Daphne Panayotatos

On Sunday, Cameroonians go to the polls to vote for president. But so long as journalists are persecuted for their reporting, elections cannot be truly democratic. Thomas Awah Jr and all wrongfully jailed journalists must be freed immediately. www.freedom-now.org/cases/thomas...

Since returning to power the Taliban have steadily eroded the rights of Afghans, especially the rights of Afghan women who have nearly been erased from public life. This unprecedented communications blackout is an escalation of these rights abuses and will also cause irreversible economic harm

Afghanistan ‘blind without phones and internet’ on second day of telecoms blackout Taliban authorities cut fibre-optic network in nationwide shutdown of communications to prevent ‘vice’

For a second day, Afghanistan is cut off from the outside world as the Taliban regime has instituted a near total communications blackout. Internet and mobile phones services have been cut nationwide in order to "prevent immorality." www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

Lawyer wrongfully held for a decade - Free Buzurgmehr Yorov - Lawyers for Lawyers Twelve civil society organisations, including Lawyers for Lawyers, have called for the release of Tajik lawyer Buzurgmehr Yorov. In a separate statement, a coalition of bar associations have similarly...

🚨 Yesterday marked 10 years since Tajik human rights lawyer Buzurgmehr Yorov was wrongfully imprisoned.

We call on Tajikistan’s authorities to free him immediately and release all others jailed for defending human rights.

🔗 Read the full statement here: www.lawyersforlawyers.org/lawyer-wrong...

It has been 10 years since #Tajikistan arrested human rights lawyer Buzurgmehr Yorov. He remains imprisoned on politically motivated charges. Freedom Now and 11 human rights organizations renew our call for his immediate and unconditional release www.freedom-now.org/tajikistan-l...

Gubad Ibadoghlu turns 54 years old today. It's the 3rd birthday he's spent in #Azerbaijan, a country he cannot leave because of politically motivated charges still pending against him. We call for charge to be dropped against Gubad and all political prisoners in Azerbaijan

Journalists can never be persecuted for doing their legitimate work. An easy way to show solidarity? Join @freedomnoworg.bsky.social campaign to send letters of support to Dzyanis—showing him, his family, & authorities that he's not forgotten. Send your letter 👇
www.freedom-now.org/write-a-lett...

Statement on standing with Belarusian Journalists Against Repression | Communiqués | Documents | D-BY | Delegations | European Parliament Communiqués and public statements issued by the D-BY delegation and its Chair in response to current events and issues relevant to the delegation’s work.

We welcome the @europarl.europa.eu Delegation's statement supporting #journalists repressed in #Belarus, including @freedomnoworg.bsky.social clients Igor Losik & Dzyanis Ivashyn. Attacks on media freedom are attacks on democracy & human rights.
www.europarl.europa.eu/delegations/...

Today we filed a petition with the UN on behalf of Frenchie Mae Cumpio, Mariel Domequil, and Alexander Abinguna, three activists who have been wrongfully detained in the #Philippines since 2020 for their human rights work www.freedom-now.org/philippines-...

Because of the severe mistreatment he has suffered at the hands of the Togolese government after his arrest, his life is now at risk. We call on the government of Togo to comply with its international human rights obligations and release Abdoul! (2/2)

We are deeply concerned about the recent hospitalization of Abdoul Aziz Goma due to his hunger strike and ongoing health issues. Abdoul has spent the last seven years wrongfully imprisoned in #Togo merely for exercising his human rights. (1/2)

Journalist Dzyanis Ivashyn has been imprisoned in #Belarus for more than 4 years. Please join us in sending him messages of solidarity and encouragement to let him know he has not been forgotten. www.freedom-now.org/write-a-lett...

The UN Human Rights Council must establish an independent international accountability mechanism for #Afghanistan to support accountability for gross and systematic human rights violations and abuses and crimes under international law www.freedom-now.org/afghanistan-...

🚨 The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders is looking for input from human rights defenders for her final report to the UN Human Rights Council🚨 Learn about the type of input sought and how to submit - www.ohchr.org/en/calls-for...

Four years ago today, the Taliban regime took control of #Afghanistan, launching a campaign of repression. On this painful anniversary, the international community must address Afghanistan’s human rights and humanitarian crises without legitimizing the Taliban. www.freedom-now.org/afghanistan-...

@freedomnoworg.bsky.social🧵 fills in some of many gaps in @statedept.govmirrors.com Country Reports on Human Rights. Specifically, we highlight political prisoners whose cases were omitted–a consequence of DoS' decision to stop covering some key rights & limit examples of abuses it does identify 👇

🙌 Our colleague, Ruth López — constitutional lawyer & fearless defender of Salvadorans’ rights — has been honored with the 2025 @americanbar.org International Human Rights Award.

