was not because the Chinese government released me. The reason why I could get out of prison was because many NGOs and human rights organizations had been working on my behalf since 1983. Thanks to the work of these human rights organizations, I was released in 1992.”
Vladimir Bukovsky, former Soviet dissident: “In China, in Cuba, in North Korea, and in Vietnam people are still living the very same nightmare in which we lived, expecting every moment to be dragged to their version of gulag or praying for their friends and relatives who are already there. For other nations which have just emerged from their totalitarian past this past is still the present because they still live in the shadow of it.”
L. Craig Johnstone, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees: “I would say that mine is the most depressing of jobs. On the other hand, mine is the most rewarding and the most fulfilling. If you look at the vocabulary of my job, it is slaughter, starvation, mutilation, malnutrition, rape, brutality, persecution. This defines the group of people that end up being in my charges, or the charges of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.”
Armando Valladares, Cuban dissident: “Man is nature's marvelous being. To destroy him, to torture him for his ideas must be more than a violation of human rights, but a crime against all of humanity.”
Jack Healey , human rights activist and pioneer: “Recently I think in the last number of years we have lost some momentum in the human rights movement movement— I do believe that, and we have to get that momentum back.”
Video: Human Rights Heroes from the Czech Republic, Iran, China, and Venezuela
June 19, 2009
Václav Havel, former Czech president: “Dictatorial regimes and their behavior are a phenomenon that must be confronted constantly... It is very important to explain and stress over and over again that people fighting for human rights are not doing this just for themselves, but they are opposing the humiliation of individuals wherever they may be.”
Ladan Boroumand, Iranian rights activist: “Truth is the indispensible path to reform. In its mirror, we can find out where we have gone astray and ponder the nature of the evil perpetrated by our persecutors, helped by our silence or our indifference... To remedy the irremediable, we should first make amends ourselves, take responsibility, break the silence.”
Jung Chang, Chinese-born British novelist: “For much of the century, the world was full of unashamed Holocaust deniers, apologists for Communism, and Mao worshippers. Then, personal experiences like those of our speakers became widely read, and entered the consciousness of the general public. No amount of impersonal history lessons or dry political analyses can produce that impact, the impact of touching people's hearts, opening their eyes, and stirring their minds.”
Leopoldo López, Venezuelan politician: “We are guided by the truth and the hope of overcoming poverty in peace and democracy. We will contrast our proposal with a government that talks about poverty but has done nothing to overcome poverty, a government that uses the poor in order to put together an authoritarian regime to bring about class conflict and confrontation in all aspects of Venezuelan life.”
VIDEO: Elie Wiesel Opens Oslo Freedom Forum
June 12, 2009
The first event of the Oslo Freedom Forum was a conversation between Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel and investigative journalist Soledad O’Brien. O'Brien queries Wiesel on his experiences fighting genocide. Wiesel calls on humanity to act in the face of evil—not just for others but for ourselves. "When someone suffers and I know about it and I remain indifferent, I condemn myself...indifference is the worst that can happen to a human being.” Wiesel advises that action can range from passionate rights campaigns to simple gestures or words of encouragement that let victims know they are not alone. “Unmask evil. Name it where it is and when it is... the moment it begins, recognize the beginning and fight.” [more]
Oslo Freedom Forum: Elie Wiesel and Soledad O'Brien
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Oslo Freedom Forum: Kjell Magne Bondevik About this video: |
HRF: OAS Perpetuates Injustice with Resolution in Favor of Cuban Government
June 5, 2009
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is profoundly concerned about a resolution passed in Honduras on June 3rd by the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), repealing the 1962 resolution barring Cuba from the OAS and opening the possibility of Cuban government participation in all the OAS’s governing bodies. This decision sets an appalling precedent for the defense of democracy and human rights in the Americas. [more]
WSJ on HRF's Oslo Freedom Forum: "Human Rights Beyond Ideology
June 5, 2009
Twenty years ago, as Soviet communism was collapsing and new democracies were springing up everywhere, there were bright hopes for the spread of human rights. But while this year marks the anniversary of the Berlin Wall falling, yesterday was also the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre in China, a reminder of just how unyielding authoritarian governments can be. [more]
HRF asks OAS head to cease promoting violations of the Democratic Charter
April 22, 2009
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) sent a legal opinion and letter to José Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), asking that he stop promoting the violation of the Inter-American Democratic Charter. His recent declarations that he “will request” that member states of the OAS “eliminate” the “obsolete” 1962 resolution that excluded Cuba from participation in the OAS show not only negligence in the fulfillment of his duties but also a blatant disregard for the democratic commitment of the OAS. [more]
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Read the April 21, 2009 letter sent by HRF to Secretary General Insulza here.
HRF Co-Sponsors Venezuelan Liberty Film Festival
March 17, 2009
The first ever Venezuelan Liberty Film Festival premieres tonight in Caracas, Venezuela. The three day event is a joint collaboration among the Chacao Cultural Center, UNA — Asociación Civil Unidad Nacional (National Unity Civic Association) — and the Human Rights Foundation (HRF), and aims to inspire, educate, and encourage discussion about human freedom. The festival, which has garnered significant publicity and is oversubscribed, will consist of films about the impact of non-violent struggles in world history:
Freedom’s Fury,
The Singing Revolution,
and A Force More Powerful. [more]
Oslo Freedom Forum: Three-day summit will bring together world leaders to honor human rights heroes
March 13, 2009
The Oslo Freedom Forum, taking place May 18-20 in Norway, will gather some of the world’s leading minds to celebrate heroic survivors of political oppression and persecution. The conference, hosted by the New York-based non-profit Human Rights Foundation (HRF), will showcase leading authors from the pantheon of literature of survival. [more]
HRF Urges OAS Action on Violations of Legislative Independence in Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela
February 26, 2009
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) published today its fourth letter to Jose Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS). Entitled “Closing Congress: Submission of the Legislative Power to the Executive in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Venezuela,” the letter and its legal analysis enumerate attacks that have severely eroded the independence of national legislatures, and denounces Insulza’s inaction to these assaults on democracy. [more]
- Read the February 26, 2009 letter sent by HRF to Secretary General Insulza here.
