Norwegian Helsinki Committee
@nhcno.bsky.social
Human rights and democracy in Europe, South Caucasus, and Central Asia.
We express deep concern over the arrest of human rights lawyer Zabil Gahramanov in #Azerbaijan. We see the charges as politically motivated and intended to silence his defence of political prisoners and other vulnerable groups, said Secretary General @beritlindeman.bsky.social
Azerbaijan: Release Politically Detained Human Right Lawyer
As a practicing lawyer, Gahramanov is known for his involvement in politically sensitive cases, including the defense of many political prisoners, and for his outspoken criticism of police abuse, whic...
nhc.no
November 24, 2025 at 3:33 PM
We express deep concern over the arrest of human rights lawyer Zabil Gahramanov in #Azerbaijan. We see the charges as politically motivated and intended to silence his defence of political prisoners and other vulnerable groups, said Secretary General @beritlindeman.bsky.social
Yesterday, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and SergeyTikhanovsky received the #MagnitskyAward for ‘outstanding political opposition’. They are marathon runners for democracy, at significant personal cost. The NHC congratulates both of them. (Norw.)
@gmjcampaign.bsky.social
@gmjcampaign.bsky.social
Magnitskij-prisen til Sviatlana Tikhanovskaja og Sergej Tikhanovskij
- Vi må aldri gi opp å arbeide for et fritt og demokratisk Belarus, sa Sviatlana Tsikanouskaja da hun mottok Magnitskij-prisen for 2025.
nhc.no
November 14, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Yesterday, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and SergeyTikhanovsky received the #MagnitskyAward for ‘outstanding political opposition’. They are marathon runners for democracy, at significant personal cost. The NHC congratulates both of them. (Norw.)
@gmjcampaign.bsky.social
@gmjcampaign.bsky.social
The Georgian journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli is imprisoned for protests. Her case is emblematic of a wider campaign of harassment, intimidation, and repression against independent, critical voices in #Georgia. Nominated by the NHC, she was awarded @frittord.bsky.social's Free Media Award 📣
Free Media Award to imprisoned Georgian journalist
Mzia was detained after placing a sticker calling for a nationwide strike, in solidarity with a colleague who had been arrested for the same act. She was later released, arrested again and sentenced t...
nhc.no
November 13, 2025 at 11:54 AM
The Georgian journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli is imprisoned for protests. Her case is emblematic of a wider campaign of harassment, intimidation, and repression against independent, critical voices in #Georgia. Nominated by the NHC, she was awarded @frittord.bsky.social's Free Media Award 📣
Today, lawmakers in #Kazakhstan adopted a draft law with amendments that would ban “propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation". Seven international human rights groups strongly urge the Kazakh parliament to reject the anti-LBGTIQ+ legislation ⛔
nhc.no/en/kazakhsta...
nhc.no/en/kazakhsta...
Kazakhstan: Reject "LGBT Propaganda" Legal Proposals
UPDATE: On November 12, the lower house of parliament (the Mazhilis) adopted the amendments introducing a ban on propaganda of so-called “non-traditional sexual relations”. The bill will be considered...
nhc.no
November 12, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Today, lawmakers in #Kazakhstan adopted a draft law with amendments that would ban “propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation". Seven international human rights groups strongly urge the Kazakh parliament to reject the anti-LBGTIQ+ legislation ⛔
nhc.no/en/kazakhsta...
nhc.no/en/kazakhsta...
