Freedom House

Articles by Freedom House

Link to: Dictators bask in spotlight of international sporting events despite rights abuses

Dictators bask in spotlight of international sporting events despite rights abuses

Russia recently passed a law banning LGBT “propaganda” six months before the opening of the 2014 Winter Olympics; this has reignited the debate over whether it is acceptable for repressive, nondemocratic countries to host international sporting events.

Link to: Photographer detained, beaten by Bahraini authorities prior to mass protests

Photographer detained, beaten by Bahraini authorities prior to mass protests

Photographer Ahmed al-Fardan, the 2013 winner of Freedom House’s “Images of Repression and Freedom” photo contest, was detained and beaten by police in Bahrain on August 8

Activists from women's rights group FEMEN and former AFP photographer from Russia Dmitry Kostyukov (R) look out from a window during a court session in Kiev, 28 July 2013., REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

Ukrainian journalists and activists face increasing attacks, arrests

Over the last month, at least five reporters in Ukraine have been attacked in apparent connection to their work, while scores of activists have been detained.

U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin walk away after speaking about their meeting during the G8 Summit in Northern Ireland, 17 June 2013., Reuters/Kevin Lamarque

Human rights situation in Russia condemned as Obama cancels trip to Moscow

According to the White House statement announcing the cancellation of an upcoming summit, the “lack of progress” in U.S.-Russia bilateral relations includes the human rights and civil society situation in Russia in the past 12 months.

Opposition members protest during the vote on the Communications Act in Ecuador's National Assembly on 14 June 2013., Cortesía www.ecuavisa.com

Groups call for review of Ecuador’s restrictive communications law

Over 30 IFEX members write to President Rafael Correa, calling on him to submit the recently-approved Ecuadorian Communications Law to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights for a Consultative Opinion.

The logo of Sina Corp's Chinese microblog website "Weibo" is pictured, 13 September 2011, REUTERS/Stringer

Special report: China’s new leaders advance Internet control

China’s Internet controls, which were already among the most extensive in the world, have grown even more sophisticated and pervasive under the new Communist Party leadership, according to a Freedom House special report.

Somalia's Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon Saaid (L) and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (R) at an event in Mogadishu July 2013., REUTERS/Feisal Omar

35 IFEX members call for amendments to Somalia’s draft media law

IFEX members issued a joint call for amendments to a deeply-flawed draft media law in Somalia before it goes to parliament for approval in August.

Blogger Le Quoc Quan, https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/20153

Ahead of U.S.-Vietnam meeting, Obama urged to press for blogger’s release

Nineteen human rights organisations have written to U.S. President Barack Obama to raise the issue of the detention of human rights defender and blogger Mr Le Quoc Quan when President Truong Tan Sang of Vietnam meets Obama on 25 July 2013.