Washington Times Front Page: The new Che movie, HRF, and the Historical Record
January 27, 2009
Human Rights Foundation (HRF) chairman Armando Valladares is extensively quoted in a review of the film Che, published in today’s Washington Times by reporter Sonny Bunch. Che, directed by Steven Soderbergh and released on January 24, depicts the life of Ernesto “Che” Guevara, the Argentine-born Marxist revolutionary best known for his friendship with Fidel Castro. What the film does not depict, however, are the violent tactics Guevara used to crush opposition and dissent to Fidel Castro’s revolution—leaving behind a bloody legacy in Cuba. [more]
Tortured and Convicted in a Kangaroo Court for Capturing a Terrorist Leader: Humberto Quintero is “Caracas Nine” Dissident #5
January 16, 2009
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) published a report today detailing the arrest and torture of Jose Humberto Quintero, a lieutenant colonel of the Venezuelan National Guard. Quintero was detained in January 2005, by the Venezuelan government for allegedly capturing terrorist leader Ricardo Gonzalez, popularly known as Rodrigo Granda, of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). [more]
Cuba: Rights Activists Assaulted, Beaten, and Detained by Castro Government
December 11, 2008
At least 20 activists were detained in Cuba this week for planning to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). According to independent and verifiable sources inside Cuba, detainees, some of who were taken by force and beaten, include former political prisoners, human rights activists, opposition political leaders, and independent journalists.
Human rights activist and former political prisoner Lazaro Alonso (pictured), was detained this Tuesday while walking home with his wife Belinda Salas, president of FLAMUR. [more]
HRF Denounces Violations of Freedom of the Press and Asks OAS Secretary General--for the Third Time—to Activate the Democratic Clause
November 26, 2008
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) published its most recent letter to Jose Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS). The letter denounces Insulza’s inaction with regard to flagrant violations of freedom of the press in the Americas, including the shutdown of television and radio stations and government-encouraged attacks on journalists. [more]
- Read the November 18, 2008 letter sent by HRF to Secretary General Insulza here.
HRF to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe: Respect the Work of Human Rights Defenders
November 7, 2008
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) sent a letter today to President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia expressing its profound concern regarding his comments linking Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas Director of Human Rights Watch (HRW), with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). HRF also expressed its solidarity with the Colombian people for the decades of violent conflict they have endured at the hands of the FARC. [more]
- Read the November 7, 2008 letter sent by HRF to President Uribe here. (Spanish only)
Bolivia: HRF Will Investigate Arbitrary Detentions and Rights Violations
October 24, 2008
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) sent a letter today to Bolivian President Evo Morales informing him of its intention to dispatch a team of research professionals to Bolivia to investigate the arbitrary detention of at least 20 people, including opposition members and at least one journalist. [more]
- Read the October 24, 2008 letter sent by HRF to President Morales here.
HRF Urges the OAS to Activate the Democratic Clause: Second Letter in “The Inter-American Democratic Charter and Mr. Insulza” Project
October 15, 2008
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) published a letter sent to Jose Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), denouncing his inaction and unwillingness to fulfill the mandate of the Inter-American Democratic Charter. The letter highlights the most flagrant violations of human rights in Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela, and insists that Insulza activate the charter’s Democratic Clause. [more]
- Read the October 15, 2008 letter sent by HRF to Secretary General
Insulza here.
Bolivia: HRF Releases Report On Political Violence
October 8, 2008
The Human Rights Foundation released a 14-page report detailing the crisis that claimed 21 lives in the month of September of 2008, and left hundreds of people injured throughout Bolivia. The report was sent to Bolivian President Evo Morales with a letter outlining HRF’s concerns regarding the political violence and the repeated statements by the Bolivian head of state defending racial hatred, threatening the freedom of the press and inciting conflict. [more]
- Read the full report here (Spanish Only).
- Read the October 7, 2008 letter sent by HRF to President Morales here.
- Read media coverage of HRF's report:
Yahoo Noticias: HRF acusa a Morales de promover la "guerra" en informe sobre Bolivia (Spanish only)
Ultimas Noticias (Bolivia): Organización no gubernamental de EE.UU. acusa a Evo Morales de promover "la guerra" y el "odio racial" (Spanish only)
La Nación (Paraguay):Acusan a Morales de promover la “guerra” (Spanish only)
Ecuador: Guadalupe Llori Freed from Prison
September 24, 2008
Guadalupe Llori, ex governor of the province of Orellana and a political prisoner of the government of Ecuador, was released from jail yesterday after nine months and 16 days of arbitrary and illegal imprisonment. Her release follows a September 17 ruling by the Superior Court of Justice of Nueva Loja which established Llori’s innocence. [more]
- Read the letters HRF has sent to President Correa here (Spanish only).
- Read the letters the Ecuadorean government has sent HRF here (Spanish only).
- Read HRF's communication to the Working Group of Arbitrary Detention regarding Guadalupe Llori's case here (Spanish only).
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Read HRF's resolution request to the Working Group of Arbitrary Detention here (Spanish only).
HRW Director José Miguel Vivanco Detained and Expelled for Denouncing Violations in Venezuela
September 19, 2008
The Venezuelan government’s expulsion yesterday evening of Human Rights Watch Americas Director José Miguel Vivanco and his colleague Daniel Wilkinson indicates the Chávez administration’s growing intolerance of the increased public exposure and scrutiny of human rights violations occurring within that country. [more]
HRF Opens Chapter in Ecuador
September 17, 2008
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) celebrates the launch of a new chapter: Human Rights Foundation-Ecuador (HRF-Ecuador). Headquartered in Quito, the country’s capital, HRF-Ecuador will defend the civil and political rights of Ecuadorean citizens, research and publish its findings, and raise awareness about human rights abuses occurring in the country. [more]
HRF Presents Guadalupe Llori's Case to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
September 4, 2008
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) filed a communication earlier this week with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, pleading that it activate its urgent action procedure and send an appeal to the government of Ecuador for the immediate release of political prisoner Guadalupe Llori. [more]
Venezuelan Journalist a Target of Violence and Threats: Marta Colomina is “Caracas Nine” Dissident #4
August 26, 2008
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) released a report today detailing the case of Marta Colomina, a Venezuelan journalist and academic who has faced death threats and several attempts on her life over the past five years. Her case exposes the Venezuelan government’s persecution of independent journalists and continued assault on freedom of expression. Colomina is the fourth case in HRF’s Caracas Nine campaign. [more]
OAS Head Faulted for Inaction
August 20, 2008
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) launches the “Inter-American Democratic Charter and Mr. Insulza” program today with an open letter to José Miguel Insulza, secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), decrying his unwillingness to enforce the Charter’s mandate to protect democracy in the Americas. HRF will send monthly digests to Insulza detailing violations of human rights and democracy in the continent, with the hope that the secretary general will take note and do his job.
