1,500+ people. 111 countries. One shared purpose: dismantling dictatorship.

At the 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum, Hong Kong activist Carmen Lau reflected on the brutal reality of standing up to authoritarianism—and the moment she realized there was no such thing as a "safe" distance.

The fight for freedom often begins with a single act of courage. Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector and Oslo Freedom Forum 2025 speaker, recently shared her family’s extraordinary story with The New York Times — a story of survival, resilience, and the pursuit of a life beyond dictatorship.

Former @oslofreedomforum.com speaker, Cuban professor Enrique Del Risco shares his experience at the 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum for independent Cuban outlet El Toque. His takeaway: the bad guys might be gaining ground, but the good ones show no sign of giving up. eltoque.com/volver-a-osl...

Volver a Oslo: de Richard Gere a Rosa María Payá

En el Oslo Freedom Forum 2026, estrellas como Richard Gere compartieron escenario con activistas que han pagado su disidencia con prisión y torturas. Entre las voces que representaron a Cuba estuvo la...

eltoque.com

At the 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum, journalist and co-founder of The Kite Tales @thinink.bsky.social reflected on returning home during Burma's democratic opening, voting for the first time, and the fragile hope that emerged in the interval between decades of military rule and the 2021 coup.

At the 2026 @oslofreedomforum.com, HRF’s Impact Litigation team hosted an interactive booth highlighting our work providing pro bono international legal representation to dissidents arbitrarily detained by dictatorships.

Is It Ethical to Cooperate with Chinese State Institutions to Secure Incremental Change? Watch our live debate from the @oslofreedomforum.com, produced in partnership with @hrf.org. https://bit.ly/4uC5DWy Debaters: @joannachiu.bsky.social vs. Isaac Stone Fish. Moderated by John Donvan.

Read "Who Will Blow FIFA's Final Whistle?" by @oslofreedomforum.com Speaker Abdullah Ibhais in Real Clear World: www.realclearworld.com/articles/202...

Who Will Blow FIFA’s Final Whistle?

In November 2021, partway through a hunger strike that ran 30 days, an officer came into my cell in Doha to take away my salt. The one thing that was keeping me alive besides water. As he pocketed it,

realclearworld.com

Pandji Pragiwaksono brought comedy with a powerful message to the Oslo Freedom Forum stage, reflecting on the backlash he faced following the release of his tenth stand-up special, Mens Rea, on Netflix in Indonesia. Watch his set: https://ow.ly/77xq50Zb6Ft

At the Oslo Freedom Forum, Indonesian comedian Pandji Pragiwaksono turned lived experiences into punchlines that challenged repression, proving that a well-timed joke can do more than get a laugh. youtube.com/shorts/QqyrN...

Pandji Pragiwaksono | 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum

YouTube video by Oslo Freedom Forum

youtube.com

At the 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum, activists, artists, technologists, and changemakers from around the world came together to confront authoritarianism and strengthen the movement for freedom. www.youtube.com/shorts/duXRE...

Voices from OFF 2026

YouTube video by Oslo Freedom Forum

youtube.com

The 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum has come to a close, but the impact of our gathering continues to resonate. www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T-r...

At the 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum, We Dismantled Dictatorship

YouTube video by Oslo Freedom Forum

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Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum.

The final day of the Oslo Freedom Forum is underway as three days of dialogue, testimony, and solidarity come to a close. Follow us to learn more!

Welcome to Day 2 of the 2026 #OsloFreedomForum! We’re back at the Oslo Konserthus for another day of conversations, ideas, and stories from people challenging authoritarianism around the world. Joining virtually? Tune into the livestream → https://ow.ly/yE9r50Z6vOJ

Happening now at the 2026 #OsloFreedomForum: a live debate on the ethics of engaging with Chinese state institutions, hosted in partnership with Open to Debate. Can cooperation create meaningful change, or does it legitimize repression? Join the livestream now → https://youtube.com/live/uvwl91Z7QmM

A million-dollar bounty hangs over Carmen Lau’s head for demanding democracy in Hong Kong.

Day 1 of the Oslo Freedom Forum is underway at the Oslo Konserthus, where global voices for freedom are beginning to come together. What stories will shape the days ahead? Stream OFF live to follow along → https://ow.ly/K26a50Z60qf

The countdown to the Oslo Freedom Forum is on, and @thinink.bsky.social will soon join us in Oslo, Norway.

Tomorrow marks the start of the 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum at the Oslo Konserthus where the work to dismantle dictatorship takes center stage. Be a part of the conversation → oslofreedomforum.com

Two days to go until the Oslo Freedom Forum begins in Oslo, Norway, where human rights defenders, artists, and activists gather to confront systems of repression. Learn more → oslofreedomforum.com

In three days, the Oslo Freedom Forum begins at the Oslo Konserthus, joining the effort to dismantle dictatorship. Learn more → oslofreedomforum.org

With less than a week to go until the Oslo Freedom Forum, Tenzing Rigdol invites you to experience "Let There Be Light."

Less than one week until @oslofreedomforum.com! SJAC's Director Mohammad Al Abdullah will be speaking on June 3rd at 10:30 GMT+2 Check back for a live stream oslofreedomforum.com/event/oslo-f...

🎬 Invisible Visible 未见之见 comes to OFF! Joyce Yu-Jean Lee’s documentary short follows her experience confronting censorship while creating work on internet freedom.

🎬 Hong Kong Ne Répond Plus (“Hong Kong: Silent City”) comes to OFF!

HRF urges Jordanian authorities to resolve this matter promptly, ensuring that Ibhais can travel safely and continue his vital advocacy work. Read the full press release → hrf.org/latest/hrf-u...

HRF Urges Jordan to Uphold Human Rights Obligations and Facilitate Travel for Whistleblower Abdullah Ibhais

hrf.org

His passport currently remains in the custody of Jordanian authorities, leaving his legal and travel status entirely uncertain. Without his travel documents, Ibhais is unable to attend the @oslofreedomforum.com.

Authorities then pressured Ibhais to sign a written pledge committing to total public silence regarding Qatar. Following his refusal, officers warned of a potential travel ban, prolonged administrative detention, and blacklisting.

Authorities instructed him to cancel all planned public engagements, including his upcoming participation at the @oslofreedomforum.com, and to cease all commentary regarding Qatar's hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, his personal legal case, and the conditions of migrant workers.