On November 6, US President #Trump will host #CentralAsia leaders. They need to discuss human rights. US should return to international human rights mechanisms and respect press freedoms, while Central Asian leaders should stop repressive laws, the crackdown on media, and release political prisoners
Central Asian leaders and the US must urge each other to respect human rights
While the summit presents a vital opportunity to strengthen economic ties and enhance regional security, the meeting should not overlook persistent human rights violations across Central Asia and a recent backsliding in rights in the region. The U.S. administration should seize the opportunity to establish closer ties and deeper integration with the Central Asian countries, […]
nhc.no
November 5, 2025 at 2:17 PM
On November 6, US President #Trump will host #CentralAsia leaders. They need to discuss human rights. US should return to international human rights mechanisms and respect press freedoms, while Central Asian leaders should stop repressive laws, the crackdown on media, and release political prisoners
Pressure and attacks on democracy are increasing in Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Europe. #Norway should increase its support for democracy and human rights, and support #civilsociety as the first line of defence for democracy in our region! Read our proposals for the national budget (Norw)
Styrk motstandskraften, støtt sivilsamfunnet
Økt press mot sivilsamfunnet i Russland, Sør-Kaukasus, Sentral-Asia og andre europeiske land bør medføre økt støtte til demokrati og menneskerettigheter i disse områdene som er svært utsatt for russis...
nhc.no
October 28, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Pressure and attacks on democracy are increasing in Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Europe. #Norway should increase its support for democracy and human rights, and support #civilsociety as the first line of defence for democracy in our region! Read our proposals for the national budget (Norw)
#Türkiye: Withdraw the proposed law! 18 press and freedom of expression organisations call for the removal of the reported anti-LGBTQ+ provision from the 11th Judicial Package, which would restrict individuals and possibly criminalise media reporting on the LGBTQ+ community.
Journalists reporting LGBTQ+ issues risk criminalisation: Withdraw the proposed law!
(In Turkish below) The draft of the 11th Judicial Package was shared with the members of the press last week and is expected to be submitted to Parliament in the coming days. Under the heading “Obscen...
nhc.no
October 23, 2025 at 8:25 AM
#Türkiye: Withdraw the proposed law! 18 press and freedom of expression organisations call for the removal of the reported anti-LGBTQ+ provision from the 11th Judicial Package, which would restrict individuals and possibly criminalise media reporting on the LGBTQ+ community.
As the war in #Ukraine continues, victims and survivors are waiting for justice. We join @glsurvivorsfund.bsky.social's call for a portion of sanctioned Russian assets to be allocated to funding reparations for victims and survivors of human rights violations in Ukraine.
nhc.no/en/ukraine-r...
nhc.no/en/ukraine-r...
Ukraine: EU must dedicate a share of asset-backed loan to reparations for victims and survivors of human rights violations
As a EUR 140 billion loan to Ukraine is on the table, a portion must be assigned for victims of gross human rights violations.
nhc.no
October 21, 2025 at 2:26 PM
As the war in #Ukraine continues, victims and survivors are waiting for justice. We join @glsurvivorsfund.bsky.social's call for a portion of sanctioned Russian assets to be allocated to funding reparations for victims and survivors of human rights violations in Ukraine.
nhc.no/en/ukraine-r...
nhc.no/en/ukraine-r...
We congratulate María Corina Machado on winning the #NobelPeacePrize for her work promoting democratic rights for the people of #Venezuela. It is gratifying that the Norwegian Nobel Committee emphasises the promotion of democracy when it is under threat, says @beritlindeman.bsky.social
A peace prize for a democracy activist
The NHC congratulates María Corina Machado, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work for democratic rights for the people of Venezuela. ‘María is a shining example of a woman fighting for a peaceful...
nhc.no
October 10, 2025 at 10:53 AM
We congratulate María Corina Machado on winning the #NobelPeacePrize for her work promoting democratic rights for the people of #Venezuela. It is gratifying that the Norwegian Nobel Committee emphasises the promotion of democracy when it is under threat, says @beritlindeman.bsky.social
Democracy prevails in #Moldova! The elections were marked by Russian efforts at vote buying and manipulation, but the country’s democratic institutions held firm—delivering a clear victory for the pro-European Party for Action and Solidarity.
@beritlindeman.bsky.social
nhc.no/en/elections...
@beritlindeman.bsky.social
nhc.no/en/elections...