The letter, cosigned by HRF President Thor Halvorssen and Chairman Armando Valladares, observes that under Insulza’s watch at the OAS, the governments of Bolivia, Ecuador, and Venezuela have acted in clear violation of the democratic principles set forth in the Charter. [more]
- Read the August 20, 2008 letter sent by HRF to Secretary General
Insulza here
- Read media coverage of HRF's letter:
El Mercurio (Chile): Fundación de DD.HH. manda carta a Insulza haciéndole ver su incapacidad en la OEA (Spanish only)
La Nación (Paraguay): ONG acusa al secretario general de la OEA de incumplir su mandato (Spanish only)
La Hora (Ecuador): Derechos humanos acusan a Presidente ante OEA (Spanish only)
Terra (España): Una ONG acusa al secretario general de la OEA de incumplir su mandato (Spanish only)
HRF Sends Letter Denouncing Ecuador's Treatment of Prisoner of Conscience Guadalupe Llori; Correa's Government Responds
August 7, 2008
Reports from Ecuador confirm that Guadalupe Llori is being mistreated and humiliated by prison custodians. Llori, who is incarcerated on unsubstantiated charges, has recently been subjected to beatings, forced labor, and exile from her family. HRF denounced the abuse of Llori and warned of potential consequences to the Ecuadorian state, in a letter sent earlier this week to President Rafael Correa Delgado. Ecuador's Minister of Justice responded to HRF's accusations by saying that Llori's human rights are being guaranteed. HRF maintains that the government is depriving Llori of her most fundamental human rights, and will continue investigating Llori's case. [more]
- Letter to President Correa here (Spanish only)
- Ad about Llori which HRF published in the Washington Examiner here
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn: 1918-2008
August 4, 2008
The 20th century gave rise to a new literary genre: the narrative of political oppression and the testimonies of its survivors. This literature has been and continues to be instrumental in shaping humanity’s cultural understanding of history, and has enabled the world to recognize and censure the monsters and butchers in its midst.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, pioneer of this genre, died in Moscow yesterday at the age of 89. The Human Rights Foundation’s staff and directors mourn his death.
A prolific novelist, dramatist, and historian, Mr. Solzhenitsyn won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1970, for bringing the Soviet system of prison labor to the attention of the world. His masterpiece, The Gulag Archipelago, is the most influential book about the existence and horrors of Soviet political repression.
The Human Rights Foundation depends on the moral witness and on the heroism recorded in literature like that of Mr. Solzhenitsyn’s to affirm the existence of the courageous human spirit and of the redemption that is possible, even in the midst of unthinkable suffering. The world has lost one of the greatest champions of human rights. His memory will endure as an inspiration to those struggling against tyranny everywhere.
HRF Launches “Tell Chávez” Campaign for Venezuela’s Political Prisoners
July 18, 2008
HRF launched its “Tell Chávez” campaign today—www.TellChavez.com—to raise global awareness of the existence and suffering of political prisoners in Venezuela. Venezuelans are continually subjected to political persecution, imprisonment, torture and other cruel and degrading treatment for disagreeing with or opposing the government. Many of these prisoners are being held in inhumane conditions without access to medical care. Outside of Venezuela's prisons, "political inhabilitation" has been used by the government to disqualify 400 potential candidates for office including many who appear as the favorites in the upcoming November elections. [more]
HRF Mourns the Loss of Sir John Templeton
July 8, 2008
Sir John M. Templeton, renowned investor and philanthropist, died this morning at the age of 95. Sir John’s phenomenal generosity and philosophical vision have driven and continue to drive incredible human progress in the advancement of science, spirituality, and freedom.
Thanks to generous funding from the John Templeton Foundation, the Human Rights Foundation is currently organizing a conference on “The Nobility of the Human Spirit and the Power of Freedom: Testimonies to Human Dignity and Character” honoring and discussing the human rights contributions and literary works of political prisoners. HRF is privileged and honored by its association with the Templeton Foundation.
HRF, its staff, and all who benefit from its work are profoundly grateful to Sir John for his life and legacy. We mourn the loss of one of the greatest minds and most benevolent spirits of our time.
International Society for Human Rights Joins HRF in Petitioning President Correa for the Release of Guadalupe Llori
July 3, 2008
The International Society for Human Rights (ISHR), based in Frankfurt, Germany, sent a letter today to Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa reiterating HRF's appeal regarding the imprisonment of Guadalupe Llori, governor of the province of Orellana.
Read the letter here (Spanish only).
Hostages Rescued in Colombia; Colombian Government Offers the FARC a “Dignified Peace”
July 2, 2008
The Colombian government announced today the release of several hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, FARC). The FARC is responsible for numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity.
HRF urges all parties to enter into negotiations. HRF hopes the FARC leadership will accept the offer made by the government of Colombia today, for a demobilization effort that the Colombian defense minister calls a “dignified peace.” [more]
Human Rights Foundation responds to President Correa’s accusations and declares Guadalupe Llori a political prisoner of Ecuador’s government
June 18, 2008
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) released a letter yesterday in response to the accusations made by Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa regarding a May 12 letter from HRF denouncing human rights violations. At that time, HRF condemned violations resulting from the Tax Equity Reform Law enacted by Ecuador’s Constituent Assembly, namely: restrictions of the right of citizens to take part in public affairs and restrictions of their rights to due process and access to justice.
In his response of May 20, President Correa accused HRF of defending the “interests of Ecuador’s oligarchies and political elites.” President Correa added that HRF’s work is an act of “insolence” since it “dares” to “revise” the current Ecuadorian constitutional reform system with a “clear ideological bias.” President Correa’s letter suggests that HRF dedicate its resources to “more legitimate causes, instead of defending particular interests.” [more]
- Read media coverage of HRF's response to President Correa:
Ecuador Inmediato: Human Rights Foundation Lamenta “Ignorancia” de Alexis Ponce (Spanish only)
Ecuador Inmediato: Alexis Ponce: Existe Parcialización Estadounidense en Human Rights Foundation (Spanish only)
La Hora: Régimen atenta a los derechos humanos (Spanish only)
El Comercio: Human Rights Foundation rechaza críticas de Rafael Correa (Spanish only)
Chronicle en Español: Correa: Human Rights Pertenece a “derecha retrógrada” (Spanish only)
Yahoo Noticias España: Presidente de Ecuador Critica carta de Human Rights Foundation (Spanish only)
El Nuevo Herald: Human Rights polemiza con Rafael Correa (Spanish only)
El Universo: La Fundación Human Rights Refuta a Correa (Spanish only)
- Read the June 17, 2008 letter sent by HRF to President Correa here (Spanish only).
