International Society for Human Rights
Professional services
UnclaimedAn international non-governmental, nonprofit human-rights organization headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
The International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) is an international nongovernmental, nonprofit organization based in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It works to promote human rights, international understanding, tolerance, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and the protection of people subjected to political persecution. The organization operates through national sections, national groups, regional committees, and affiliated organizations; reference material describes a network of 47 such bodies worldwide. The organization was established in West Germany on 8 April 1972 under the German name Gesellschaft für Menschenrechte (GfM). Its early identity was shaped by people with direct or indirect experience of political repression in the Soviet sphere. Iwan I. Agrusow, a former Russian forced laborer who remained in West Germany after the Second World War because of the treatment faced by many returning forced laborers in the Soviet Union, was the initiative's principal originator. Cornelia Gerstenmaier, Gleb Rahr, and ten additional people were among the thirteen founders. From the beginning, the society emphasized nonviolent advocacy and stated that it would support individuals who accepted international understanding and tolerance as guiding principles. During the Cold War, ISHR concentrated heavily on abuses in the states of the Eastern bloc. East Germany classified the organization as an enemy of the state in 1975, while the Stasi conducted efforts intended to discredit it. This period established the society's profile as an organization documenting abuses and advocating for people deprived of basic rights in authoritarian systems. In 1982, the organization adopted the name International Society for Human Rights and expanded through branches in Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and France. Its later work broadened geographically and thematically. From 2003, reference material identifies a particular focus on freedom of religion and freedom of the press in countries including Cuba, Vietnam, and China. Since 2009, ISHR has operated a political sponsorship program in which elected politicians raise the cases of individual political prisoners with governments and diplomatic missions and help bring those cases to public attention. The society's work also includes humanitarian assistance. In 2017, it coordinated aid convoys to northern Iraq and supported medical missions by volunteer doctors serving refugees in the region. Since February 2022, it has provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Alongside direct advocacy and relief activity, ISHR publishes an English-language newsletter and the German periodical Menschenrechte. Institutionally, ISHR holds participative status with the Council of Europe and belongs to the Council of Europe's Liaison Committee of Non-Governmental Organisations. It has observer status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, associate status with the United Nations Department of Public Information, and roster consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. These relationships give the organization channels for presenting information and engaging with international human-rights institutions. Reference material identifies Thomas Schirrmacher as president of the International Council, with Karl Hafen as treasurer and several vice-presidents. The organization remains an advocacy and humanitarian association rather than a commercial consumer brand.
History
The International Society for Human Rights originated in West Germany during the Cold War. On 8 April 1972, thirteen people founded the Gesellschaft für Menschenrechte, or GfM. The initiative was led by Iwan I. Agrusow, a former Russian forced laborer who chose to remain in West Germany after the Second World War. His decision was connected to the persecution faced by many former forced laborers who returned to the Soviet Union, where some were sent to the Gulag. Cornelia Gerstenmaier and Gleb Rahr were among the other founding participants. The founders defined the association as a nonviolent human-rights organization committed to international understanding and tolerance across cultural and social life. This principle shaped its early practice: the society sought to support individuals who shared those values and pursued their rights without violence. During the Cold War, its principal field of concern was the Eastern bloc, where it documented and publicized violations committed by communist governments. East Germany designated the organization an enemy of the state in 1975, and the Stasi undertook a campaign aimed at damaging its reputation. The organization became the International Society for Human Rights in 1982. The change accompanied the establishment of branches in Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and France and marked a more explicitly international structure. Over time, ISHR developed a network described in reference material as comprising 47 national sections, national groups, regional committees, and affiliated organizations. After the Cold War, the society retained its focus on political and civil liberties while widening its geographic scope. From 2003, its work emphasized freedom of religion and freedom of the press in countries including Cuba, Vietnam, and China. In 2009, it developed a political sponsorship programme through which elected politicians advocate for individual political prisoners. Sponsors raise cases with governments and diplomatic missions and help create public awareness of the prisoners' situations. ISHR has also undertaken humanitarian and medical work. In 2017, it coordinated humanitarian aid convoys to northern Iraq and organized missions by volunteer doctors to provide medical care to refugees in the region. From February 2022 onward, it has provided humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. The society supplements field and political work with publications, including an English-language newsletter and the German periodical Menschenrechte. It also engages with international institutions. It has participative status with the Council of Europe, membership in that body's NGO liaison committee, observer status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, associate status with the United Nations Department of Public Information, and roster consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The organization is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. Reference material identifies Thomas Schirrmacher as president of its International Council, Karl Hafen as treasurer, and Marie Gerrard, René Gomez, Liubov Nemcinova, Haydee Marin, Simone Schlegel, and Andrey Sukhorukov as vice-presidents. In March 2026, a court in Belarus declared ISHR's social-media pages extremist, an action that forms part of the organization's later history and relationship with state authorities.
