4. Rising numbers of political prisoners – but some rays of hope
The number of political prisoners continues to rise in Russia, Belarus, the occupied territories of Ukraine, and Azerbaijan. The NHC has launched and supported a range of international campaigns and advocacy initiatives to draw attention and provide support.
The situation for human rights defenders mirrors that of political prisoners. Activists, dissidents, and journalists – including several NHC partners – remain imprisoned. The NHC has actively campaigned for the dismissal of all politically motivated charges, the immediate and unconditional release of detainees, and an end to the misuse of judicial systems against government critics. We have also advocated for political prisoner exchanges.
The case of Grigory Melkonyants, a Russian electoral expert and former head of the independent elections-monitoring group, Golos, was highlighted in the Norwegian Parliament during the NHC’s commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Declaration in June.
Ahead of possible peace talks in spring 2025, the NHC joined the People First campaign, a joint effort by Ukrainian, Russian and international human rights organisations, urging world leaders to secure the release of Ukrainian prisoners and political detainees in Russia. In November 2025, we hosted Russian opposition activists in Norway, including Andrei Pivovarov, released in a major prisoner exchange in August 2024. Meetings were held at the Storting and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where we underlined the dire situation of young detainees and those in severely compromised health.
In 2025, the Belarusian authorities exchanged, released, and deported more than 100 political prisoners, including the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, in December. Since 2024, the NHC has served as the operator of the International Belarus Fund for Political Prisoners, supported by around a dozen countries and civil society organisations. The Fund represents a tangible and symbolic expression of international solidarity and serves as an important advocacy mechanism for securing releases in Belarus and beyond.
The NHC also played a pivotal role in maintaining international pressure that contributed to the release of prominent Azerbaijani journalist Aziz Orujov in November 2025, following two years of politically motivated imprisonment. Our targeted advocacy ensured his case remained visible across key human rights and diplomatic platforms, including PACE, the EU, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the UN Human Rights Council, COP29, and Western embassies.
Letter of thanks from Aziz Orujov’s family:
“Please know that what Helsinki Committee does do truly changes lives. Your work brings light to very dark and hopeless situations, like it was in our own situation until yesterday. This success gives hope to many others who are still waiting for freedom. You didn’t just help Aziz, you also gave him life back. So, from the bottom of Orujov family's hearts, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
On behalf of our family, lawyers, colleagues, and friends, we hope this moment reminds you of how deeply your work matters! And, we hope it will further inspire NHC friends to continue fighting for those still waiting for your and our help behind bars!”
The NHC advocacy also led to urgent improvements in the treatment of Azerbaijani activist Tofiq Yagublu during his hunger strike. An NHC Facebook post went viral, widely shared by media and activist networks. This public pressure helped secure his transfer to a prison hospital, where he received improved medical care – demonstrating the impact of coordinated media advocacy in acute human rights cases.