Our global freedom of expression rankings reached over 110,000 people.

That's nearly 5 times more people than in 2023 – and over 25 times more than in 2022.

Foreword from the Executive Director

Freedom of expression has never been more needed – or more at risk

We won’t sugarcoat it: 2024 was a tough one. 

Faced with compounding catastrophes, a dearth of effective leadership, and declining faith in democracy, no wonder so many people punished incumbents in elections – the aftershocks of which continue to reverberate.

But even on the darkest days, there were cracks of light. 

Communities came together, demanded better, and achieved real change – often in the face of eye-watering risks. 

ARTICLE 19 was honoured to support this movement, both locally and globally:

• In Iran, where the regime executed nearly 1,000 people and hurtled towards digital dystopia, our method of exponential empowerment helped nearly 1,500 high-risk people on the ground.

• In the Deep South of Thailand, where civilians live amid violence between the government and armed separatists, we funded grassroots groups to provide mental health support – and to speak truth directly to power at the UN. 

• In Mexico, where communities were left to contend with the after-effects of Hurricane Otis alone, we empowered survivors with their right to know – and we amplified their voices to national, regional, and international decision-makers.

Making such gains is hard enough.

Making them last is even harder.

It requires tremendous resilience, even – or especially – when the going gets tough. 

And make no mistake:

The going has never been tougher.

In 2025, it is not only the usual suspects attacking our rights to speak and know; it is also our traditional allies. 

Strongmen leaders are not only taking a chainsaw to democracy; they are crying ‘free speech’ as they do it. 

And radical funding changes mean that the organisations set up to defend our freedoms are not only feeling the squeeze; our very existence is under threat. 

In the first quarter of 2025, shocks to the international foreign aid system hit ARTICLE 19, putting not just our work but our partners' lives and livelihoods at risk around the globe.

We’ve had to regroup, replan, and re-envision the future.

Our work in Asia, for example, saw its funding slashed by more than half, with little warning, risking networks that have been built over many years. 

We will keep fighting for a world where all people can realise the power of their voices.

But we have to acknowledge that the fight just got a whole lot harder.

Attacks on expression are a precursor to attacks on democracy.

Depriving people of their rights to speak and to know – whether by silencing journalists, censoring academics, or stirring up hatred of minorities – allows governments to bulldoze the rest of our rights with impunity. 

In these unprecedented times, the freedom of expression movement has never been more needed – or more at risk.

We have weathered many storms before. We have what it takes to navigate these rough waters. And we have the experience, passion, and tenacity of the freedom of expression movement by our side.

Most importantly, we have our partners and donors, who fight for expression every day. 

We know we are not alone.

But now more than ever, we need your help. 

With your investment, we can amplify people’s voices – all people’s voices – above the roar of toxic populism. 

We can reclaim free speech from those who seek to redefine, relinquish, and repress it. 

And we can build on the successes in this report to create a freer, fairer future for all.

On behalf of all those who work tirelessly to defend our freedoms, thank you for your support. 

Warmest wishes,

Quinn McKew

(Executive Director)