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

Abdulhadi Al Khawaja Letter Details Abuse, Calls for International Assistance

A Feb. 8 open letter written from prison by leading Bahraini human rights activist Abdulhadi Al Khawaja recounts the abuse…


2-13-2012


King Hamad Al Khalifa of #Bahrain: End the Sham Trials Now!

Twenty Bahraini medics tortured into making false confessions faced court on Monday to find out that the charges against them…


2-1-2012


Monday Offers Bahrain Regime Chance to Free Targeted Medics

Washington, DC –The group of 20 Bahraini medics convicted by the dictatorship’s military court in September have had their next…


1-26-2012


Neil Hicks Response to State of the Union Address

Washington, DC — Tonight, following President Obama’s State of the Union address, Human Rights First issued the following statement: “The…


1-24-2012


Bahrain Sham Trials, Attacks on Defenders Persist

Washington, DC – Today in Bahrain, 20 medics again appeared in court facing baseless charges and their appeal was delayed…


1-9-2012