54th Annual Conference of the ISHR Europe as a guarantor of human rights and peace On 11 and 12 April 2026, the 54th Annual Conference of the ISHR took place in Bonn. Under the guiding theme “Europe as a guarantor of human rights and peace”, members, partners and international guests came together to discuss current developments — in particular the situation of political prisoners, people persecuted
54th Annual Conference of ISHR Europe as a Guarantor of Human Rights and Peace Date: 11–12 April 2026 Location: Gustav Stresemann Institute, Langer Grabenweg 68, 53175 Bonn Start: 12:00 PM (arrival from 11:00 AM) We look forward to your participation! Once a year, we bring together members, partners, human rights defenders, friends, and interested participants from around the world to exchange on current
Andrzej Poczobut The 51-year-old journalist Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus was arrested on 25 March 2021 and sentenced to eight years in prison on 8 February 2023. He is currently held in a high-security penal colony in Navapolatsk. Despite serious health issues, his access to medical care remains limited. Case facts: Date of birth: 16 April 1973 Arrested: 25 March 2021 Sentenced: 8 February 2023 Charges: “Calls for actions aimed at
A First Happy Christmas for Eight-Year-Old Neha Eight-year-old Neha can celebrate a very special Christmas with her parents, Nadeem Masih and Sumera. For the first time, the family has time for each other and can enjoy peaceful and joyful moments together. “Today, the family has been freed from debt bondage. All debts have been paid. The father is now legally and physically free. The family was also moved to a
Russia — helping those driven to complete poverty by state repression In modern Russia, not only critics of the authorities are persecuted, but also those who try to defend them. The story of lawyers Aleksei Liptser, Vadim Kobzev and Igor Sergunin is a vivid example of how far repression can go. All three represented Alexei Navalny until his still-unexplained death in custody. But on 13 October 2023, they themselves became
Vitaliy Gvozdenko The 46-year-old Vitaliy Gvozdenko from Melitopol was abducted by Russian soldiers on April 29, 2022. His whereabouts remain unknown, and his health condition is unclear. Case facts: Identity: Ukrainian driver Date of Birth: 7 August 1979 Last known Location: Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia Region Abducted: 29 April 2022 Report On the morning of 29 April 2022, Russian soldiers broke into Vitaliy’s apartment, searched the premises, and seized his documents, phone, and
Oleksandr Irkha The 43-year-old tractor driver Oleksandr Irkha from Mariupol was abducted by Russian forces on April 12, 2022. He is currently unlawfully detained in Detention Center No. 5 in Rostov-on-Don. His health has severely deteriorated due to mistreatment. Case facts: Identity: Ukrainian civilian, illegally detained in the Luhansk region Date of birth: November 29, 1997 Last known location: City of Khrustalnyi (Krasnyi Luch), Luhansk region Abducted: August 18, 2022 Report: Oleksandr Irkha is
Serhii Cherniaiev The 57-year-old psychiatrist Serhii Cherniaiev from the Kherson region was abducted by the Russian FSB on May 16, 2023. He is still being unlawfully held in a penal colony in Horlivka. His health has deteriorated significantly during his detention. Case facts: Identity: Ukrainian psychiatrist Date of Birth: June 30, 1966 Abducted since: May 16, 2023 Last known location: Village of Nova Maiachka, Kherson region Report: Serhii Cherniaiev is
Leonid Popov 24-year-old Leonid Popov from Melitopol was abducted by FSB officers for photographing Russian military equipment. After a fabricated trial, he was sent for compulsory psychiatric treatment and later transferred to a detention center in Donetsk, where he remains unlawfully held. His fate and health condition are still unknown. Case Facts: Identity: Ukrainian civilian, unlawfully detained in Donetsk Date of birth: October 31, 2000 Last known location: Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia
On the occasion of Political Prisoners' Day in Russia, the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) condemns the imprisonment and torture of Ukrainian and Russian civilians and calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners. Day of Political Prisoners in Russia Thousands tortured and dehumanised Electric shocks, rape and cruel torture are commonplace Frankfurt am Main / Moscow, 29 October 2025 – In Russia, critics of the