The International Service for Human Rights is a left-of-center international advocacy group that focuses on supporting “defenders of human rights.” During Israel’s war against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, the group called for an arms embargo against Israel and an end to the blockade Israel imposed on the Gaza Strip to prevent arms going to Hamas. ¹

In October 2024, the group published an op-ed calling for the world to move away from governance by nation states and to give more power to international bodies such as the United Nations. ²

The group is a recipient of grants from George Soros’s Open Society Foundations. ³

Background

Swiss human rights activist Adrien-Claude Zoller founded the International Service for Human Rights in 1984. At first the group worked against disappearances of human rights activists in El Salvador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Colombia, Timor-Leste, and Sri Lanka. The group did not start fundraising until 1987. In 1998, the United Nations adopted the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. ⁴

Advocacy

Environmentalism

In October 2022, the International Service for Human Rights joined a statement that demanded increased government regulations of businesses in the name of combating climate change. The group denounced the “the profit-driven extractive model which has underpinned the global energy model has not provided the economic benefits or development promised to many countries and communities and has entrenched existing inequalities, putting human rights and environmental defenders at risk.” ⁵

In July 2024, the group published a call for a ban on metallic mining in Panama’s constitution because it contributes to climate change. ⁶

U.S. Racism

In May 2023, the International Service for Human Rights, along with Mothers Against Police Brutality, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the rest of the UN Antiracism Coalition brought in United Nations experts to meet with activists and denounce the United States for racism against the African-American Community while demanding an end to policing policies it considers “racist” as well as eliminating what it alleges as “systematic racism” within the country. ⁷

Israel-Hamas War

In November 2023, the International Service for Human Rights issued a statement denouncing Israeli policy in the Palestinian territories. The group alleged the October 7 attacks on Israel by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas were the result of Israeli settler colonialism and apartheid. The group demanded the end of the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip which blocked Hamas from receiving arms shipments. The group demanded the United Nations impose sanctions and an arms embargo on Israel. ¹

In November 2023, the group joined a statement denouncing several European countries for cutting off funds to Palestinian groups that support terrorism. ⁸

In May 2024, the group denounced threats of sanctions by members of U.S. Congress and the refusal of the Biden administration to cooperate with the International Criminal Court after the prosecutor decided to seek the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a violation of international law. ¹

Power of International Organizations

In October 2024, International Service for Human Rights published an op-ed that called for moving away from an international system dominated by nation states in favor of strengthening international organizations like the United Nations. The group claimed this is necessary “in the face of the triple planetary environmental crisis, of conflict, genocide and apartheid, of the consolidation of authoritarian ideologies and narratives around the globe, and the erosion of the rule of law and the closing of civic space.” The op-ed called for taking away the veto power of the United States and other countries in the United Nations Security Council. ²

Leadership and Supporters

The International Service for Human Rights executive director is Phil Lynch. Lynch previously founded and led Human Rights Law Centre and Homeless Law in Australia. ⁹

The chair of the board of directors is Vrinda Grover from India. ¹⁰ The group also collaborated with the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, DLA Piper, Freedom House, Microsoft, and the University of Minnesota. ¹¹

Starting in 2017, the group received $1,658,196 from George Soros’s Open Society Foundations. ³

Financials

According to the International Service for Human Rights’ 2023 annual report, the group had revenue of 3,895,836 Swiss francs ($4,424,500), expenses of 3,885,872 Swiss francs ($4,413,184), and assets of 2,407,257 Swiss francs ($2,733,921). ¹¹

1. Lynch, Phil. “Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories: States Must Act to Prevent Genocide, Protect Civilians and Ensure Accountability.” ISHR, November 16, 2023. https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/israel-occupied-palestinian-territories-states-must-act-to-prevent-genocide-protect-civilians-and-ensure-accountability/
2. Bertrand, Marianne, and Pooja Patel. “The Multilateralism We Need.” ISHR, October 24, 2024. https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/the-multilateralism-we-need/
3. “Awarded Grants.” Open Society Foundations. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?filter_keyword=International+Service+for+Human+Rights&grant_id=IN2017-35301.
4. “Human Rights Defender’s Story: Adrien-Claude Zoller, ISHR Founder, from Switzerland.” ISHR, October 30, 2024. https://ishr.ch/defender-stories/adrien-claude-zoller-ishr-founder/.
5. Zaragoza, Andres. “COP27: Ishr Joins +200 Organisations to Put Human Rights Defenders at the Centre of Climate Action.” ISHR, October 12, 2022. https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/cop27-ishr-joins-200-organisations-to-put-human-rights-defenders-at-the-center-of-climate-action/.
6. Karamañites, Lamar Bailey. “HRC56: Panama’s Gold Is Green! A Call for Urgent Action on Climate Change.” ISHR, July 16, 2024. https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/hrc56-panamas-gold-is-green-a-call-for-urgent-action-on-climate-change/.
7. “UN Experts Urge Officials to Confront Institutional Racism after First US Fact-Finding Visit since Murder of George Floyd.” ISHR, May 9, 2023. https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/un-experts-urge-officials-to-confront-institutional-racism-after-first-us-fact-finding-visit-since-murder-of-george-floyd/.
8. “Civil Society Urges EU to Reassess Funding for Palestinian and Israeli Ngos.” ISHR, November 28, 2023. https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/joint-letter-on-several-european-governments-decisions-to-suspend-or-review-their-funding-to-palestinian-and-israeli-civil-society-organiations/.
9. “Our Staff: International Service for Human Rights.” ISHR. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://ishr.ch/about-us/team/staff/.
10. “Meet the Board: International Service for Human Rights.” ISHR. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://ishr.ch/about-us/team/board/.
11. 2023 Annual Report.” ISHR. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://ishr.ch/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-AnnualReport2023-ISHR-animated-web.pdf.