Reports

Europe is a continent that is defined by diverse cultures, complex political landscapes, and a very wide array of human rights challenges. The year 2025 was marked by several significant events and persistent issues that severely tested the foundation of human rights and democratic principles across the region. As we move into 2026, the fallout and ongoing implications of these events continue to shape the human rights agenda.

This annual report aims to give an in-depth analysis of major human rights violations and key facts across Europe. This analysis has been organised into the following geographical sections: Southern Europe, Eastern Europe, Central and Western Europe, Northern Europe, Caucasus, and Türkiye. The report will only focus on the countries with notable facts of human rights violations, or pressing human rights issues that require attention from the international community.

Throughout this region, several critical human rights issues continue to be prevalent. The report delves deeper into details in every regional section, and gives the most important insights into the specific challenges faced on the ground, including the freedom of expression and the changing media landscape, the complex realities that refugees and asylum seekers have to face, the persistence of discrimination against vulnerable groups, ongoing struggles for gender equality, and the protections of minority rights in diverse societies. Several significant events had a profound impact on human rights discourse in Europe. For example, the war between Russia and Ukraine continues to be a central factor that influences security and human rights in Europe. The conflict in the Middle East, more specifically, between Israel and Palestine, also has a huge implication on European countries and impacts their internal policies and human rights debates. Not to mention, the 2025 Moldovan parliamentary elections were one of the most important events in Europe, offering critical insights for other European states, particularly with regard to the alarming rise of foreign interference, illicit funding, cyber attacks, and massive disinformation campaigns designed to undermine democratic processes.

The report will give a comprehensive and clear picture of the different human rights challenges in Europe. The report reflects not only the most urgent problems happening right now, but also the bigger political and social changes that are impacting the protection and promotion of human rights across the continent.