Justice for Democracy Defenders

In every region, there is a growing risk for those who seek change, or to defend their countries and legal systems from corruption. Protesters, lawyers, judges, politicians, and activists are all at risk and are increasingly under attack. 

In 2022, we presented our inaugural Justice for Survivors Albie Award to Viasna, a leading human rights organization in Belarus, Viasna has spent years fearlessly documenting abuses and defending freedom in the face of authoritarianism. Six Viasna members are currently languishing in prison.

Protesters seeking to effect change, opposition politicians fighting against authoritarianism at risk of their own personal freedoms, and the lawyers who defend them are all at risk of unfair trials and harassment. TrialWatch is monitoring cases of democracy defenders all over the world, exposing and challenging injustices as authoritarian regimes use the courts to entrench their power .

Defense of democracy comes at a cost to many. CFJ investigates the authoritarian leaders and armed groups that stand against progress and democracy, as well as seeking to disrupt the financing networks that allow them to exist and provide them with the means to quash the voices of protesters.