September 29, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Democracy prevails in #Moldova! The elections were marked by Russian efforts at vote buying and manipulation, but the country’s democratic institutions held firm—delivering a clear victory for the pro-European Party for Action and Solidarity.
@beritlindeman.bsky.social
nhc.no/en/elections...
@beritlindeman.bsky.social
nhc.no/en/elections...
#France stands out by the scale of the restrictions on civil liberties. A report shows that hostile narratives, administrative dissolutions, reductions in public funding, and the criminalisation of mobilisations are suffocating civil society and endangering civic rights.
@fidh-official.bsky.social
@fidh-official.bsky.social
France: New report documents declining freedoms
A new report by The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH-OMCT) and the Ligue des droits de l’Homme (LDH) details an alarming deterioration of public freedoms in France. Often...
nhc.no
September 26, 2025 at 1:50 PM
#France stands out by the scale of the restrictions on civil liberties. A report shows that hostile narratives, administrative dissolutions, reductions in public funding, and the criminalisation of mobilisations are suffocating civil society and endangering civic rights.
@fidh-official.bsky.social
@fidh-official.bsky.social
Together with civil society worldwide, we urgently call on States Parties to the Rome Statute to do everything in their power to stop the proposed U.S. sanctions against the ICC. We need an independent judicial institution with a mandate to confront impunity for the gravest crimes known to humanity.
Save the International Criminal Court and the rule of law
Reliable sources indicate that the United States (US) plans to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) as an institution in the coming weeks. This follows a series of designations, first again...
nhc.no
September 26, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Together with civil society worldwide, we urgently call on States Parties to the Rome Statute to do everything in their power to stop the proposed U.S. sanctions against the ICC. We need an independent judicial institution with a mandate to confront impunity for the gravest crimes known to humanity.
Against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing full-scale war against Ukraine, we will explore journalism in times of war and the impact of hybrid operations on Norway and Europe. Join our Anna Politkovskaya Forum, arranged together with @uitnorgesarktiske.bsky.social and @thebarentsobserver.com
Journalism in times of war - Anna Politkovskaya Days 2025
Against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing full-scale war against Ukraine, we explore the challenges and responsibilities of journalism in times of conflict, as experienced both by journalists in Ukrain...
nhc.no
September 24, 2025 at 7:41 AM
Against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing full-scale war against Ukraine, we will explore journalism in times of war and the impact of hybrid operations on Norway and Europe. Join our Anna Politkovskaya Forum, arranged together with @uitnorgesarktiske.bsky.social and @thebarentsobserver.com
#Türkiye: Together with @globalfreemedia.bsky.social and 16 human rights organisations, we strongly condemn the elongated pretrial detention of journalist @furkankarabay.bsky.social, who faces a prison sentence of 6 to 15 years for his journalistic commentary. We call for his immediate release‼️
Press freedom organisations and human rights groups call for the release of journalist Furkan Karabay
Karabay, who has previously worked as an editor and reporter for news portals outlets such as Gerçek Gündem and 10Haber, has been held in pretrial detention for over 100 days and his indictment was pr...
nhc.no
September 9, 2025 at 1:31 PM
#Türkiye: Together with @globalfreemedia.bsky.social and 16 human rights organisations, we strongly condemn the elongated pretrial detention of journalist @furkankarabay.bsky.social, who faces a prison sentence of 6 to 15 years for his journalistic commentary. We call for his immediate release‼️
Georgia’s Human Rights Center and the NHC condemn the ongoing campaign against Georgian civil society, which took another turn for the worse with the freezing of the assets of several prominent Georgian foundations and organisations.
Statement of Georgia’s Human Rights Center and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee
On the morning of 27 August, the bank accounts of several prominent Georgian non-governmental organisations were frozen by court order. The Office of the Prosecutor asked for the measure as part of an...
nhc.no
August 29, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Georgia’s Human Rights Center and the NHC condemn the ongoing campaign against Georgian civil society, which took another turn for the worse with the freezing of the assets of several prominent Georgian foundations and organisations.
