Celebrating 25 Stories from 25 Years

In early 2000, Jared Genser, an American law student on a human rights internship in London, read a newspaper article about James Mawdsley, a British citizen imprisoned in Myanmar. James had been sentenced to 17 years in solitary confinement simply for advocating for democracy and distributing leaflets about his cause. Seeing an opportunity to use his legal skills to correct the injustice, Jared petitioned the United Nations on Mr. Mawdsley’s behalf and advocated in London and Washington for support. Back in the United States for his final year at law school, Jared learned in October 2000 the UN had ruled James’ detention was “arbitrary” as a matter of international law and demanded his immediate release. A short time later, when Myanmar released James from prison, Jared was at London’s Heathrow Airport with James’ family to welcome him home.

Inspired by this experience, in May 2001 Jared brought James to Washington to thank the many people who pressed for his release. Jared also brought together a group of friends to discuss the creation of a new organization to advocate for the release of political prisoners. Seeing a pathway to success, they began to represent prisoners of conscience around the world, drawing together a network of lawyers dedicated to setting free those who are unjustly imprisoned. That small group became the first Board of Directors of Freedom Now.

Freedom Now is proud to have represented more than 200 individuals detained in 45 countries and to have collaborated with many leading human rights organizations in this work. We continue to benefit from the support of volunteer lawyers and law students around the world who contribute their time, energy and resources to challenge the unjust detention of prisoners of conscience and to advocate for laws and policies that protect individuals and communities from government repression.

Join us in exploring some of our past cases as we celebrate 25 years of defending human rights and combating government repression. Motivated by our clients’ commitment to improving our world, we remain committed to pursuing this work for another 25 years, and beyond.