Even as a political prisoner, her courage inspires the fight for justice. ✊

#RuthLopez #ABA2025 #HumanRights

Persecution of women in Afghanistan shows that gender should be a ground for refugee protection. Why doesn’t the US Board of Immigration Appeals see that? My thoughts in this op-ed in @thehill.com

@billfrelick.bsky.social @hrw.org

thehill.com/opinion/immi...

Read this powerful piece about Ihar Losik, a Belarusian journalist who has been unlawfully detained for five years.

President Trump should use his influence to insist that President Aliyev stop this repression; immediately & unconditionally release political prisoners; and uphold duties to protect fundamental freedoms of expression, association, assembly, and press.

Dozens of independent journalists, including from Abzas Media, Toplum TV, Meydan TV, and RFE/RL have been arbitrarily detained and face extended prison sentences.

Scholars At Risk on X: "Between now and August 22, SAR is collecting and sending letters of hope & solidarity to wrongfully imprisoned PhD student #BahruzSamadov! Join SAR in showing that Bahruz is not alone here 👇 https://t.co/9bfvHqKwSP #FreeBahruz https://t.co/h8p2ctn7qz" / X Between now and August 22, SAR is collecting and sending letters of hope & solidarity to wrongfully imprisoned PhD student #BahruzSamadov! Join SAR in showing that Bahruz is not alone here 👇 https://t.co/9bfvHqKwSP #FreeBahruz https://t.co/h8p2ctn7qz

PhD student #BahruzSamadov was arrested in August 2024 for allegedly providing sensitive information to Armenia and sentenced to 15 years in prison for “high treason”
x.com/ScholarsAtRi...

July 23 marked two years since Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu, a prominent economist, anti-corruption expert, and human rights defender, was violently arrested and unjustly detained
www.freedom-now.org/azerbaijan-m...

Freedom Now on X: "We are deeply concerned about Tofig Yagublu who is wrongfully imprisoned in #Azerbaijan & has been on a hunger strike for 39 days. His condition is rapidly deteriorating and his health is at serious risk. We call on the authorities to release him. https://t.co/EyTfy8FJ8B https://t.co/crV1lBsEBH" / X We are deeply concerned about Tofig Yagublu who is wrongfully imprisoned in #Azerbaijan & has been on a hunger strike for 39 days. His condition is rapidly deteriorating and his health is at serious risk. We call on the authorities to release him. https://t.co/EyTfy8FJ8B https://t.co/crV1lBsEBH

Opposition figure Tofig Yagublu was arrested in Dec 2023 and sentenced in March 2025 to 9 years in prison. He held a 40-day hunger strike to protest this injustice and remains in dire health
x.com/freedomnowor...

[4/4] #Azerbaijan has more than 375 political prisoners—a record high—as of July, with many arrested just since 2022 and subject to torture and inhumane treatment. Some of their stories are below www.demandrightsatcop.org/political-pr...

[3/4]Aliyev's regime began escalating repression of civil society, independent media & political opposition in 2022. It uses legal & admin tools to block NGOs' legitimate work & shut down media + bogus, politically motivated charges to prosecute & jail individuals www.freedom-now.org/azerbaijan-v...

[2/4] The U.S. should use bilats w/ Aliyev ahead of the mtg as opportunities to raise such concerns. The Trump admin should be clear it expects Baku to adhere not only to the terms of a peace deal, but to all its obligations under international law—including immediately releasing political prisoners

[1/4] On Aug 8, #Azerbaijan President Aliyev & #Armenia PM Pashinyan are due to meet at the White House to sign an MOU putting their countries on a path to long-awaited peace. This good news shouldn't shield Aliyev from scrutiny over long-standing, systemic human rights abuses he is responsible for

‘Outrageous’: Georgia sentences Mzia Amaglobeli to 2 years for slap - Committee to Protect Journalists New York, August 6, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists is horrified by the two-year sentence given to prominent Georgian media manager Mzia Amaglobeli on Wednesday, in a case previously denounc...

CPJ is horrified by the two-year sentence given to prominent Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli. We denounce the case as disproportionate and politicized and renew our call for her release.

cpj.org/2025/08/outr...

#FreeMzia

Join me in writing a letter to #BahruzSamadov, who's been unjustly detained in #Azerbaijan for nearly a year. Just click the link to take part in this important campaign from @scholarsatrisk.bsky.social !