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Dear Statewatcher,

Today is Human Rights Day – commemorating the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. For many institutions, this is a day to pledge their ongoing commitment to these rights.

Yet, at Statewatch, we know how empty these commitments can be.

That’s why we are emailing to reaffirm our own pledge: to challenge these empty commitments and continue exposing the threats to human rights everywhere, especially by the states claiming to uphold them.

Support our work to uphold human rights

How we show our commitment

We have shown our commitment to exposing and challenging state power and threats to human rights for more than 30 years. And while others have spent Human Rights Day making empty promises, we have spent it working to fulfill ours.

This year

We are spending this Human Rights Day hosting the second installment of a free workshop on data protection in immigration and asylum.

Joined by lawyers, activists, and members of civil society from across Europe, we are providing guidance on how to use data protection to combat the unjust collection and exchange of data about migrants and asylum seekers at borders.

Too often, secret data is wielded as a means for states to avoid their human rights obligations. Through data protection law, we are revealing a critical route to redress.

Previous years

In 2023, we spent Human Rights Day writing about the expansive new police powers hidden behind the EU’s migrant smuggling proposals, the proposals to crack down on pro-Palestinian action, and the billions of euros going to strengthen the EU’s border system.

In 2021, we spent it supporting an independent journalist to expose the human rights disaster caused by Greece moving refugees into the prison-like facilities of “closed controlled access centres”. The atrocities of Greek actors have only continued to worsen, and this year we helped expose Frontex’s complicity in their human rights abuses.

In 2019, we were busy analysing the increasing surveillance powers of Frontex – a development states have continued to support despite the evidence of human rights abuses.

How you can support

You can support our commitment to human rights, civil liberties, and democratic standards in Europe by becoming a Friend of Statewatch and making a monthly contribution. If you have the means, please consider becoming a major donor.

We have many valued supporters and contributors who make our work possible, but like many charities, we operate with limited resources. In 2025 we want our work to reach more people, but we need your help to be successful.

Your contribution will help us hold states accountable to their commitments. 

Make a donation now

No matter the size of the contribution, we appreciate your support, and we hope you will continue to work with us to protect human rights.

Sincerely,

Chris Jones
Executive Director, Statewatch