- Read the May 20, 2008 letter sent by President Correa to HRF here (Spanish only).
- Read the May 12, 2008 letter sent by HRF to President Correa here (Spanish only).
- Read the March 18, 2008 letter sent by HRF to President Correa here (Spanish only).
- Read the February 20, 2008 letter sent by HRF to President Correa here (Spanish only).
The Sugar Babies to be screened at Cine Paradiso
May 28, 2008
In affiliation with the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (www.fliff.com), The Sugar Babies will be screened at their Cinema Paradiso venue from May 28-June 1, and July 5-6, 2008. "We are thrilled to present this important film,” stated Gregory Von Hausch, President and C.E.O. of the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival,” our lasting desire is for this film to spur positive change for those laboring in the sugar industry as well as towards the ecological impact big sugar unleashes on our State.”
Venezuela: HRF Commemorates Freedom of Expression on the Anniversary of the Shutdown of RCTV
May 27, 2008
“Today marks the first anniversary of President Chávez’s most overt act of intolerance. The constant attacks on the media, the bullying, and the criminally violent acts of his supporters continue to stain Venezuela where journalism is one of the most dangerous professions,” said Armando Valladares, Chairman of the Human Rights Foundation (HRF). The Report of the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Organization of American States (OAS) says that “at midnight on May 27, 2007, TV channel Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV) ceased its transmission, when the decision of the government of Hugo Chávez not to renew its concession became effective. […] On December 28, 2006, the president of Venezuela had declared his intention of not renewing RCTV’s concession.” After the shutdown, RCTV began broadcasting its programming via YouTube and ultimately became a cable TV station. [more]
- Read HRF's press release here.
The Sugar Babies Wins “Best Documentary” at the Delray Beach Film Festival
May 13, 2008
Following its May 10, 2008 screening at the Delray Beach Film Festival, The Sugar Babies won the jury award for "Best Documentary." The film has been screened in numerous film festivals, including the Montreal International Haitian Film Festival in September 2007, where it was featured in opening night.
Ecuador: Constituent Assembly Laws Violate Numerous Human Rights Treaties
May 12, 2008
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) sent a letter today to the President of the Republic of Ecuador, Mr. Rafael Correa, bringing to his attention human rights violations contained in the Tax Equity Reform Law (Ley Reformatoria para la Equidad Tributaria en el Ecuador) that was passed by the Constituent Assembly. [more]
- Read HRF's press release here.
- Read the May 12, 2008 letter sent by HRF to President Correa here (Spanish only).
Bolivia: HRF Announces Preliminary Findings as Election Observers
May 5, 2008
In advance of a full report about the referendum for autonomy in the Province of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, the Human Rights Foundation announces its preliminary findings.
HRF’s delegation, led by its Chairman Armando Valladares and by its President Thor Halvorssen, joined a group of international observers from Argentina, Paraguay, and two other non-governmental organizations from the United States. HRF’s delegation included technical assistance from HRF staff arriving from Spain and local HRF-Bolivia staff and directors. [more]
- Read HRF's press release here.
- Read media coverage of HRF's role in the referendum:
El Deber: Observadores destacan el trabajo de la Corte
El Mundo: Veedores calificaron el proceso autonómico como legal, calmado y transparente
El Nuevo Día: Santa Cruz hace historia
La Crónica de Hoy: Un muerto, 22 heridos y cinco detenidos deja jornada en Bolivia
United Press International: Referéndum autonómico logra observadores nacionales e internacionales
ERBOL: Referéndum: Representante de una ONG de EE.UU. dice que será uno de los veedores
Opinión.com.bo: Observadores destacan la transparencia del proceso
Dissident from Caracas Nine Awarded Cato Liberty Prize
April 30, 2008
Embattled Venezuelan student leader Yon Goicoechea is the fourth recipient of the Cato Institute’s Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty. Last November, Mr. Goicoechea was chosen by the Human Rights Foundation as one of nine illustrative cases of human rights violations occurring in Venezuela. He became Number Two of the Caracas Nine (www.CaracasNine.com).
“This is a magnificent gift from the Cato Institute to the cause of human dignity and freedom in Latin America,” said Thor Halvorssen, HRF’s president. “Yon Goicoechea is a symbol of hope and courage and this honor is the freedom equivalent of the Nobel Peace Prize,” he added. [more]
HRF on Cuba in today's Wall Street Journal
April 18, 2008
Pope Benedict XVI is in the midst of the first journey to America of his pontificate, and he met with President George W. Bush this week. Hopefully this visit will reinforce the need for a joint commitment to freedom in Cuba.
The Catholic Church has taken a hardline position against right-wing dictatorships. But in Cuba, the Church has been silent – or worse – ever since 1960, when Fidel Castro expelled hundreds of Catholic priests because they alerted their parishioners of the communist danger surfacing in government circles. [more]
Ecuador Denies Opposition Politician Her Freedom; Government Dealings with FARC Reveal Double Standard
March 17, 2008
Despite three court rulings ordering the release of Guadalupe Llori, opposition governor of the Ecuadorian province of Orellana, the government of President Rafael Correa continues to deny her freedom, accusing her of “terrorism.” Meanwhile, President Correa’s officials admit to having met with representatives of a terrorist organization.
“Ecuador has become a topsy-turvy land where a state governor is incarcerated on trumped-up charges of terrorism and held without evidence, while the government’s top national security official meets with the deadliest terrorist organization in the hemisphere, purportedly to establish formal relations,” said Thor Halvorssen, president of the New York-based Human Rights Foundation (HRF). [more]
- Read HRF's most recent letter to President Correa, sent on March 18, 2008, here (Spanish only).
- Read HRF's letter to President Correa sent on February 20, 2008, here (Spanish only).
The Sugar Babies on Maria Elvira Salazar’s “Polos Opuestos”
March 5, 2008
Maria Elvira Salazar’s “Polos Opuestos” show this week will feature The Sugar Babies, a documentary co-produced by the Human Rights Foundation that explores the human costs of sugar production in the Dominican Republic. The show will delve into these issues and why the Miami International Film Festival pulled the film from its programming at the very last minute.
- Read media coverage on The Sugar Babies:
Miami Herald: Filmmaker: Sugar family may have blocked documentary about them
Lynching, Communal Justice, and Bolivia’s New Constitution
March 5, 2008
On January 15, 2008, Human Rights Foundation (HRF) published a report about Bolivia’s proposed new constitution. HRF sent copies of the report to President Evo Morales and other Bolivian authorities, prompting a reply from Vice Minister of Coordination with Social Movements and Civil Society, Sacha Sergio Llorenti Solis.
