Human Rights Defenders at Risk

Human Rights Defenders risk their lives and livelihoods to promote and protect human rights. Opposing government and private abuses often subjects human rights defenders and their families to harassment, detention, interrogations, torture, and the threat of being killed on account of their work. We support individual human rights defenders or organizations at risk by encouraging actions by the U.S. Government and international community to seek their release from detention, the dropping of charges, abatement of threats and harassment, or accountability for violence against defenders.

Latest News

Bahrain Medics Punished for Treating Injured

New York, NY– The court verdicts announced today in the case of 20 Bahrain medics prosecuted for treating injured protestors…


6-14-2012


Targeting of Bahraini Human Rights Defenders Intensifies

The Bahraini government’s crackdown has no end in sight as leading human rights defenders continue to be targeted. Nabeel Rajab…


6-12-2012


Salah Alshayeb: One of the Overlooked Victims of Bahrain’s Revolution

Most international attention on the Bahrain crackdown on human rights has focused on a relatively small number of cases –…


6-11-2012


On Al Jazeera’s The Stream, Tensions Flare Over “Reconciliation” in Bahrain

The June 4th episode of Al Jazeera’s live online show The Stream brought together prominent figures to discuss whether “reconciliation” is a possibility in Bahrain.…


6-7-2012


Bahraini Human Rights Defender’s Letter Smuggled Out of Prison

Human Rights First has obtained  a translated copy of a letter written by Bahraini prisoner and Human Rights Defender Mahdi…


6-5-2012