Statements & Press Releases

This section features statements and press releases issued by International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and its partners. For reports and briefings, go here.

International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) condemns the detentions of three journalists associated with the online media outlet Abzas Media in Azerbaijan. They all...

Soltan Achilova Planned to Travel to Geneva for Rights Award Ceremony, Meetings The Turkmenistani authorities’ actions to prevent an independent journalist, Soltan Achilova, from travelling...

International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) presents a new report, “When ‘russkiy mir’ comes: War crimes and IHL violations committed by Russian armed forces...

The EU will hold its annual human rights dialogue with the government of Kyrgyzstan in Brussels this week, at a time when unprecedented threats...

International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) has sent an open letter to French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of his visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan...

Nine organizations issue a joint statement on misguided government move The Kazakhstan government’s deeply flawed and concerning decision to publish a “register of individuals and...

International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and its partners draw attention to the widening attack on civic space and freedoms seen in Central Asia...

Johannesburg/Brussels - As the eighth anniversary of the unjust detention of Tajikistan human rights lawyer Buzurgmehr Yorov approaches, global civil society alliance CIVICUS and the International Partnership for...

In the new report "Probing the frontiers of criminality: investigating attacks on civilians and abuse of Armenian POWs" International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR)...

IPHR is looking for full-time interns to join our OSINT team remotely. Internships are paid, for a duration of 6 months with the possibility...

Association for Human Rights in Central Asia (AHRCA), International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR), Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC) and the Uzbekistan-based NGO Restoration of...

End Surveillance, Ensure Former Prisoners’ Safety The Uzbekistani authorities should stop harassing human rights activists, including those recently released from prison, and ensure their safety,...

On 17-21 October, IPHR visited Uzbekistan for the first time since President Shavkat Mirziyoyev came to power, at the invitation of the government. Over...

On 8 October 2018, Oyub Titiev was awarded the prestigious Vaclav Havel prize for making “a widely recognised contribution to the defence of human...

On 1 October 2018 Tajikistani NGOs Najoti-Kudakon, Vash Vybor (Your Choice), Nota Bene and International Partnership for Human Rights sent a joint submission on...

On 1 October 2018 the Tajikistani NGOs Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, Ishtirok and Notabene and International Partnership for Human Rights...

The Association for Human Rights in Central Asia, Restoration of Justice and International Partnership for Human Rights are pleased to report that on 18...

Civil Rights Defenders and International Partnership for Human Rights are gravely concerned to hear of new disciplinary proceeding launched against the Azerbaijani human rights lawyer...

Together with the NGO Coalitions against Torture in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, the Uzbekistani NGOs Association for Human Rights in Central Asia and Restoration of Justice,...

The Association for Human Rights in Central Asia (AHRCA), International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and Amnesty International are concerned about a recent series...

We, members of the Civic Solidarity Platform (CSP), believe that restricting civil society participation in the work of the OSCE would be a tremendous...

Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights (TIHR) and International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) are alarmed at yesterday’s abduction of animal rights defender Galina Kucherenko...

International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) expresses its sincere condolences to Murad Djuraev’s family after learning the sad news that he passed away in...

During the Universal Periodic Review of Tajikistan’s human rights record by the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council on 6 May 2016, over 20...

(Brussels, November 23, 2017) – Leaders of European Union member states should press visiting Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev to end the crackdown on critics...

Two outspoken women activists were threatened and harassed in recent days in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan’s capital, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, International Partnership for Human...

The Azerbaijani government’s proposed amendments to the Code of Civil and Administrative Procedure and the Bar Act were approved by parliament on 31 October...

The campaign of the Turkmenistani government against civil society activists, journalists and others who criticize the current state of affairs in the country shows...

Opinion polls predicted a tight race for the presidential election in Kyrgyzstan held on 15th October 2017. However, Sooronbay Jeenbekov from the ruling Social...

Last week the journal Konuniyat (Legality), issued by the Prosecutor General’s Office, published an article by Interior Minister Ramozon Rahimzoda stating that the names...

Prison authorities in Uzbekistan have placed Muhammad Bekjanov, one of the world’s longest-imprisoned journalists, in solitary confinement, the Association for Human Rights in Central...

The problem of shrinking civil society space has dangerous implications for comprehensive security in the OSCE region, concluded the participants of the 2016 Parallel...

The government of Azerbaijan is carrying out a multi-pronged attack on freedom of expression, including introducing harsh penalties for critical speech online, imprisoning young...

We, members of the Civic Solidarity Platform (CSP), condemn the prison sentences handed down against Kazakhstani civil society activists Max Bokayev and Talgat Ayan...

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) will review the implementation of the corresponding convention in Turkmenistan on 30 November-1 December...