In Vice Minister Llorenti’s opinion, HRF misinterpreted the spirit of articles introduced in the new constitution, further expressing HRF had confused, in a “reductionist and discriminatory fashion,” communal justice and lynching. On January 30, 2008, HRF sent a reply to Vice Minister Llorenti, which has gone unanswered. Critics of HRF’s report have sided with Bolivia’s official stance. Hence HRF believes that a clarification about issues raised by Vice Minister Llorenti, Bolivian citizens, and interested parties is in order. [more]
- Read the press release here.
- Read HRF’s report on communal justice in Bolivia here.
- Read HRF's response to Rutgers Professor Daniel M. Goldstein here.
Ecuadorian Broadcasting Association alerts HRF to possible freedom of expression violations in Ecuador
February 29, 2008
In a letter dated February 28, the Ecuadorian Broadcasting Association informed the Human Rights Foundation of a proposal by President Correa’s party that would allow the government to indiscriminately revoke radio and television licenses in an attempt to control the Ecuadorian media. The government would then have the power to reissue the media concessions according to undetermined criteria. Such a proposal, if adopted, would be a clear blow to freedom of expression in Ecuador and would violate due process. The letter concludes with an invitation to HRF and other human rights organizations to help prevent such flagrant violations of human rights from occurring in Ecuador.
- Read the letter from the Ecuadorian Broadcasting Association to HRF here (Spanish only).
- Read media coverage on the Ecuadorian Broadcasting Association’s letter and its proposal to the Constituent Assembly:
CRE: AER pone en conocimiento de Human Rights Foundation intención de revertir frecuencias
Ciudadanía Informada: AER protesta en Montecristi por la propuesta de transparentar el uso de frecuencias en el país
Confirmado.net: AER realizó denuncia a Human Rights, en relación a la reversión de frecuencias de radio y televisión
HRF calls upon Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa to uphold human rights in the detention of Guadalupe Llori
February 22, 2008
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| Guadalupe Llori |
In November 2007, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa declared a state of emergency and militarized the province of Orellana after local protests erupted over the government’s failure to complete promised infrastructure construction in the region. In response to the protests, the army raided homes in the Amazon town of Dayuma, arresting 23 protesters on charges of terrorism.
Guadalupe Llori, the prefect of Orellana, is among those still imprisoned. The government’s treatment of Llori’s case has thus far violated due process and other guarantees enshrined in Ecuador’s constitution.
In a letter sent February 20, the Human Rights Foundation reminded President Correa of the importance of upholding human rights regardless of political circumstances.
- Read the letter here (Spanish only).
- Read media coverage of HRF's letter:
Radioequinoccio.com: Human rights denuncia violación del debido proceso. Caso Llori
INREDH: Caso Dayuma Human Rights Foundation
Ciudadana Informada: La Human Rights Foundation envió una carta a Correa por los sucesos de Dayuma
Elcomercio.com: Una carta de DD.HH. a Correa
HRF in today's Washington Times: Colombia's FARC and Venezuela
February 7, 2008
The Washington Times published an editorial today by HRF President Thor Halvorssen in which Mr. Halvorssen writes about Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez’s active support of the FARC, a rebel army in Colombia which the United States and every European government have designated as a foreign terrorist organization. [more]
- Read Thor Halvorssen’s editorial here.
Bolivian Government Responds to HRF
February 4, 2008
In a letter dated January 28, 2008, the Bolivian government formally replied to HRF’s letter to Bolivian President Evo Morales regarding the negative repercussions that his proposed constitutional amendments would have on human rights. HRF’s first letter was widely circulated in Bolivia and was a frequent topic on television and in print media. Bolivian Vice-Minister Sacha Llorenti signed the response from the Bolivian government. In a television appearance, Vice-Minister Llorenti mocked HRF and its concerns. HRF’s response is included below.
The most recent development in this ongoing correspondence between HRF and the Bolivian government is HRF’s response sent on January 31, 2008.
- Read HRF's original letter of January 24, 2008 here.
- Read the government's January 28 response here (Spanish only).
- Read HRF's response (January 31) here (Spanish only).
- Read media coverage of HRF's campaign for human rights in Bolivia:
Hoy Bolivia: DDHH: nueva CPE no cumple obligaciones internacionales
La Estrella del Oriente: Human Rights teme violación de Derechos Humanos en Bolivia por CPE del MAS
Terra: HRF dice que reforma pone en peligro derechos fundamentales de los bolivianos
ABI: Gobierno acusa a ONG estadounidense de manejar mal la información de nueva CPE
Los Tiempos: Gobierno descalifica carta de Human Rights sobre nuevo texto
Bol Press: Carta de HRF al Viceministro Sacha Llorenti
Los Tiempos: Human Rights niega partidismo derechista
Hoy Bolivia: Derechos Humanos refuta carta del gobierno
HRF President Thor Halvorssen writes editorial on the shooting of human rights advocate Monica Fernandez
January 21, 2008
On January 21, 2008, an editorial by HRF President Thor Halvorssen on the shooting of Monica Fernandez, a Venezuelan human rights advocate, was published by Pajamas Media, a news website that provides exclusive news and opinion 24/7 in text, video and podcast from correspondents in over forty countries.
Venezuelan government continues attack on independent media; Alberto Federico Ravell is “Caracas Nine” dissident #3
January 17, 2008
Employees and directors of Globovisión, Venezuela’s only remaining independent 24-hour news and information channel, have survived more than five years of attacks and death threats for exercising their free speech. The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) released a report this week detailing human rights violations against the people who work for the TV station.
Globovisión general manager Alberto Federico Ravell and his 430 colleagues are the third case in HRF’s Caracas Nine project (www.CaracasNine.com). [more]
Enshrining Mob Rule in Bolivia: Communal Justice and the New Constitution
January 15, 2008
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| Communal justice Open Assembly held in the town of Ayo Ayo (July 3, 2004). |
Lashing, crucifixion and other forms of corporal punishment would be legal in a new constitution proposed by the government of Bolivian President Evo Morales. Since 2005, Bolivia has seen a dramatic increase in such disturbing practices, including lynchings and torture, meted out under an informal system known as “communal justice.” Cases include death sentences for women accused of adultery and the beating, stoning, hanging, and burning of an elected official accused of corruption.
