Civil Rights Defenders
Description
Civil Rights Defenders is a politically and religiously independent human rights organisation. It is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. It was founded in 1982 as the Swedish Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, and took its current name in 2009.
The organisation partners with and supports human rights defenders working in some of the world’s most repressive regions. It operates on four continents, through eight regional branch offices, in over 50 countries. It has around 70 staff members.
Its work includes monitoring and defending civil and political rights. It runs specific programmes such as the Natalia Project, an Emergency Fund for defenders at risk, and a database of human rights defenders. It also runs a programme on core international crimes and gives an annual Civil Rights Defender of the Year Award.
It is governed by an independent, non-profit Board of Directors, and is a registered Swedish nonprofit controlled by the Swedish Fundraising Control. Funding comes from governmental organisations, the Swedish Postcode Lottery, foundations, corporate partnerships and individual donors. The organisation maintains regional offices in Addis Ababa, Belgrade, Bogotá, Brussels, Juba, Pristina, Sarajevo, Tirana and Tbilisi, in addition to its Stockholm headquarters.
Latest news
The Securitisation of Migration and the Rule of Law 4 DECEMBER 2026 – STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN In a time of accelerating legal and political change, migration governance in Europe is increasingly shaped by the language and tools of security, deterrence and control. While these developments are not new...
25 Sep 2026
The Securitisation of Migration and the Rule of Law 4 DECEMBER 2026 – STOCKHOLM I takt med att säkerhet, kontroll och avskräckning får en allt mer central roll i migrationspolitiken ställs grundläggande rättsstatliga principer inför nya prövningar. Nya regler och arbetssätt på europeisk och...
25 Sep 2026
Årets människorättsförsvarare Henry Constantin gripen på Kuba
Henry Constantin, chefredaktör för det oberoende kubanska nyhetsmediet La Hora de Cuba och mottagare av Civil Rights Defender of the Year Award 2026, har gripits av kubanska myndigheter och hålls fortsatt frihetsberövad. Enligt uppgifter anklagas han för “olydnad”. Under flera timmar visste...
18 Sep 2026
Civil Rights Defender of the Year Henry Constantin Detained in Cuba
Henry Constantin, editor-in-chief of the independent Cuban news outlet La Hora de Cuba and a recipient of the Civil Rights Defender of the Year Award 2026, has been detained by Cuban authorities and remains deprived of his liberty. According to reports, he is being accused of “disobedience”. For...
18 Sep 2026
Gemensamt uttalande om tillslagen mot hbtqi-organisationer i Turkiet
Den senaste vågen av gripanden och tillslag mot hbtqi-organisationer och människorättsförsvarare i Turkiet är ett allvarligt angrepp på demokratin och civilsamhället. Vi, undertecknade organisationer i Sverige, uppmanar den svenska regeringen och det internationella samfundet att agera...
18 Sep 2026
New Study Highlights Pathways to Justice for Victims of International Crimes
Effective accountability for international crimes often depends on strong cooperation between civil society organisations and national authorities. A new report published today explores how that cooperation can be strengthened to better support investigations, prosecutions and access to justice...
16 Sep 2026
Similar organizations
The American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, is a nonprofit that defends civil liberties and constitutional rights in the United States.
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The Peter Tatchell Foundation is a UK-based human rights charity working in Britain and internationally.