For 34 years, Ukraine has stood strong. For over 11 years, it has resisted Russian aggression. And for 3½ years, it has endured a full-scale invasion. Yet the Ukrainian spirit remains unbroken.
We stand with Ukraine.
💙Slava Ukraïni💛
We stand with Ukraine.
💙Slava Ukraïni💛
August 24, 2025 at 11:07 AM
For 34 years, Ukraine has stood strong. For over 11 years, it has resisted Russian aggression. And for 3½ years, it has endured a full-scale invasion. Yet the Ukrainian spirit remains unbroken.
We stand with Ukraine.
💙Slava Ukraïni💛
We stand with Ukraine.
💙Slava Ukraïni💛
Free people first! – Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, human rights and press freedom defenders, former political prisoners, and families of those still in detention and captivity, appeal to President Trump before the meeting with Putin in Alaska. #People1st
nhc.no/en/people-fi...
nhc.no/en/people-fi...
People First - Open letter to President Trump
People First! Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, human rights defenders, former political prisoners, appeal to President Trump before meeting Putin
nhc.no
August 15, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Free people first! – Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, human rights and press freedom defenders, former political prisoners, and families of those still in detention and captivity, appeal to President Trump before the meeting with Putin in Alaska. #People1st
nhc.no/en/people-fi...
nhc.no/en/people-fi...
Norwegian human rights organisations call for the immediate release of Enes Hocaoğulları, youth delegate to the Council of Europe @coe.int and LGBTIQ+ human rights defender and urge that the charges against him be dropped without delay❗️
@saih-org.bsky.social
Read the statement here:
@saih-org.bsky.social
Read the statement here:
Türkiye: Norwegian human rights organizations call for the immediate release of Enes Hocaoğulları
Enes was arrested on August 5 in Ankara and is being held in pre-trial detention on charges of “publicly disseminating misleading information (article 217/A)” and “publicly denigrating the Turkish nat...
nhc.no
August 8, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Norwegian human rights organisations call for the immediate release of Enes Hocaoğulları, youth delegate to the Council of Europe @coe.int and LGBTIQ+ human rights defender and urge that the charges against him be dropped without delay❗️
@saih-org.bsky.social
Read the statement here:
@saih-org.bsky.social
Read the statement here:
LTBTIQ+ activist and Council of Europe Youth Delegate Enes Hocaoğulları was arrested yesterday, 5 August. He spoke out on police violence in #Türkiye at the @coe.int. Telling the truth is not a crime! Enes must be released and all charges dropped immediately!
www.unikuir.org/haberler/cou...
www.unikuir.org/haberler/cou...
August 6, 2025 at 11:05 AM
LTBTIQ+ activist and Council of Europe Youth Delegate Enes Hocaoğulları was arrested yesterday, 5 August. He spoke out on police violence in #Türkiye at the @coe.int. Telling the truth is not a crime! Enes must be released and all charges dropped immediately!
www.unikuir.org/haberler/cou...
www.unikuir.org/haberler/cou...
Fifty years ago, 35 state leaders signed the Helsinki Declaration. We must ensure that new generations embrace the principles of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. @beritlindeman.bsky.social and @norvezhets.bsky.social write about the Helsinki effect in @panoramanyheter.bsky.social (NORW)
Morgengry i Helsingfors
Statsledere på begge sider av jernteppet satte sine navn på et dokument i den finske hovedstaden 1. august 1975. Signaturene forplikter fortsatt.
www.panoramanyheter.no
August 4, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Fifty years ago, 35 state leaders signed the Helsinki Declaration. We must ensure that new generations embrace the principles of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. @beritlindeman.bsky.social and @norvezhets.bsky.social write about the Helsinki effect in @panoramanyheter.bsky.social (NORW)
📣 We are excited to announce that Ukrainian organizations now can apply for the Nansen program’s small grants “Enable to impact”. This call is administered by Kyiv Human Rights Hub, Center for Civil Liberties and the NHC, with the support of @norad.no
Deadline: August 8
hrhub.kyiv.ua/konkurs-maly...
