The International Partnership for Human Rights is a Brussels, Belgium-based group with a focus on human rights in countries formerly part of the Soviet Union. The group has previously received grants from George Soros’s Open Society Foundations. ¹

Background

The International Partnership for Human Rights was founded in 2008 in Brussels, Belgium. The group supports civil society organizations operating in repressive countries. ²

The group focuses on countries that were former Soviet republics in Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan), Eastern Europe (Belarus, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine) and the South Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia). ³

Relations with Russia

In August 2021, the Russian government declared the International Partnership for Human Rights an “undesirable” organization which effectively banned it from operating in Russia. The Russian Prosecutor-General’s Office issued a statement claiming the group, “poses a threat to the foundations of the constitutional order and security of the Russian Federation.” At the time, the Russian government was intensifying a crackdown on civil society groups that received foreign funding, particularly from Europe and the United States. ⁴

Advocacy

International Criminal Court

In May 2021, the International Partnership for Human Rights, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Global Diligence LPF, and Truth Hounds called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate the regime of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko. ⁵ In March 2022, the group joined 65 other groups in supporting an investigation by the ICC into alleged Russian war crimes during its invasion of Ukraine. The statement also called for more financial support for the ICC. ⁶

Eurovision

In May 2023, Matt Smith wrote on behalf of the International Partnership for Human Rights an op-ed supporting the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) banning Russia from competing in the Eurovision Song Contest. The EBU banned Russia from the musical contest due to its invasion of Ukraine. Smith accused Russia of committing genocide in the Ukrainian territories it occupies by trying to erase all traces of Ukrainian culture in those areas and murdering political dissidents. Smith called for other institutions such as the Lawn Tennis Association, which sponsors the Wimbledon Championships, to ban Russians from participating as well. ⁷

Foreign Agents Bill

In July 2023, the International Partnership for Human Rights issued a joint statement with other groups urging Kyrgyzstan to reject a “foreign agents” bill that would impose restrictions on foreign-funded groups. The statement claimed the proposed legislation followed a similar Russian law. ⁸

Leadership

The International Partnership for Human Rights’ director is Brigitte Dufour. Dufour is a lawyer and was previously the deputy director of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights. ⁹

Donors

Among the donors to the International Partnership for Human Rights are the U.S. State Department, the European Union, the Sigrid Rausing Trust, and the National Endowment for Democracy. ¹⁰

Since 2017, the group has received $9,699,870 in grants from George Soros’s Open Society Foundations. ¹

1. “International Partnership for Human Rights.” Open Society Foundations . Accessed November 11, 2024. https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?filter_keyword=International+Partnership+for+Human+Rights&page=2.
2.  “Who We Are.” IPHR. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://iphronline.org/who-we-are/.
3. “What We Do.” IPHR. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://iphronline.org/what-we-do/.
4. “Russia Labels Belgian Rights Ngo ‘undesirable,’ Effectively Banning It.” RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty, August 13, 2021. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-undesirable-belgium-nongovernmental/31408828.html.
5. Freriks, Gijs Willem. “Can the ICC Hold Lukashenka Accountable?” New Eastern Europe, August 19, 2021. https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/08/19/can-the-icc-hold-lukashenka-accountable/.
6. “ICC: Civil Society from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and beyond Calls for More Resources for the Investigation in Ukraine.” JusticeInfo, March 3, 2022. https://www.justiceinfo.net/en/88178-icc-civil-society-ukraine-russia-belarus-call-more-ressources-investigation-ukraine.html.
7. Smith, Matt. “‘Putin’s Russia Is the Antithesis of Eurovision – Let’s Keep It off the Stage.’” Byline Times, May 9, 2023. https://bylinetimes.com/2023/05/09/putins-russia-is-the-antithesis-of-eurovision-lets-keep-it-off-the-stage/.
8.  Imamova, Navbahor. “Civil Society Struggles for Freedom in Central Asia.” Voice of America, July 2, 2023. https://www.voanews.com/a/civil-society-struggles-for-freedom-in-central-asia/7160629.html.
9. Brigitte Dufour.” IPHR. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://iphronline.org/team-members/brigitte-dufour/.
10. “Our Donors.” IPHR, January 31, 2024. https://iphronline.org/our-donors/.