From June 1–3, 2026, Foley Foundation Executive Director Benjamin Gray participated in the Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF), hosted by the Human Rights Foundation. The Forum convenes a global network of human rights defenders, policymakers, and advocates to exchange ideas and advance strategies for confronting authoritarian abuses and promoting human dignity worldwide.
A central focus of this year’s convening was continued collaboration among organizations addressing international hostage-taking and wrongful detention. Gray participated in meetings with members of the RIGHT coalition (Resisting Illegal Government Detention and Hostage Taking), a coalition of NGOs working to coordinate advocacy, policy development, and international engagement on this growing challenge.
The Foley Foundation has played a leading role within the coalition, helping to draft policy proposals for NGOs and governments to better support families of hostages, accelerate the release of those wrongfully detained, and provide stronger assistance to survivors. These efforts build on the Foundation’s successful advocacy in the United States and reflect a broader push for coordinated international action.
Coalition discussions at OFF focused on advancing these policy recommendations, sharing insights from recent cases, and identifying ways to strengthen accountability for regimes that engage in hostage-taking. Participants emphasized greater alignment among like-minded governments and more consistent collective action to deter these abuses. This year, the Canadian government hosted coalition members at its embassy on the final day, providing updates on its evolving policy response and convening a broader discussion on how to enhance international cooperation to counter so-called “hostage diplomacy.”
The Oslo Freedom Forum once again provided an important platform for advancing this collaborative work. Through its leadership in the RIGHT coalition, the Foley Foundation remains committed to driving practical, internationally coordinated solutions to deter hostage-taking and bring hostages home.
