Kawahiva land recognition: Survival International renews its appeal

Survival International has renewed its appeal for the recognition and protection of the Kawahiva do Rio Pardo Indigenous Territory in Brazil, following the completion of its physical demarcation.

In a report published on 6 August 2026, the organisation announced that teams had finished marking the territory’s boundaries on the ground. Its September appeal calls for the remaining presidential approval. Physical demarcation and that formal approval are distinct stages of the process.

A forest home and a way of life

The Kawahiva are an uncontacted Indigenous people living in the Brazilian Amazon. Survival describes a community that depends on its forest for food and shelter and avoids contact with outsiders. Its account documents threats from logging and encroachment on the territory, as well as the consequences of earlier violence and disease.

The campaign concerns both land rights and the Kawahiva’s ability to continue living in the way they choose, without imposed contact. Survival also stresses that completing the recognition process would not remove the need for continuing monitoring and protection on the ground.

About the appeal

Survival’s public campaign page explains its request to the Brazilian authorities and provides an email form. This is an email-writing campaign rather than simply a petition collecting signatures. The campaign is organised by Survival International.

Further background is available in Survival’s Kawahiva overview and its report on the completion of physical demarcation.

Cover: Survival International logo.

Please Sign the Petition for Yezidis in the Netherlands

In recent months, IARF has supported young Yezidis in the Netherlands in their efforts to oppose a recent change in Dutch asylum policy, under which it is now deemed safe for Yezidis and followers of some other minority religions to return to Iraq and resume their previous lives, whereas international organisations and experts say the opposite.

Stand in Solidarity for Rights of Aboriginals and Torrest Strait Islanders to Demonstrate and Worship

As reported by media like The Guardian, on August 31 a group of neo-Nazis and others stormed Camp Sovereignty, a First Nations protest site and historic Aboriginal burial ground in central Melbourne. Attackers reportedly desecrated an ancestral fire, tore down flags and physically assaulted women attending a peaceful ceremony.

The site stands as a symbol of the ongoing Indigenous resistance in Australia and the fight for recognition of Sovereignty and land rights.

The neo-Nazi attack on the sacred site can be considered a clear act of racism and a denial of freedom of religion. We encourage our members and others to support the call from Indigenous leaders for this to be investigated as a hate crime and to demand justice and protection for sacred sites.

You can do so by signing the petition from the global advocacy organization Avaaz to the Commissioner of Australia’s Federal Police and others:

Avaaz – Stop the Neo-Nazi Violence

Call for Action: Support Yahaya Sharif-Aminu

The International Association for Religious Freedom urges its members and supporters worldwide to stand in solidarity with Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a 23-year-old Nigerian singer facing the gravest of injustices. Sharif-Aminu has been sentenced to death for sharing a song via WhatsApp, an act deemed blasphemous by Nigerian authorities. This severe punishment raises serious questions about the fairness of his trial and the nature of the charges against him.

Sign Amnesty International’s Petition

The IARF firmly denounces the use of capital punishment as inhumane and stands against blasphemy laws, particularly those that lead to severe prosecution and punishment. Such laws and their application are a direct violation of human rights and are contrary to the principles of freedom of expression and belief. The case of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu is a distressing example of the actions taken by authorities under the guise of blasphemy laws.

The IARF supports Amnesty International’s campaign to secure Yahaya Sharif-Aminu’s release and echoes the call for action. Public pressure has previously led to the release of individuals from death row in Nigeria, demonstrating the power of global solidarity.

We call upon our members and supporters to lend their voices to this cause. The action of the Nigerian authorities in this case is not only a violation of human rights but also an affront to the values of freedom and dignity that the IARF upholds. Together, we hope to see a successful outcome to Amnesty International’s efforts to save Yahaya Sharif-Aminu’s life and restore his freedom.

Your support can make a difference. Stand with us in calling for justice and human dignity.