Event description
Across the world, many of the freedoms once thought secure are being eroded, and in many countries authoritarian rule is becoming more entrenched.
The Human Rights Foundation’s Tyranny Tracker is a new global democracy index that measures democratic resilience, democratic erosion and the consolidation of authoritarian rule in every region of the world. It aims to separate genuine democracies from hybrid regimes and fully authoritarian states, and to show where political freedom is holding firm and where it is under threat.
At this event, Javier El-Hage, the HRF’s Chief Legal and Policy Officer, who directs the project, will introduce the Tyranny Tracker, explain its methodology and set out its key findings. He will then chair a panel discussion with HRF researchers and Jesús Armas, a Venezuelan democracy advocate and former Caracas city councillor. Armas was detained in December 2024 and held at El Helicoide until his release in February 2026. The panel will discuss global trends in authoritarianism, regional patterns of repression and the challenges facing democratic institutions and human rights.
The event will open with remarks from Lord Hannan of Kingsclere, Director General of the Institute of Economic Affairs.
We would be delighted if you could join us for this free event, open to all.
Speakers
Javier El-Hage, Chief Legal and Policy Officer at the Human Rights Foundation, where he directs the Tyranny Tracker project. He is a Bolivian-American attorney who specialises in comparative constitutional law, international human rights law and democracy law.
Jesús Armas, Venezuelan democracy and human rights advocate and former Caracas city councillor. He was a political prisoner from December 2024 to February 2026.
Luciana Fortuna, Research Fellow at the Human Rights Foundation and DPhil candidate in Politics at the University of Oxford. Her research examines democratic erosion, legislatures and governing coalitions in Latin America.
Malaak Jamal, Director of Policy and Research at the Human Rights Foundation.
Mo Keita, Senior Policy Officer for Africa at the Human Rights Foundation.
Lord Hannan of Kingsclere, Director General, Institute of Economic Affairs
Event details
Monday 26 October 2026 at the Institute of Economic Affairs, 2 Lord North Street, London SW1P 3LB.
14:30-15:00 Doors open and welcome
15:00-16:30 Presentation followed by panel discussion