“Communal justice entirely disregards due process. In theory, it enables indigenous communities to address their needs in a fair and disinterested manner. In practice, it is judicial terror. It is breathtaking that the Morales government wishes to enshrine such arbitrary and barbaric practices and make them legally unappealable,” said Thor Halvorssen, president of the Human Rights Foundation (HRF). Today, HRF published a report on Bolivia’s communal justice system. [more]
- Read the press release
- Read HRF's report on communal justice in Bolivia here
- Video of communal justice practices in Bolivia (violent images—not suitable for children)
HRF Researcher Shot in Venezuela
January 7, 2008
Monica Fernandez, former judge and one of the leaders of the Foro Penal Venezolano, was shot Saturday afternoon in circumstances that, prior to a full investigation, the government of Venezuela has declared a “car robbery.” Ms. Fernandez directs the Venezuelan research division of the Human Rights Foundation (HRF).
Ms. Fernandez was kidnapped and shot at point-blank range while loading her car with plants she had bought with her fiancé, Javier Herrera. Mr. Herrera, a police officer, was shot five times while trying to prevent the attack. Mr. Herrera killed one of the aggressors; the other drove off with Ms. Fernandez. He later released her and left the car parked nearby. Both Ms. Fernandez and Mr. Herrera are hospitalized in Caracas. [more]
Francisco Usón is Free; HRF's First Prisoner of Conscience Conditionally Released
December 25, 2007
At 7:30 p.m. on December 24, 2007 in Caracas, Venezuela, the Human Rights Foundation's first political prisoner and prisoner of conscience, Franciso Usón, was freed by the judge presiding over appeals in his case.
Usón, a retired army general and former cabinet minister in the government of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, was sentenced to five-and-a-half years of prison in a maximum security jail for having uttered a statement expressing concern for human rights. [more]
Pinochet Will Forever be Remembered as a Torturer
December 10, 2007
One year after the death of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, the Human Rights Foundation reprints here its contribution made to the NRO online symposium “Pinochet Is History: But how will it remember him?” [more]
Video Highlights Human Rights Violations in Venezuela; Caracas Nine Preview Now Available on YouTube
November 30, 2007
Artists Reunite for Human Rights in Latin America; Concert Tour in New York to Stress the Plight of the Caracas Nine
October 25, 2007
The Human Rights Foundation launched its Caracas Nine campaign today to raise awareness about human rights violations occurring in Venezuela. The program focuses on nine individuals who have survived discrimination, intimidation, censorship, false arrest, imprisonment, and torture. Every few days, HRF will introduce a new member of the Caracas Nine whose case is illustrative of the human rights situation in Venezuela. The first member of the Caracas Nine is Francisco Usón, a political prisoner and prisoner of conscience since May 2004.
The Fenwicks—the legendary Afro-Celtic Yiddish Ska band —begin a concert tour this weekend in support for and solidarity with the Caracas Nine. The tour includes five stops, commencing on October 28 at the Knitting Factory concert venue in New York City and concluding on November 2 at Studio A in Miami, Florida.
- Visit the Caracas Nine campaign website here.
- Read the report on Francisco Usón here.
- Get more information about The Fenwicks’ Caracas Nine tour here.
- Read an article about the Fenwicks from their Warped Tour appearance here.
Dominican Government Calls for Censorship of HRF Film on Human Trafficking
June 29, 2007
Amidst protest and volatile confrontation, HRF screened its documentary film The Sugar Babies: The Plight of the Children of Agricultural Workers in the Sugar Industry, at Florida International University on Wednesday. The documentary about human trafficking in Haiti and the Dominican Republic drew protest from both Dominican government officials and from the Fanjul family, one of the largest beneficiaries of the human trafficking depicted in the film, with a sugar empire that dwarfs the U.S. Sugar Corporation. [more]
- Read the press release
HRF calls for an immediate end to the human rights abuses against peaceful student protesters in Venezuela
June 6, 2007
In light of the recent student protests surrounding the shutdown of RCTV, HRF communicated today with the president of Venezuela in condemnation of the excessive measures taken by Venezuelan security forces against protesters as they demonstrate for freedom of speech in Venezuela. HRF alerted the OAS, the UN, and numerous other organizations of the several human rights violations in this case, including detentions, the use of firearms, and physical violence against peaceful protesters.
- Read HRF’s letter to Chávez (in Spanish)
NEW YORK POST: Hugo & the Media Kings
June 6, 2007
Today’s New York Post publishes an opinion column by HRF President Thor Halvorssen on the struggle for independent media in Venezuela.
- Click here for the full article
- Click here to view a short film on the attacks on Venezuelan media in Venezuela since 2001
- Click here to visit HRF’s freedom of expression site, FreeRCTV.com
Protests in Venezuela; One Hundred High School Students Arrested; Attacks on Media Continue; Bolivian and Ecuadorian Governments Announce Media Crackdown
May 30, 2007
Mass protests shook Venezuela over the last three days as people—many of them high school and university students—took to the streets to protest the this weekend’s shutdown of the Venezuelan television station Radio Caracas Television (RCTV). Severe government crackdowns included the use of live ammunition, tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets, and riot gear. More than one hundred minors and eighty adults were in custody of the Venezuelan police as of this afternoon. Their identities and condition are being withheld by the government. [more]
RCTV Blackout in Venezuela
May 28, 2007
Despite worldwide criticism, mass protests on the streets of Caracas, condemnation by world bodies including the European Parliament, the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Chilean Senate, as well as condemnation from all major human rights and press groups, the Venezuelan government today pulled the plug on RCTV, Venezuela’s last independent TV network.
Human Rights Foundation marks the sad day with its website www.FreeRCTV.com converted to a solid black screen.
