We are gravely concerned by reports that the US Justice Department has instructed federal prosecutors to draw up criminal investigations into the Open Society Foundations (OSF), ranging from racketeering to terrorism. These extraordinary allegations, made without credible evidence and reportedly at the direction of the President, represent a disturbing breach of the principle that justice must be independent from politics.
Such tactics are not new. Around the world, populist and authoritarian leaders have sought to weaken independent institutions by painting civil society organisations as criminal or subversive. The Open Society Foundations fund programmes in areas such as justice reform, human rights, education, and public health — work that is peaceful, lawful, and directed at strengthening democratic institutions. The aim is to silence dissenting voices and delegitimise philanthropy that advances equality, free expression, and democratic participation. Hungary’s ‘Stop Soros’ campaign, which traded in antisemitic conspiracy theories about OSF’s founder George Soros as a sinister Jewish financier, is a recent example of this playbook in action. Many humanist organisations in countries with increasingly authoritarian governments have been targeted because of their support for human rights and freedoms.
Like the Open Society Foundations, Humanists UK is committed to the ideal of the ‘open society’ — a concept articulated by our patron Karl Popper as one in which governments remain accountable, freedom of thought is protected, and civil institutions can operate without intimidation. Attempts to criminalise lawful and peaceful activity in pursuit of human rights and democracy are an affront to these values.
We call on civil society organisations across Europe and North America to recognise the seriousness of these developments. When governments target charities, foundations, or civil society organisations for political reasons, the rights and freedoms of all are placed at risk. We should all stand together in defence of civil society and the open society ideal.
Notes
Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people. Powered by over 150,000 members and supporters, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. We provide ceremonies, pastoral care, education, and support services benefitting over a million people every year and our campaigns advance humanist thinking on ethical issues, human rights, and equal treatment for all.
Lawrence Britt, writing in the secular humanist journal Free Inquiry (2003), identified ‘scapegoating’ as one of the 14 warning signs of fascism, with NGOs and civil society groups often singled out as alleged threats to national unity or security.
Humanists UK has no financial or personnel links with OSF. It has made this statement out of principle, out of concern for the integrity of independent charity work and social programmes concerned with expanding human rights and protecting democracy.