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

Oslo Freedom Forum: Kjell Magne Bondevik http://vimeo.com/5082283 About this video: "The former Prime Minister of Norway, who currently heads the Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights, introduces Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel."

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]

• 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).

• 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]

• Read the report about Marta Colomina's case here (Spanish only).
• Read about the Caracas Nine here.

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

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.

• Read the editorial here.
• Read the HRF press release on Monica Fernandez here.

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]

• Read the report about Alberto Federico Ravell's case here.
• Read about the Caracas Nine here.

Enshrining Mob Rule in Bolivia: Communal Justice and the New Constitution

January 15, 2008

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]

• Read the report about Usón's case here.
• Read about the Caracas Nine here.

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]

• Read Ambassador Armando Valladares's editorial
  
  

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]

• Read HRF's press release
• Read the press release from the highest court in Bolivia

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.

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]

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