SOS-Defenders 2025 report details censorship
A new report documents 60 arbitrary detentions of human rights defenders across 14 countries in 2025, with journalists most targeted.
The SOS-Defenders network has documented 60 new cases of arbitrary detention targeting human rights defenders across 14 countries in 2025. Journalists and bloggers were the most targeted group, accounting for 28 of those detained.
Released on September 3, 2026, the Censorship by Detention report names Afghanistan, Ethiopia, and Guatemala as the countries with the highest numbers of new cases. According to the data, the detentions are a tool for silencing critics.
| Country | Number of Documented Detentions |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 16 |
| Ethiopia | 14 |
| Guatemala | 10 |
Abuse behind prison walls
Detention often marks the beginning of further abuse. The report states that defenders held in 2025 faced physical violence, psychological abuse, and forced confessions. Many were held in secret or subjected to prolonged incommunicado detention.
Prison conditions themselves constituted ill-treatment. The document cites severe overcrowding, denial of medical care, and extended periods of solitary confinement. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (OMCT) warns that violations in detention are severely underreported.
The OMCT's Global Torture Index rates the risk of torture and ill-treatment for human rights defenders as "Considerable" or worse in 36 out of 38 assessed countries.
A call for action and accountability
OMCT Secretary General Stéphanie David framed the report as an urgent alert. "Governments are increasingly using detention not only as punishment, but as a weapon of censorship," she said. David added that torture and ill-treatment frequently follow detention.
The report includes a direct appeal to states. Claudia Virginia Samayoa, President of OMCT and Chair of the SOS-Defenders Advisory Group, called for the immediate and unconditional release of all defenders arbitrarily detained for peaceful work. She urged governments to end torture behind bars and guarantee the right to defend human rights.
The impact of coordinated advocacy
Despite the grim findings, the report highlights successful intervention. Sustained advocacy, legal action, diplomatic pressure, and collective action led to the release of 87 defenders across 18 countries in the same period.
Belarus, Iran, Ethiopia, and Afghanistan saw the most releases due to these efforts. The SOS-Defenders initiative, which brings together over 20 civil society organizations, maintains a public platform that has now documented more than 670 cases of arbitrary detention globally. The platform aims to drive coordinated action for the release of defenders.