RCTV Shutdown Condemned By Europeans; Chileans; and Senators Clinton, Obama, and Kennedy
May 25, 2007
Two days away from the shutdown of Venezuela’s leading independent television stations, a growing coalition of condemnation has emerged. It includes the European Parliament; U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (including Senators Lugar, Dodd, Clinton, Obama, Kennedy, and McCain) and organizations as diverse as Reporters Without Borders, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International. [more]
HRF to OAS’s Insulza: “Do Your Job”
May 23, 2007
HRF issued a plea today in the form of a letter addressed to José Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States, to do his job. Insulza dismissed concern about RCTV and said the matter was in the hands of the Venezuelan courts. Venezuela’s highest court ruled today that no appeals from RCTV will be accepted. RCTV will cease transmission on May 27 at midnight. [more]
- Read the press release
- Read the letter to Insulza (in Spanish)
Cuban-Venezuelan Actress and Singer María Conchita Alonso Defends RCTV's Right to Dissent; Joins HRF Campaign for Prisoners of Conscience
May 16, 2007
María Conchita Alonso has joined the Human Rights Foundation's campaign in support of political prisoners in Venezuela. She declared today: “I am devoted to the liberation of those wrongfully imprisoned for doing nothing more than expressing themselves and those who are guilty of nothing more than fighting corruption or doing their jobs. These include Francisco Uson, a former cabinet minister and democracy activist; Humberto Quintero, a former national guardsman who captured an important leader of a Colombian terrorist organization; whistleblower Eligio Cedeño, a former banker held for his detailed knowledge of government corruption; and former captain Otto Gebauer, who was sentenced for twelve years for peaceful civil disobedience.” [more]
HRF Condemns Venezuelan Government Shut Down of TV Station, Launches FreeRCTV Website, and Brings Case to the Attention of U.N Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
May 7, 2007
In a meeting today held in honor of Ban Ki-moon at the UN Association, Human Rights Foundation President Thor Halvorssen brought the escalating crisis over the impending shutdown of Venezuelan TV channel RCTV to the Secretary General’s attention, giving him a copy of a letter to Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, co-authored by former U.N. Ambassador Armando Valladares. [more]
- Read HRF’s letter to the Venezuelan President
- Visit HRF’s new website: FreeRCTV.com
- Sign the petition in favor of freedom of expression and of the press
HRF Chairman Writes About Castro's Gulag in the Wall Street Journal
March 5, 2007
The Wall Street Journal published an editorial today written by HRF Chairman Armando Valladares in which Ambassador Valladares reflects on his experience as a prisoner of conscience in Castro's gulag, Castro's legacy, and the relevance of that legacy for the American hemisphere today. [more]
Norway Grants Asylum to Former HRF Prisoner of Conscience
February 28, 2007
Amauris Samartino, a political dissident illegally expelled from Bolivia for criticizing President Evo Morales and Fidel Castro, has been granted asylum in Norway. Samartino, a medical doctor, was detained at gunpoint in eastern Bolivia last December for remarks he had made in the local media. Prior to his expulsion, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) adopted him as a prisoner of conscience of the Bolivian government. "Although my home is Bolivia, I am overjoyed that Norway is willing to be a safe harbor for those with the temerity to express themselves freely. Bolivia is no longer a safe place for those who disagree, no matter how peacefully, with the government of Evo Morales," said Samartino. [more]
- Read HRF's press release
HRF Victory: Expelling Dissident from Bolivia Ruled Unconstitutional
Bolivian Court Admits Human Rights Foundation Brief and Decides for Freedom
February 2, 2007
On Friday February 2, 2007, the Constitutional Tribunal of Bolivia announced that it ruled against the government of Evo Morales and in favor of a man falsely detained and expelled from Bolivia for publicly criticizing Fidel Castro and Evo Morales. The government’s actions were outside of the law, arbitrary, and violated equality before the law, freedom of speech, and due process. HRF adopted Samartino as a Prisoner of Conscience three days after his arrest and filed a friend-of-the-court brief delineating the illegal nature of the government’s activities as well as the four international treaties violated in this case. HRF celebrates that the court decided in favor of freedom. [more]
Dissident Expelled from Bolivia for Criticizing Fidel Castro and Evo Morales
Amauris Samartino was new Government’s First Prisoner of Conscience
January 10, 2007
Amauris Samartino, a Cuban refugee who has lived in Bolivia since 2000, was expelled yesterday after having been detained for seventeen days for criticizing the Bolivian and Cuban governments. The Bolivian government’s justification for the expulsion of Samartino rested on an immigration law that was voided and deemed unconstitutional in 2001. Violations of human rights in this case include wrongful imprisonment, arbitrary detainment, forced exile, due process abuse, and undue restriction of free speech.
Beyond publishing an exhaustive report, HRF will present Samartino’s case at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States. HRF will also file amicus curiae briefs with the Bolivian Constitutional Tribunal regarding the human rights violations against Mr. Samartino and his petition to re-enter Bolivia as a permanent resident. [more]
Bolivia to Deport Cuban National for Criticism of Cuban Dictatorship and Bolivian President
December 29, 2006
Since December 27, 2006 HRF has begun investigating the planned deportation of Amauris Samartino, a Cuban refugee living in Bolivia since 2000, who has criticized what he sees as Bolivia’s slide into authoritarianism. Mr. Samartino was arrested on December 23 and is currently in the custody of the Bolivian government and a legal process seems to be underway. HRF has documented numerous human rights violations by the Bolivian government in this case including kidnapping, false arrest, violations of freedom of expression and freedom of speech. A full report and campaign will begin next week. Stay tuned.
December 12, 2006
Former U.N. Human Rights Ambassador Armando Valladares, who spent 22 years in Cuban prisons, and Human Rights Foundation president Thor Halvorssen released a letter to Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez declaring Francisco Usón a political prisoner and prisoner of conscience. The letter documented the violations of due process and freedom of speech rights in the case of Mr. Usón, a retired Venezuelan General sentenced to five and a half years in prison for voicing an opinion on a television talk-show.The letter to Mr. Chavez urges the immediate liberation and exoneration of Mr. Uson and puts the government on notice about a widespread campaign of awareness including the publicizing of two attempts on Mr. Uson’s life since his conviction. [more]
- Read HRF’s letter to President Chavez here (.pdf). and here (text)
- Read HRF’s executive summary and full report (.pdf)
- Read HRF's press release
- Click here to get involved in the campaign for Usón’s freedom
HRF Begins Advocacy Campaign for Francisco Usón
Former Cabinet Minister Imprisoned for Stating an Opinion
December 12, 2006
On Friday, December 1, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) began an advocacy campaign for the liberation of a man held in prison in Venezuela for voicing an opinion on a television talk-show. Francisco Usón is the first political prisoner and prisoner of conscience adopted by HRF. An executive summary and full report (.pdf, 164kb) about the case are available to the public.
Click here to get involved in the campaign for Usón’s freedom.
Our Programs
HRF’s programs are designed to further global understanding of recurring threats to freedom in the Americas. Our programs provide education about what constitutes a free society, why freedom matters, and how freedom is nurtured, developed, and sustained. [more]
Our Reports
HRF will research and report on human rights abuses with a particular focus on prisoners of conscience and political prisoners. [more]
Our Vision
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) centers its work on the twin concepts of freedom of self-determination and freedom from tyranny. These ideals find their purest expression in the belief that all human beings have the rights to speak freely, to worship in the manner of their choice, to associate with those of like mind, to acquire and dispose of property, and to leave and enter their countries.
