ARTICLE 19

UN: Cataclysmic funding cuts to human rights ecosystem - ARTICLE 19 ARTICLE 19 made this statement on the impact of US funding cuts on the work of human rights defenders at the UN Human Rights Council.

During the interactive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, ARTICLE 19 highlighted the cataclysmic funding cuts to our human rights ecosystem.

To meet the challenges of our times, states must fund the vital work of civil society.

www.article19.org/resources/un...

ARTICLE 19 Is shocked and deeply saddened to hear that Iraqi human rights activist Yanar Mohammed has been murdered.

Authorities must conduct an independent investigation into her killing and protect all activists and human rights defenders in Iraq.

www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/iraq...

‘Those held behind bars solely for exercising their right to free speech now face an even greater threat to their lives,’ says the Narges Mohammadi Foundation.

As conflict continues, the world has a duty to protect civilians, children, and prisoners.

narges.foundation/do-not-forge...

Hong Kong jailed my dad to stop me speaking out, says activist Pro-democracy activist Anna Kwok's father has been jailed for eight months for a national security offence.

The 8-month sentence for Kwok Yin-sang is a clear retaliatory attack on his daughter Anna Kwok for her pro-democracy activism.

It’s the latest proof that national security laws are a tool for silencing free expression and dissent – not for protecting Hong Kong.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Pardoned Cambodian opposition leader released from jail- UCA News Cambodian opposition leader Sun Chanthy was released from prison on February 25, 2026, following a royal pardon. Discover the details of his 2024 incitement conviction, the role of King Norodom Sihamo...

ARTICLE 19 welcomes the release and pardon of Cambodian opposition leader Sun Chanthy, jailed for speaking out against the government online.

Human rights groups say authorities have increasingly used legal cases to target and silence critical voices.

www.ucanews.com/news/pardone...

Condemn the brutal suppression and killing of protesters and the weaponisation of the internet to conceal and proliferate gross human rights abuses.

Sanction non-Iranian entities exporting or aiding abusive technologies inside Iran, without hindering civil society’s access to needed technology.

Research, fund, and scale satellite connectivity, including crisis-ready connectivity such as Direct-to-Cell technology.

Support secure and resilient circumvention and encryption tools to counter internet filtering and surveillance.

Increase financial and technical support to organisations that focus on Iran, especially for digital security capacity building.

China's material and technical support to Iran has been instrumental in creating an infrastructure of oppression, supercharging surveillance and censorship capabilities – including for internet shutdowns.

ARTICLE 19 makes the following key recommendations:

www.article19.org/resources/ti...

2. Sanction non-Iranian entities exporting or aiding abusive technologies inside Iran, without hindering civil society’s access to needed technology.

1. Condemn the brutal suppression and killing of protesters and the weaponisation of the internet to conceal and proliferate gross human rights abuses.

Ukraine: Four years on, Ukrainians resist – and we must support their cause - ARTICLE 19 Four years on from its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia continues its attacks on journalists and human rights defenders.

Four years on from the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, ARTICLE 19 stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

We must protect free expression and access to reliable information – a lifeline for so many. The crimes committed must not be forgotten.

www.article19.org/resources/uk...

In an interview with N1 TV, ARTICLE 19’s @diazjogeix.bsky.social says Serbia is in the ‘Champions League’ of media freedom violations in Europe.

Attacks on journalists are not isolated, but part of ongoing political pressure and attempts to weaken independent media.

x.com/n1srbija/sta...

Eight years on, ARTICLE 19 and partners demand full justice for the brutal murders of Slovak investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová.

Slovakia must uphold media freedom and end harassment of and smear campaigns against journalists.

www.article19.org/resources/sl...

"This really matters": the value of embassies speaking out when journalists are killed - Media Freedom Coalition When journalists are killed in connection with their work, public statements by embassies of MFC member countries can play an important role by drawing international attention to specific cases, reite...

When a journalist is killed, says ARTICLE 19's @polomaldonado.bsky.social, networks of local media workers help determine whether the crime is linked to their work.

And when embassies speak out, it can be a tool for justice, pressure + accountability.

mediafreedomcoalition.org/news/2026/em...

#Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 @article19.bsky.social and other rights groups call for the immediate release of jailed women journalists Aysel Umudova and Ulviyya (Ali) Guliyeva, and for an investigation into allegations that they have been tortured in detention. buff.ly/Py8g8kr

UK: Banning Palestine Action threatens right to protest - ARTICLE 19 ARTICLE 19 condemns the ban on Palestine Action and calls on the UK government to change course and respect the right to protest and dissent.

We now urge the government to immediately reverse its decision, and stop the misuse of the law to silence dissent and criticism. The UK has a long, proud history of peaceful protest, and this right must be protected and upheld.

www.article19.org/resources/uk...

In Blow to Starmer, U.K. Ban on Pro-Palestinian Group Is Ruled Unlawful

ARTICLE 19 welcomes the UK court’s decision that the ban on Palestine Action was unlawful.

The decision to classify the group as a terrorist organisation was disproportionate and an attack on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/w...

Serbia: Rising bot attacks on independent media Instagram accounts - ARTICLE 19 A recent wave of bot-driven cyberattacks targeting the social media accounts of Serbian media outlets is the latest threat to media freedom.

In Serbia, an alarming rise in bot attacks against Instagram accounts are not isolated one-offs – they are part of a coordinated campaign against independent media.

Meta must take action to protect freedom of expression and the public’s right to information.

www.article19.org/resources/se...

In a bid for ‘neutrality’, the IOC said Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych’s helmet violated Rule 50, which bans political protest on Olympic sites

But punishing remembrance is not neutrality.

It's time to reform Rule 50 and protect free expression in line with international law.

Bangladesh: Protect journalists during the election - ARTICLE 19 The Election Commission and UNESCO must provide recommendations for journalists' safety and working conditions during Bangladesh's election.

Disturbing to learn of bomb blasts at 2 polling stations as voting gets underway in Bangladesh.

ARTICLE 19 hopes these are isolated events, and for a free, fair election. We emphasise that journalists must be protected at this momentous time for the country.

www.article19.org/resources/ba...

More devastating news from Hong Kong, as authorities continue the campaign against Anna Kwok and her family, targeting them with harsh national security laws.

Such punishment for for peaceful, pro-democracy activism now routinely crosses borders.

Transnational repression must be stopped.

Statement of solidarity with EDRi members and allies facing pressure for their work on platform regulation - European Digital Rights (EDRi) Statement of solidarity with EDRi members and allies facing intimidation for their work on EU's Digital Services Act and platform regulation.

The US House of Representatives’ Committee on the Judiciary has launched a fresh attack on EU & civil society’s platform governance work.

ARTICLE 19 is committed to supporting digital rights, and building an open, fair, free internet.

Read the EDRi network statement:

edri.org/our-work/sta...

Queer resistance to digital oppression in the Middle East and North Africa  - ARTICLE 19 LGBTQI+ people in 8 countries across the Middle East and North Africa tell ARTICLE 19 how police are weaponising dating, messaging, and social media apps to persecute them – and what tech companies ca...

Our research with @article19.bsky.social showed the risks of digital evidence & policing of queer communities in MENA: from mass arrests & torture.The need is more privacy, harm reduction & real anonymity.These policies push them off platforms & increase their risks www.article19.org/queer-resist...

Narges Mohammadi Sentenced to Prison and Additional Punishments - Hrana HRANA – Narges Mohammadi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and human rights activist, has been sentenced by the Mashhad Revolutionary Court to seven years and six months in prison, two years of internal exi...

A Revolutionary Court in Iran has jailed Nobel laureate and human rights defender Narges Mohammadi to a further 7.5 years in jail.

As she continues to inspire with her dedication and strength, the global community must keep her case in the spotlight.

#FreeNarges

www.en-hrana.org/narges-moham...

Tightening the net: China’s infrastructure of oppression in Iran - ARTICLE 19 New report offers one of the few in-depth examinations of China’s adverse role in the expansion of digital repression in Iran.

Read the report: www.article19.org/resources/ti...

The report calls for smart sanctions, investment in circumvention tools and stronger support for Iranian civil society.

States must also urgently reaffirm the universality of human rights in internet governance – the normalisation of cyber sovereignty must be resisted.

China’s ‘cyber sovereignty’ principles are shaping Iran’s approach to internet governance, normalising censorship and state control that helps escape accountability for human rights abuses.