Eastern Europe
The history of the International Society for Human Rights is closely tied to that of the Soviet Union. After its fall in 1991, ISHR sections formed in many countries of the former USSR, including all six countries of the Eastern Partnership (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine) as well as in Russia. Currently, exciting joint projects regarding freedom of information and media and strengthening civil society actors are being carried out in the region by the sections, iniated by the ISHR in Germany, with support from the German Federal Foreign Office.
ICCJ Annual Conference in Hanover
As part of the annual conference of the International Council of Christians and Jews, Prof. Dr Thomas Schirrmacher, President of the ISHR, visited the Bergen-Belsen Memorial together with Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious representatives.
IGFM Wittlich’s 600th aid convoy: help from person to person
The Wittlich branch of the International Society for Human Rights has reached a special milestone with the loading of its 600th humanitarian aid consignment.
Indigenous peoples in the Pacific are increasingly under threat
Schirrmacher learns about the situation of Indigenous Peoples from the High Chief of Savusavu and other leaders across the Pacific
Belarus: ISHR at the Letucień Festival in Kraków: €230 raised for Aliaksandra Pulinovich
On 1 August, the ISHR took part in the Belarusian Letucień Festival in Kraków. The main purpose of our participation was to raise awareness of the case of the young Belarusian political prisoner Aliaksandra Pulinovich.
Between Protection and Extradition
ISHR urges Kazakhstan to stop the extradition of Julia Emelianova and Mansur Movlaev. If returned to Russia, both activists face politically motivated imprisonment, torture and enforced disappearance.
Kazakhstan must stop extradition of Russian activists
As Kazakhstan strengthens its economic partnership with the EU, the cases of Julia Emelianova and Mansur Movlaev raise urgent questions about human rights, refugee protection and compliance with the principle of non-refoulement.
What Can Germany Do to Help Prevent a Chinese Attack on Taiwan?
ISHR German Section Board Member Michael Leh argues that Germany must strengthen Taiwan’s deterrence, reduce dependence on China and deepen ties with its democracy.
Unwavering Moral Courage
At a ceremony in Leipzig, journalist Zhang Zhan and pastor Roland Kühne received the Liu Xiaobo Human Rights Prize for defending human rights.
ISHR President meets the representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Germany
Thomas Schirrmacher met in Berlin with Dilshad Barzani, the representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Germany, at his office near the German Bundestag for an in-depth discussion.
ISHR President Participates in European Union Reception in Timor-Leste and Meets President José Ramos-Horta
The President of the ISHR participated in an official reception hosted by the Ambassador of the European Union to Timor-Leste on the occasion of the “Celebrating Europe” reception in Dili, Timor-Leste.
Universal Rights 2.0
Matthew Daniels, Thomas Schirrmacher, Matthias K. Boehning. Universal Rights 2.0: Educating a Digital Generation to Advance Universal Rights. ISHR Global Issues Series, Vol. 3. Culture and Science Publishing: Bonn, 2026. 148 pp. ISBN 978-3-86269-341-2.
China: Raid on house church
On June 14, 2026, the communist authorities of the People’s Republic of China conducted a large-scale raid against the Early Rain Covenant Church.
Vietnam: Christian imprisoned after changing his church
Y Tup Knul has been named as “Prisoner of the Month July 2026”. They are calling for action on behalf of the 56-year-old.
Syria: Minorities are waiting for accountability, security and equal rights
A year and a half after the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, religious minorities are still waiting for equality and the rule of law.
Pakistan/Egypt: Forced marriages of girls from minority groups
Professor Thomas Schirrmacher, President of the International Council of the ISHR, has denounced the frequent toleration of forced and child marriages by Pakistani authorities in a statement.
China/Tibet: Call for joint protest against new law
Parliamentarians from the three Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have called for Europe-wide condemnation of China’s “Law on Ethnic Unity and Progress” at a conference.
Cuba: Press conference in Berlin
On 27 May 2026, former political prisoner José Daniel Ferrer was in Berlin.
Armenia: Anatomy of Manipulation
The 2026 Election in Light of the Facts
The abduction and forced marriage of girls as a weapon against minorities
Statement by Thomas Schirrmacher: The abduction and forced marriage of girls as a weapon against religious and ethnic minorities
Hongkong: Jimmy Lai Is Not Yet Free
Trump Failed to Secure the Release of the Hong Kong Media Entrepreneur during his visit to Beijing – The Release of Pastor Jin appears possible
Bangladesh: Rising Mob Violence Signals Alarming Human Rights Trends
The recent human rights statistics published by MSF have become a matter of serious concern regarding the overall human rights situation in Bangladesh.
Editorial: ISHR Newsletter May 2026
Human rights work today is unfolding in a world undergoing profound transformation.
ISHR: Newsletter May 2026
Human rights work today is unfolding in a world undergoing profound transformation.
Bangladesh: Endangered Childhood
The Grim Reality of Child Rape-Murder, Male Sodomy in Residential Madrasas, and the Human Rights Crisis