Individuals in a free society must be accorded equal treatment and due process under law, and must have the opportunity to participate in the government of their countries; HRF’s ideals likewise find expression in the conviction that all human beings have the right to be free from arbitrary detainment or exile, from slavery and torture, and from interference and coercion in matters of conscience. [more]
Human Rights Foundation | 350 Fifth Avenue, #4515 | New York, NY 10118
Phone: (212) 246-8486 | Fax: (212) 643-4278 | info@thehrf.org
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[more] Rebuking church, Chilean president rejects sweeping pardons that would free rights offenders July 25, 2010 Chile's conservative president rejected a proposal by the Roman Catholic Church for sweeping pardons of elderly and sick prisoners that would have freed military officers convicted of human rights violations during the Pinochet dictatorship. [more] Mexican officials: Prison inmates released to commit killings July 25, 2010 Top officials in Mexico said Sunday that authorities at a prison released and armed several inmates to attack a group of people during a birthday celebration last week in a killing spree that left 17 dead. [more] Cuba Prevents Blogger Yoani Sanchez from Traveling to Brazil July 23, 2010 Cuban authorities have denied journalist and blogger Yoani Sanchez permission to travel to Brazil to attend the screening of a documentary denouncing censorship in Cuba, she said Thursday in a Twitter post. 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[more] OAS not to intervene in Venezuela's ban on Chilean electoral observers July 19, 2010 The OAS secretary general said that the international organization cannot act against Venezuela’s decision to ban Chilean Senators from participating as observers in an impending parliamentarian vote. [more] Former Suriname military dictator Desi Bouterse elected president in parliamentary vote July 19, 2010 Former dictator Desi Bouterse was elected president by parliament Monday, following weeks of jostling by opponents who sought to stop a convicted drug trafficker and ex-strongman accused of killing political opponents from returning to power. [more] UN secretary-general wants human rights boost in Cuba to build on 'encouraging' release July 19, 2010 The U.N. secretary-general says Cuba should build on its release of at least 20 dissidents by doing more to improve human rights. [more] UN concerned about extrajudicial killings in Ecuador July 16, 2010 A United Nations-backed investigator says murders by gang members and hired killers in Ecuador are rising steadily, while the number caught is falling. [more] 'Cuba not opening up to democracy' - released prisoners July 15, 2010 Former Cuban political prisoners have said their release does not signal a change in political conditions on the Communist-run island. [more] Mexican Reporters Say Soldiers Attacked Them July 15, 2010 Three Mexican reporters say they were attacked and beaten by soldiers when they tried to cover a police operation in a neighborhood in the border city of Nuevo Laredo. [more] Two more Cuban dissidents arrive in Spain July 14, 2010 Two more Cuban dissidents have landed in Spain, a day after the first group arrived as part of the planned release of 52 political prisoners. [more] TV station chief vows to stay critical of Hugo Chávez July 14, 2010 Facing arrest at home, the president of Globovisión TV was in Miami where he said he will keep pressuring President Chávez. [more] Freed Cuban Prisoners Vow Defiance July 13, 2010 Flashing victory signs and expressing defiance, the first seven political prisoners released by President Raúl Castro of Cuba arrived in Madrid on Tuesday and vowed to continue their opposition to the island’s Communist leadership. [more] Freed Cuban dissidents arrive in Spain July 13, 2010 The first political prisoners out of a group of 52 Cuba has agreed to free are now in the Spanish capital, Madrid. [more] Six months after quake, Haiti still suffers July 12, 2010 Prime minister says the priority is protecting the population during hurricane season. [more] Cuban church identifies 12 more dissidents for release July 10, 2010 Cuba's Roman Catholic church has identified 12 more jailed dissidents who are expected to be freed in what would be the largest Cuban prisoner release in more than a decade. [more] Citing political persecution, owner of Venezuela's anti-Chavez TV channel seeks help from OAS July 9, 2010 The president of Venezuela's only opposition-aligned television channel asked for help from the Organization of American States on Friday, saying he wants its human rights commission to determine if he truly committed a crime in his homeland. [more] Cuba to free political prisoners, Catholic Church announces July 7, 2010 Cuba's communist authorities are to free at least 52 political prisoners, Catholic Church officials in the capital Havana said. [more] Argentina's Videla: 'Troops followed my orders' July 7, 2010
The Cuban dissidents kept out of public view July 6, 2010 International concern about human rights in Cuba is once again on the rise, as doctors say the life of a second hunger striker is in danger. [more] Spain to press Cuba over jailed dissidents July 5, 2010 Spain's foreign minister plans to increase pressure on Cuba to release political prisoners. [more] Imprisoned Venezuelan journalist declares hunger strike July 5, 2010 A Venezuelan journalist who has been held for two years without a trial reported that he has gone on a hunger strike, saying he wants the judge in his case to recuse himself. [more] Venezuela rejects U.S. accusations of rights abuses July 5, 2010 Venezuela's top diplomat accused Secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton of attacking his country for seeking Latin American unity and opposing U.S. influence in international affairs. [more] July 4, 2010 Cuban media has reported that Guillermo Fariñas, a political dissident who has been on hunger strike for 130 days, is in danger of dying after developing a blood clot. [more] Amnesty urges Cuba to end political repression July 1, 2010 Cuba has created a "climate of fear" among political activists and journalists working on the island nation, according to a report released Wednesday by the human rights group Amnesty International. [more] Former Argentina dictator to go on trial in rights abuse case June 30, 2010 A former Argentinian dictator and an ex-army chief are scheduled to go on trial this week on charges of human rights abuses during the nation's right-wing rule from 1976-83, the government's Judicial Information Center said. [more] Caracas prison deaths spark call for probe June 30, 2010 Prison rights activists in Venezuela have demanded an inquiry into the deaths of six inmates in a bloody shootout at a jail near Caracas, part of the most violent prison system in the hemisphere. [more] Honduras still split one year after president's removal June 29, 2010 A year ago this week Honduras plunged into deep uncertainty after the then President Manuel Zelaya was removed from office and expelled from the country. [more] Ex-Panama Leader Noriega Goes to Trial in France June 28, 2010 Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega is accused of using French bank accounts to launder kickbacks from a Colombian cocaine cartel in the late 1980s. [more] June 5, 2010 The Cuban government harassed and detained dozens of opponents in the past two days, signaling a new wave of repression that deals a serious blow to its attempts in recent weeks to show compassion toward jailed dissidents. Two major Cuban dissident groups -- Agenda para la Transición (Transition Agenda) and Unidad Liberal de la República de Cuba (Liberal Unity of the Republic of Cuba) -- were raided in Havana in the past 48 hours and 37 members arrested, group leaders said. [more] |
