Human Rights First

In Kharkiv, Ukraine, Vasyl Malikov, the head of the regional LGBTQ+ organization Spectrum Kharkiv, and Regional Coordinator of the national LGBTQ+ organization ALLIANCE.GLOBAL, Public Organization, created a community center that serves as a beacon of support for LGBTQ+ individuals, allies & families. Through hosting events and providing health services, his center brings people together and offers essential aid. In this interview with our senior advisor, Brian Dooley, Vasyl shares his mission to uplift and support his community. ALLIANCE.GLOBAL, Public Organization

Human Rights Defender & architect Olga Kleitman turned an empty building into a safe haven for those displaced by war in Kharkiv. Our Senior Advisor Brian Dooley has worked with civilians like Olga and her team for the past 3 years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine offering shelter, safety, and a sense of community in cities under fire.

14 years ago today, Bahrain’s peaceful pro-democracy protests broke out in Bahrain & were met with a violent government crackdown. Many activists, including medics, labor leaders, and human rights defenders, were jailed—some remain behind bars to this day. Despite making some progress in recent years, releasing hundreds of political prisoners, some of Bahrain’s most prominent dissidents are still imprisoned, often denied medical care. The Bahraini government’s refusal to move forward keeps the country stuck in the past. Bahrain has an opportunity to move forward by taking real action—free all peaceful dissidents still in prison, immediately and unconditionally. Read more from our Senior Advisor Brian Dooley:

The Trump administration’s freeze on foreign assistance doesn’t just impact humanitarian aid, it also threatens democracy and human rights efforts worldwide. In Just Security, our Senior Advisor Scott Busby discusses why restoring this aid is in America’s best interest:  https://lnkd.in/eTBw3Pna 

Today marks the anniversary of the 1989 murder of human rights lawyer Pat Finucane. Pat Finucane, 39, was shot dead in his Belfast home by members of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) while having dinner with his wife and three young children. A 2012 British government report confirmed state collusion in his killing, yet many questions remain. For nearly 30 years, Human Rights First has campaigned for justice in the Finucane case, documenting state impunity during the Northern Ireland conflict. Our research has highlighted his murder as a key example of British collusion, and we continue to push for accountability. With an inquiry due to start soon, his family may finally find out the truth they have long pursued. Other unresolved cases of killings from the conflict will finally go to court in the coming weeks. Our Senior Advisor Brian Dooley reports from Belfast. Read more about the case and the inquiry in New York Law Journal. https://lnkd.in/gVmQ4tu5

The Trump admin's new executive order targeting the ICC makes only minor changes from past attempts to sanction the court & remains a sweeping attack on justice. Explore the key changes & impacts in a new piece by our Adam Keith and Nina Moraitou-Politzi. https://lnkd.in/gynwzZ4p

Help safeguard democracy, protect civil rights, and build a future where human rights are respected for all. Become a part of our movement and volunteer today: bit.ly/HRFVolunteer

Earlier this week two of our colleagues Yannick Gill and Marie-Hélène R. attended a powerful vigil in Lafayette Square, standing in solidarity against the Trump administration’s unjust Executive Order suspending the refugee resettlement program.⁠ ⁠ The order threatens a life-saving program that has provided safety and opportunity for countless individuals fleeing persecution. We join our partners in urging policymakers to uphold the bipartisan 1980 Refugee Act and ensure all people have access to the resources they need to rebuild their lives.⁠ ⁠ Thank you to the Interfaith Immigration Coalition & Refugee Council USA (RCUSA)for bringing together faith leaders, humanitarian organizations, refugees, and advocates for this powerful event.

We’ve joined a coalition of immigrant rights advocates urging the U.S. government to provide immediate access to the individuals transferred from the U.S. to #Guantánamo Bay. Holding any person incommunicado at a notorious offshore prison is unjust, unlawful, and a violation of their rights. "There is no precedent for taking people from the United States to detain them at Guantanamo, and the Trump administration has suggested no legal authority for doing so. Presidents send people to Guantánamo to appear tough on security and argue that people held there have no rights. This was true when the Bush administration tried to use the base as a legal black hole for people detained abroad after 9/11, and it is true now. Getting these detainees access to counsel is critical to clarify who is being held there and to protect their rights." - Joshua Colangelo-Bryan, Special Counsel for Human Rights First. The letter—sent by ACLU on behalf of the coalition—demands transparency and accountability from U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of State. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ekDmgHNf

Introducing Democracy Watch, Human Rights First's new advocacy tool that tracks, maps, and exposes trends in legislation that threaten our democratic institutions or undermine civil and human rights. Visit the link to try it out today: https://lnkd.in/gnjU6kXT