Uzbek authorities should ensure a thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation into the alleged torture of two brothers by the Uzbek National Security Service (SNB),...

Today the EU will hold the eighth round of its annual Human Rights Dialogue with Kazakhstan in Brussels. This meeting comes at a time...

At its current session in Geneva, on 21-22 November 2016, the UN Committee against Torture (CAT) will examine the situation in Turkmenistan. The Committee...

This week International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) will submit a communication to the office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC)...

(Brussels, November 4, 2016) – Uzbek authorities should immediately and unconditionally release imprisoned political activist Samandar Kukanov, whose sentence has been arbitrarily extended for...

We -- members of the Civic Solidarity Platform and the Sports For Rights Campaign -- were relieved to learn that one of Azerbaijan’s most...

Uzbekistan should urgently issue a new identity document to former political prisoner Murad Djuraev, who was recently released from prison after 21 years in...

On the eve of the anniversary of the arrest of journalist Khadija Ismayilova, members of the Sport for Rights coalition and the Civic Solidarity...

International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law (KIBHR) call on the EU to prominently...

(Bishkek, November 25, 2015) – Uzbek authorities should immediately release and drop their criminal case against Uktam Pardaev, a prominent human rights activist arrested...

We -- members of the Civic Solidarity Platform -- were relieved to learn that one of Azerbaijan’s most well-known political prisoners, Arif Yunus, has...

Rights Groups Call on UN to Hold Tashkent Accountable for Arbitrary Detention (Bishkek, November 12, 2015) – One of the world’s longest imprisoned peaceful political activists,...

On the eve of Azerbaijan’s hearing by the UN anti-torture body, the OMCT and IPHR provided a detailed briefing on torture and other forms...

The Sport for Rights campaign refutes the preliminary statement of findings of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) monitoring delegation to...
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In the next few days, US Secretary of State John Kerry will visit the five Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and...

Yesterday, another prominent civil society figure was arrested in Azerbaijan as a Baku court authorized investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova's pre-trial detention for two months...

On 2-3 December 2014, civil society organizations from across the OSCE region met in Basel to endorse recommendations to OSCE participating States about to meet in...

We, the undersigned civil society organizations, are alarmed at the recent initiative by the government of Tajikistan to regulate and restrict access of NGOs...

BRUSSELS -- November 11, Azerbaijan’s six-month chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Europe’s top human rights body, comes to...

This week, on 12 November 2014, a new round of the annual EU-Kazakhstan Human Rights Dialogue is scheduled to take place in Brussels. International...

The widespread blocking of websites in Tajikistan in recent days seriously impedes the free circulation of information in the country and violates the right...

Written statement by International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) to 2014 OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, Working session 14, Wednesday 1 October 2014: Fundamental...

Statement by International Partnership for Human Rights (Belgium), the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, Nota Bene...

Statement by members of the Civic Solidarity Platform to 2014 OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, Working Session 5, Wednesday 24 September 2014: Rule of...

Statement by members of the Civic Solidarity Platform to 2014 OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, Working sessions 2 and 3, Tuesday 23 September 2014:...

Brussels, 12 December 2013. Today ADC Memorial, a leading Russian human rights organisation, was ordered by court to register as a “foreign agent” in an...

Brussels, Vienna 9 December 2013. The upcoming parliamentary elections in Turkmenistan highlight the fundamental lack of space for political pluralism and freedom of expression in...

In the latest development in the implementation of the controversial so-called Foreign Agents Law in Russia, prosecutors are pursuing civil actions against NGOs. This...

This week the EU will hold a new round of its human rights dialogue with Kazakhstan to take stock of developments since the last...

A year ago, in November 2012, the so-called Foreign Agents Law entered into force in Russia. This controversial law, which requires any non-governmental organisation...

19 November 2013. Ahead of EU-Central Asian government talks scheduled to take place in Brussels tomorrow, International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) calls on the...

With a new round of EU-Uzbekistan human rights talks approaching, International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and the International Human Rights Association (IHA) Fiery...

According to the official results, the presidential election held in Azerbaijan on 9 October 2013 resulted in a landslide victory for incumbent president Ilham...

2013 OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, Working sessions 8 and 9, specifically selected topic: Freedom of association and assembly Friday 27 September 2013 Written statement...

Members of the Civic Solidarity Platform are deeply concerned about the safety of journalist Sergey Naumov, who was arrested by police in his home town Urgench...

Members of the Civic Solidarity Platform condemn the December 19 raid by plain-clothed Russian police on the premises of the Human Rights House-Voronezh. Coming on the...

International Partnership for Human Rights, the Netherlands Helsinki Committee and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee are concerned about the prison sentence handed down to Kazakhstani...

