Human Rights

The freedom for individuals to live, work, and improve their lives without fear of violence, oppression, or discrimination is a right that applies to all human beings, regardless of their race, sex, gender, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, sexual orientation, or other characteristic. These rights have been enshrined in treaties and constitutions around the world that bind governments to respect and protect these liberties.

Alsu Kurmasheva arrest: Russia has detained two US journalists this year

MENASource Mar 19, 2025

Inside Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s diplomatic offensive with Syria’s Christians and Ismailis

By Gregory Waters

HTS’s diplomatic offensive demonstrates the leadership’s political approach, which evolved over years of engaging with the Christian and Druze communities in Idlib.
Democratic Transitions Freedom and Prosperity
Alsu Kurmasheva arrest: Russia has detained two US journalists this year

UkraineAlert Mar 6, 2025

US peace initiative can help bring Ukraine’s abducted children home

By Kristina Hook, Iuliia Hoban

Securing the return of the thousands of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia since 2022 must play a part in the peace efforts recently initiated by US President Donald Trump, write Kristina Hook and Iuliia Hoban.
Civil Society Conflict
Alsu Kurmasheva arrest: Russia has detained two US journalists this year

New Atlanticist Feb 28, 2025

Egyptian senator: The mass displacement of Gazans will only fuel Hamas’s extremist ideology

By Mohamed Farid

Displacing Palestinians from Gaza would perpetuate cycles of violence, deepen regional instability, and undermine Israel’s security.
Conflict Human Rights

Content

UkraineAlert

Oct 23, 2023

Alsu Kurmasheva arrest: Russia has detained two US journalists this year

By Mercedes Sapuppo

The Russian authorities have detained Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Alsu Kurmasheva for failing to register as a foreign agent, making her the second US journalist to be jailed in Russia so far this year.

Conflict Freedom and Prosperity

In the News

Oct 20, 2023

Nusairat in the Boston Globe: Three things Washington got wrong before the Hamas attack on Israel

By Atlantic Council

Conflict Crisis Management

MENASource

Oct 16, 2023

Hamas’s actions are war crimes. Israel should not respond with further war crimes.

By Elise Baker

There are clear indications that both Hamas and the IDF have violated international humanitarian law, and some of their attacks constitute grave violations.

Human Rights Israel

Global China

Oct 16, 2023

Global China Hub Newsletter: Refusing to act speaks louder than words

By Dexter Tiff Roberts

The October 2023 edition of the Global China newsletter.

China Conflict

Report

Oct 5, 2023

International avenues to hold the Islamic Republic of Iran accountable for human rights violations

By Lisandra Novo, Celeste Kmiotek, Elise Baker, Gissou Nia

The Islamic Republic of Iran’s discriminatory domestic legal framework and brutal suppression of dissent have left Iranians looking for international responses to their plight. This report aims to provide an overview of and recommendations relating to international avenues for accountability for atrocity crimes and human-rights violations committed in Iran.

Human Rights International Norms

New Atlanticist

Oct 5, 2023

Gender apartheid is a horror. Now the United Nations can make it a crime against humanity. 

By Gissou Nia

The international community has an opportunity to codify the crime of gender apartheid in the United Nations’ crimes against humanity treaty. Learn more about gender apartheid from the Atlantic Council’s Gissou Nia.

Afghanistan Education

Strategic Litigation

Oct 2, 2023

Strategic Litigation Quarterly Newsletter: Exploring new and existing paths toward accountability

By the Strategic Litigation Project

SLP has continued to work on an archive documenting open-source evidence of human rights violations in Iran and on engaging with UN member states ahead of the body's review of China.

China Human Rights

New Atlanticist

Sep 25, 2023

China’s ‘crimes against humanity’ targeting Uyghurs aren’t going away. Here’s what the international community can do.

By Atlantic Council

Don't be fooled by China's efforts to cover up its oppression of the Uyghur people and other Turkic minorities, human-rights experts warned.

China European Union

IranSource

Sep 21, 2023

The House passed the MAHSA Act. Now what?

By Celeste Kmiotek, Lisandra Novo, Gissou Nia

The MAHSA Act—which focuses on targeted sanctions—will have to be approved by the Senate and signed by the president to become law.

Human Rights Iran

UkraineAlert

Sep 20, 2023

Zelenskyy tells United Nations: Russia is committing genocide in Ukraine

By Taras Kuzio

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the UN this week that Russia is committing genocide in Ukraine. Efforts to legally prove genocidal intent will likely focus on the genocidal rhetoric of Putin and other Russian leaders, writes Taras Kuzio.

Conflict Disinformation
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Experts

Fellow

Nasredeen Abdulbari

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Africa Arabic

Staff

Aalaa Abuzaakouk

Deputy Director, Millennium Leadership Program

Millennium Leadership Program

Arabic Civil Society

Fellow

Akeel Abbas

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Iraq Initiative Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Human Rights

Fellow

Ibrahim Al-Assil

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Syria Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Conflict

Fellow

Rend Al-Rahim

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Iraq Initiative Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Democratic Transitions

Fellow

Wa’el Alzayat

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Economy & Business
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