In 2025, 75% of the world’s population lived under authoritarian rule. The Tyranny Tracker is a democracy index built to document how autocrats consolidate power, and where democratic resilience persists. Using rigorous qualitative research, it classifies countries based on electoral competition, freedom of dissent, and institutional accountability, equipping policymakers, journalists, and the public with clear, actionable insight into the global state of freedom and repression.
đź”— Explore the Tyranny Tracker at the link in bio.
New data shows nearly $9B has flowed from autocratic regimes into US universities since 2014 — reaching elite schools like Harvard, MIT, Yale, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, and Georgetown.
Top sources include Qatar, China, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, India, and Singapore (~$7.5B combined), alongside dozens of other either hybrid or fully authoritarian regimes funding American higher education.
These ties raise concerns about influence: beyond stated goals, regimes use funding to launder reputations, access students & faculty, and gain leverage over research — often through satellite campuses and global partnerships.
Section 117 data shows funding peaked during federal scrutiny, then dropped after enforcement slowed — yet billions of dollars still flow, exposing major transparency gaps in how foreign money enters US academia.
đź”— Read the full report at the link in bio.
The detained individuals listed in US Senate Resolution 677 and House Resolution 1259 aren't just names on paper — they are real people with families, lives, and loved ones.
Leading up to the May 2026 Trump-Xi Summit in Beijing, join us in calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Pastor Jin Mingri, Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife Pang Yu, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, Jimmy Lai, and all the brave individuals who are wrongfully detained in China for exercising their fundamental freedoms.
#FreePastorJin #FreePastorEzraJin #FreeGulshanAbbas #PastorGaoQuanfu #FreePoliticalPrisoners
Chinese dissident artist Gao Zhen is unable to celebrate his 70th birthday with his family. Detained by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 2024 for artwork made years before the passage of the law used to charge him, Gao has been separated from his family for almost two years.
His wife, Yaliang, continues to endure the emotional toll of being separated from her husband. The CCP has prevented her and her son from returning home to the US. These are the human consequences of the CCP’s repression that too often remain invisible in policy discussions. The release of Gao Zhen not only represents the restoration of a dissident’s freedoms, but the reunion of a family.
🔗 Read Yaliang’s full letter at the link in bio.
On January 26, 2024, plainclothes security officials violently arrested Equatoguinean lawyer Anacleto Micha Ndong Nlang without a warrant, in retaliation against his complaint exposing the kidnapping and torture he suffered during a previous detention. After charging him with slander and placing him in indefinite pretrial detention, authorities forcibly disappeared him in March 2024, cutting off all contact with his lawyers and family.
Although officials claimed in July 2024 that he was transferred to Oveng Azem — a remote, maximum-security prison where President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo’s regime hides political prisoners from scrutiny — they continue to deny his family and lawyers any access to confirm his whereabouts or condition.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has now called for Ndong Nlang’s immediate release following a petition by the Human Rights Foundation.
đź”— Read more at the link in bio.
Anacleto Micha Ndong Nlang, a lawyer and activist in Equatorial Guinea, was violently arrested in January 2024 after accusing security officials of torture. He has not been seen since March 2024 and is now being held incommunicado in a remote, maximum-security prison.
The UN has declared his detention arbitrary and unlawful. Ndong Nlang's case underscores the risks of speaking out under authoritarian rule and the urgent need for accountability. HRF remains committed to securing his immediate release.
đź”— Learn more at the link in bio.
Safety isn’t theoretical. It’s lived.
At HRF’s Beyond Borders workshop, a session on physical protection explored what it means to stay safe in the face of China’s transnational repression (TNR).
From government harassment and surveillance to real-world disruptions, these experiences underscore why preparation matters. Safety protocols, situational awareness, and community coordination are essential skills for real-life organizing and staying safe. When authoritarian pressure crosses borders, resilience must be built together.
Learn more about HRF’s work against China’s TNR at HRF.org/ccpdi.
At HRF’s Beyond Borders workshop, participants explored the legal gaps in addressing China’s transnational repression, including jurisdictional challenges, limited evidence, and secure reporting avenues. Preparedness is key. Know your rights, document incidents, and build community-informed safety plans.
Thank you to Laura Harth from Safeguard Defenders for leading this session.
đź”— Explore the CCP Disruption Initiative at the link in bio.
Art transcends borders.
At HRF’s Beyond Borders workshop, a session on artistic resistance explored how creativity can illuminate lived experiences, build empathy, and strengthen movements.
Taiwan’s Ambassador to Finland Freddy Lim, Uyghur artist Ankar, and youth activists show what that looks like in practice — from preserving culture through music to reclaiming history and identity. Creativity is a powerful form of expression and an avenue for organizing, connection, and resilience.
đź”— Explore the CCP Disruption Initiative at the link in bio.
As AI becomes a primary gateway to information, it is also becoming a new frontier for authoritarian manipulation and control.
At HRF’s Beyond Borders workshop, youth activists examined how transnational repression is evolving in the digital age — becoming more scalable, more subtle, and increasingly shaped by AI systems that are often assumed to be neutral.
Understanding these risks is a critical step toward protecting truth, safeguarding communities, and strengthening digital resilience.
A special thanks to Sarah Moulton and Athena Tong for leading this workshop and helping facilitate these critical discussions with youth activists.
đź”— Read more at the link in bio.
HRF is bringing UN attention to the crackdown on freedom of expression in Swaziland (Eswatini) and Thailand, where peaceful youth-led activism is being punished under vague criminal laws.
In Swaziland, authorities continue to criminalize peaceful student activism under broad anti-terrorism laws following 2021 pro-democracy protests.
In Thailand, activists face judicial harassment and transnational repression tied to youth-led movements that began in 2020.
HRF calls on both regimes to end the criminalization of peaceful activism, respect freedom of expression and assembly, and protect the rights of young people demanding reform.
đź”— Read more at the link in bio.
From the streets of Shanghai to exile in Europe, Rei Xia’s story is a reminder that courage comes at a cost — and resilience is what sustains it.
At HRF’s Beyond Borders workshop, our session on psychological resilience and mental health highlighted exactly this: the trauma, burn-out, and isolation that comes with activism is real.
We believe resilience is not built alone. It’s built in community, in shared strength, and in spaces where activists can process, recover, and protect their mental health as they persist.
đź”— Explore the CCP Disruption Initiative at the link in bio.
