The Fred Hiatt Program to Free Political Prisoners
Free Them All: The Fred Hiatt Program to Free Political Prisoners is named in honor of the late Fred Hiatt, a formidable defender of human rights and democratic values.
Freedom House established Free Them All: The Fred Hiatt Program to Free Political Prisoners, named in honor of pathbreaking American journalist and former Washington Post editorial page editor Fred Hiatt. This initiative challenges the unjust imprisonment of human rights defenders, journalists, and prodemocracy activists around the world.
Hiatt, who served as the editor of the Washington Post editorial page from 2000–21, was an outstanding journalist and a tireless advocate for democracy and human rights. Under his leadership, the Post’s editorial and opinion pages became a beacon for the world’s human rights activists and a formidable platform for challenging despots and autocrats globally. Hiatt’s commitment to these causes was not just professional but deeply personal, as evidenced by his relentless campaign to demand accountability for the murder of Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi authorities.
Donate to the Fred Hiatt Fund to Free Political Prisoners
Freedom House secures the release of political prisoners, supports their families, and promotes democratic freedoms by raising awareness about authoritarian regimes that detain human rights defenders, journalists, and prodemocracy activists.
Amid a years-long decline in global freedom, Freedom House advocates for activists imprisoned or deprived of their liberty around the world. These individuals, ranging from journalists and human rights lawyers to artists and prodemocracy activists, represent the front line in the fight for democratic change and the defense of basic human rights.
By renaming the political prisoners program in Hiatt’s honor, Freedom House not only commemorates a legendary journalist and human rights advocate but also reinforces its commitment to the values he championed. Freedom House will continue to advocate for the immediate release of political prisoners around the world, directly support these courageous individuals and their families, and raise awareness of the plight of detained human rights defenders, to hold perpetrators accountable and combat the use of imprisonment as a tool of repression.
Learn More About Our Political Prisoners Program
Free Them All: The Fred Hiatt Program to Free Political Prisoners is intended to spotlight the plight of political prisoners and advocate for their release.
