political prisoners

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An older, gray-haired man stands at the right side of the frame looking out a high-rise window on the left, through which he can see lower buildings. Under the window is a row of plants that look like they might be succulents.

1,000 Days and Counting: A Father, A Professor, and a Government That Won’t Let Go

The son of Azerbaijan economist and anti-corruption activist Gubad Ibadoghlu appeals for the release of his father and uncle, both political prisoners.
Protesters hold placards outside the Red Cross offices in Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on March 31, 2026, during a rally against a bill approved by Israel's parliament that would allow the execution of Palestinians convicted on terror charges for deadly attacks. Israel's parliament approved a bill on March 30, that would allow the execution of Palestinians convicted on terror charges for deadly attacks. (Photo by Zain JAAFAR / AFP via Getty Images)

Statement by Israeli International Law Scholars Concerning Israel’s New “Death Penalty for Terrorists” Law

Leading Israeli international law scholars' statement on how new Israeli death penalty law for certain terrorism crimes "violates basic rules of international law."
Narges Mohammadi dressed in a white shirt and red skirt stands in a doorway, holding a walker.

Writers’ Voices Increasingly Missing in Iran Protests As Regime Targets Democracy Advocates

As Iranians protested for freedom, the regime intensified its assault on writers and dissenters, silencing key voices like Narges Mohammadi and Ali Asadollahi.
Heavily armed law enforcement patrol outside the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) where Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is being held before his trial on January 4, 2026 .

Is President Maduro a Prisoner of War?

Three theories by which POW status might attach to a person in Maduro’s position, and the consequences of entitlement to that status.
Members of Syrian security forces at the entrance of the al-Hol camp in the desert region of Hasakah province which holds around 24,000 people, including some 6,200 women and children from around 40 nationalities on January 21, 2026 in Al Hasakah, Syria. Syrian government forces have taken control over large swaths of northeast Syria amid clashes with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). In Al Hasakah governate, government forces have taken control of the infamous al-Hol (Al-Hawl) camp, previously controlled by the SDF, that houses families accused of having links to Islamic State fighters. (Photo by Abdulmonam Eassa/Getty Images)

We Told You So: Now What for Northeast Syria?

The chaos unfolding in the camps and prisons in NE Syria was predictable. The new Syrian government must expediently provide security and protection to the detainees.
Anti-riot police officers stand guard in a line (Rear) as protesting university students gather. A large Turkish flag sways.

In Turkey, Peace as Pretext: Erdoğan’s Kurdish Initiative and the Authoritarian Logic Behind Arresting His Main Opponent

The arrest of the Turkish president's main rival, Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu, sharpens the contradictions of the peace effort with the Kurds.
Top shot of protesters in Diyarbakir, Turkey.

Turkey, PKK Make New Peace Overtures Amid Regional Shifts and Possible Erdogan Power Play

With new peace offerings, Turkey aims to shift complex intra-Kurdish relations that may improve regional security and Erdogan's position.
A woman in a chador, a full black covering, walks toward the camera with a young child walking on either side with smiles on their faces, against a backdrop of dirt and sand amid a sea of ragged tents, with a large red container at the back right of the photo that may hold water, in Al-Hol camp in northeast Syria.

In a New Era for Syria, States Must Take Responsibility for Their Islamic State-Affiliated Prisoners and Families

It is a matter not only of justice, law, and human dignity, but also an obligation to relieve Syrians of this war legacy as they rebuild their society.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hands with Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko (R)

Pay Attention to Belarus

Internal repression -- more than 1,400 political prisoners -- extends outward, too, as dictator Alexander Lukashenka's threatens US and EU security with hybrid ops and nuclear…
A golden statue folding the scales of justice appears in front of a U.S. flag.

US Arrests Former Syrian Prison Chief – But Will the Charges Prove Equal to His Crimes?

Prosecutors can do more to hold al-Sheikh fully to account under the Torture Act and the Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act.
Ibadoghlu stands in a room with media members, white bookshelves sit in the background.

Azerbaijan’s Aliyev Extends Arbitrary Detentions Even as He Prepares to Host Global Climate Conference COP29

Gubad Ibadoghlu's case represents a trend of falsely imprisoning human rights defenders that casts a shadow on a premier annual gathering.

Russian Human Rights Activist Vladimir Kara-Murza Marks Two Years Behind Bars

His wife, Evgenia, calls on the global democratic community to stand with her husband and others fighting Putin's repression.
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