- 2022
Began humanitarian aid for Ukraine
[1]The organization began providing humanitarian support to Ukraine from February 2022.
- 2017
Humanitarian and medical assistance in northern Iraq
[1]ISHR coordinated aid convoys and volunteer-doctor missions for refugees in northern Iraq.
- 2009
Introduced political sponsorship programme
[1]Elected politicians began advocating for individual political prisoners through government and diplomatic contacts.
- 2003
Expanded focus on religious and press freedoms
[1]The society emphasized freedom of religion and freedom of the press in countries such as Cuba, Vietnam, and China.
- 1982
Adopted the International Society for Human Rights name
[1]The organization took its current English name as it expanded through branches in Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and France.
- 1975
Declared an enemy of the East German state
[1]East Germany classified the organization as an enemy of the state, and the Stasi attempted to discredit it.
- 1972
Founding as Gesellschaft für Menschenrechte
[1]The association was founded in West Germany on 8 April 1972 by thirteen people, with Iwan I. Agrusow as the principal initiator.
Products and positioning
A nonviolent, internationally networked human-rights association combining public advocacy, political case sponsorship, publications, institutional engagement, and humanitarian assistance.
Advocacy service · 2009
Political sponsorship programme
A programme through which elected politicians take up the cases of individual political prisoners, communicate with governments and diplomatic missions, and help bring their situations to public attention.
Publication
Human-rights publications
ISHR publishes an English-language newsletter and the German-language Menschenrechte periodical to communicate human-rights information, advocacy concerns, and organizational activity.
Humanitarian service · 2017
Humanitarian assistance
The society coordinates relief activities and medical support, including aid convoys and volunteer-doctor missions for refugees in northern Iraq and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine.
Controversies
Marketing campaigns
- 2022Ukraine humanitarian aid
Ukraine
ISHR began humanitarian assistance for Ukraine following the escalation of the war in February 2022.
Outcome. The organization continued its Ukraine-related humanitarian work.
- 2017Northern Iraq humanitarian convoys and medical missions
Iraq
The society coordinated humanitarian aid convoys to northern Iraq and arranged volunteer-doctor missions for refugees.
Outcome. The activities provided relief supplies and medical assistance to refugees in the region.
- 2009Political sponsorship programme
International
ISHR developed a programme connecting elected politicians with cases involving individual political prisoners, enabling advocacy with governments and diplomatic missions.
Outcome. The programme became an ongoing mechanism for political advocacy and public awareness.
Brand decisions
2009
Established political sponsorshipStrategyBackground
ISHR sought a structured way to increase political attention for individual prisoners.
Action taken
It created a programme in which elected politicians advocate for prisoners with governments and diplomatic missions.
Aftermath
Political sponsorship became one of the organization's continuing advocacy mechanisms.
1982
Internationalized the organizationStrategyBackground
The original German association had begun developing branches outside Germany.
Action taken
It adopted the International Society for Human Rights name and expanded its international branch structure.
Aftermath
The organization continued as an international network of national sections, groups, committees, and affiliates.
Sources2 sources
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