 Civic Solidarity Platform members regret that during her recent visit to Central Asia the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs did not publicly engage...

(Paris, December 6, 2012) – The Uzbek government should unconditionally release all of its political prisoners on the 20th anniversary of the adoption of...

The Civil Solidarity Platform condemns the confiscation, on 26 November, of the office of its member in Belarus, the Human Rights Centre Viasna (Spring)....

Brussels, Almaty 22 November 2012. The initiative to have two prominent opposition groups and leading opposition media outlets banned on vague “extremism” allegations signals...

As in other parts of the world, the number of internet users is quickly growing in the Central Asian countries. Between 2005 and 2011...

Brussels 18 September 2012. International Partnership for Human Rights, the Netherlands Helsinki Committee and their Central Asian partners have prepared a set of statements...

We, the undersigned members of the Civic Solidarity Platform, call on the Russian appellate court, upon the filing of an appeal, to uphold Russia’s...

Brussels, The Hague, 17 July 2012. The International Partnership for Human Rights and the Netherlands Helsinki Committee are dismayed at the conviction of a...

20 December 2011. International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) supports the appeal made by Kazakhstani human rights organizations for a transparent, thorough and impartial...

Brussels 28 November 2011. A briefing paper issued today by International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and four partner organizations highlights problems of censorship and control of...

Representatives from human rights organisations, including Civil Rights Defenders, Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Human Rights House Foundation and International Partnership for Human Rights have been...

Almaty, Brussels, 18 October 2011. A briefing note published today by Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law and International Partnership for Human...

Twenty years after the Soviet Union dissolved and Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan gained independence, civil society remains under serious pressure in these countries. In...

Brussels, The Hague 19 July 2011. International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and the Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC) condemn the hacking of the website...

Geneva, Brussels, The Hague, Almaty 12 July 2011. A UN review of Kazakhstan this week should address problematic practices that stifle dissent and limit...

Brussels, Vienna, The Hague 6 July 2011. Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights, International Partnership for Human Rights and the Netherlands Helsinki Committee urge the...

Tashkent, Almaty, Brussels and The Hague, 23 June 2011. On the eve of this year’s EU-Uzbekistan Human Rights Dialogue, which will take place in...

Appeal to the OSCE Participating States on the need to take urgent measures in connection with the crisis with human rights and fundamental freedoms...

Brussels, 10 December 2010. Today is Human Rights Day, which this year is celebrated with the particular aim of recognizing and acclaiming the achievements...

Brussels 7 December 2010.  A statement published today by the Initiative Group of Independent Human Rights Defenders of Uzbekistan and the International Partnership for Human...

Brussels 23 November 2010. The International Legal Initiative (Almaty), the Women's Resource  Centre (Shymkant) and the International Partnership for Human Rights (Brussels) today released a report that analyzes...

Brussels, The Hague, Oslo 14 October 2010. The International Partnership for Human Rights, the Netherlands Helsinki Committee and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee are seriously...

1 October 2010. The Human Rights Center "Citizens against Corruption" (Kyrgyzstan), the Fiery Hearts Club (France) and the International Partnership for Human Rights (Belgium)...

30 September 2010. The International Partnership for Human Rights (Brussels), the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (Sofia), Civil Rights Defenders (Stockholm), the Moscow Helsinki Group (Moscow),...

Brussels, Bishkek 16 September 2010. The International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and the Human Rights Center “Citizens against Corruption” (CAC) condemn the conviction...

Brussels, Bishkek 31 August 2010. With Kyrgyz human rights defender Azimzhan Askarov set to go on trial this week, the International Partnership for Human...

Brussels, Minsk, Sofia, Belgrade, Almaty, Moscow, The Hague, Oslo, 17 June 2010. On the eve of the third round of the EU-Turkmenistan Human Rights...

Five years anniversary of Andijan tragedy: The international community should insist on accountability Initiative Group of Independent Human Rights Defenders of Uzbekistan (IGIDU), Tashkent International...

Brussels and The Hague, 9 September 2009. International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and the Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC) are urging the OSCE to react strongly to the...

Written statement by SOVA Center for Information and Analysis and International Partnership for Human Rights to the OSCE Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting on Freedom...

Brussels, Yerevan, 24 February 2009. Almost a year ago, a political crisis broke out in Armenia, when police used violence and excessive force to disperse...

Across the OSCE region, human rights defenders are involved in invaluable efforts to monitor and report on human rights problems, provide legal assistance to...

Brussels/Moscow, 15 April 2008. On the eve of the new round of EU-Russia consultations on human rights, which will take place in Slovenia on 17...

The Moscow Helsinki Group (MHG) and Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) today published a report examining the impact of the so-called Russian NGO law,...