Deadline: August 8
hrhub.kyiv.ua/konkurs-maly...
Конкурс малих грантів “Спроможні впливати” – Київський хаб прав людини
hrhub.kyiv.ua
July 10, 2025 at 1:26 PM
📣 We are excited to announce that Ukrainian organizations now can apply for the Nansen program’s small grants “Enable to impact”. This call is administered by Kyiv Human Rights Hub, Center for Civil Liberties and the NHC, with the support of @norad.no
Deadline: August 8
hrhub.kyiv.ua/konkurs-maly...
Deadline: August 8
hrhub.kyiv.ua/konkurs-maly...
Duma rep Andrei Lugovoy has sent a letter to Russian Justice Dep to list NHC as an «undesirable organization» after decades of cooperation with dissidents and human rights defenders. We strongly disagree & see this as part of the Kremlin’s campaign against civil society. So far no official response
July 4, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Duma rep Andrei Lugovoy has sent a letter to Russian Justice Dep to list NHC as an «undesirable organization» after decades of cooperation with dissidents and human rights defenders. We strongly disagree & see this as part of the Kremlin’s campaign against civil society. So far no official response
June is here, and SoMe is full of hate or support for the LGBTIQ+ society. This autumn, there are elections in Norway. We ask all parties to contribute to an election free of hate.
@amnestynorge.bsky.social @saih-org.bsky.social @humanrightshouse.bsky.social Rafto
www.dagsavisen.no/debatt/ameri...
@amnestynorge.bsky.social @saih-org.bsky.social @humanrightshouse.bsky.social Rafto
www.dagsavisen.no/debatt/ameri...
Amerikanske tilstander
Juni er her i all sin regnbueprakt, og som forventet krydres alle flater med hele spekteret av hat og støtteerklæringer til Norges skeive befolkning.
www.dagsavisen.no
June 27, 2025 at 4:04 PM
June is here, and SoMe is full of hate or support for the LGBTIQ+ society. This autumn, there are elections in Norway. We ask all parties to contribute to an election free of hate.
@amnestynorge.bsky.social @saih-org.bsky.social @humanrightshouse.bsky.social Rafto
www.dagsavisen.no/debatt/ameri...
@amnestynorge.bsky.social @saih-org.bsky.social @humanrightshouse.bsky.social Rafto
www.dagsavisen.no/debatt/ameri...
@aageb.bsky.social has been to the EU Parliament with Corisk to present the latest trends regarding the effects of the sanctions against Russia. The sanctions are working; they are saving Ukrainian lives, but there is still room to make them stronger and more effective‼️
June 27, 2025 at 1:37 PM
@aageb.bsky.social has been to the EU Parliament with Corisk to present the latest trends regarding the effects of the sanctions against Russia. The sanctions are working; they are saving Ukrainian lives, but there is still room to make them stronger and more effective‼️
We call on the authorities in #Turkmenistan to drop the new criminal charges against civic activist Murat Dushemov, apparently in retaliation for his activism, and to release him immediately‼️
nhc.no/en/turkmenis...
nhc.no/en/turkmenis...
Turkmenistan: Drop New Charges, Release Civic Activist Murat Dushemov
Turkmen civil activist and political prisoner Murat Dushemov did not return home after the end of his unjust four-year prison sentence on June 14, 2025. According to information from Turkmen.News, aut...
nhc.no
June 27, 2025 at 8:22 AM
We call on the authorities in #Turkmenistan to drop the new criminal charges against civic activist Murat Dushemov, apparently in retaliation for his activism, and to release him immediately‼️
nhc.no/en/turkmenis...
nhc.no/en/turkmenis...