Human Rights Service (HRS) is a Norwegian

foundation Foundation(s) or The Foundation(s) may refer to: Common uses * Foundation (cosmetics), a skin-coloured makeup cream applied to the face * Foundation (engineering), the element of a structure which connects it to the ground, and transfers loads f ...

established in 2001. The organization is known for its

criticism of Islam Criticism of Islam can take many forms, including academic critiques, political criticism, religious criticism, and personal opinions. Subjects of criticism include Islamic beliefs, practices, and doctrines. Criticism of Islam has been present ...

and

immigration Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not usual residents or where they do not possess nationality in order to settle as Permanent residency, permanent residents. Commuting, Commuter ...

, and is managed by Rita Karlsen and

Hege Storhaug Hege Storhaug (born 21 May 1962) is a Norwegian political activist, writer and author. She has been known for her criticism of Islamic cultural practices since the 1990s, and later also opposition to immigration. She formerly worked as a journal ...

Activities

HRS claims to have been established to work for a more well-functioning multi-ethnic society. Through the spread of information the organization aims to contribute to better

integration Integration may refer to: Biology *Multisensory integration *Path integration * Pre-integration complex, viral genetic material used to insert a viral genome into a host genome *DNA integration, by means of site-specific recombinase technology, ...

of immigrants, and preventing violation of

human rights Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...

. It has become known especially for its work against

forced marriage Forced marriage is a marriage in which one or more of the parties is married without their consent or against their will. A marriage can also become a forced marriage even if both parties enter with full consent if one or both are later force ...

, and against cultural and religious oppression of women. The organization has also been critical of the cultural and economic effects of the high immigration to Norway. HRS received public funding from the Norwegian state from 2002 to 2021, and from 2012 to 2015 from Oslo municipality. After a new Oslo city council proposed to withdraw further support in 2015, the organization claimed they saw a huge surge of private donations. In 2017, after longstanding opposition from the left-wing parties, the centre-right political parties

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

Christian Democratic Party __NOTOC__ Christian democratic parties are political parties that seek to apply Christian principles to public policy. The underlying Christian democracy movement emerged in 19th-century Europe, largely under the influence of Catholic social tea ...

, and some politicians from Conservative Party also tried to stop further funding of HRS, but they still got NOK 1.835.000 in state funding. In September 2021, after increasing criticism and opposition to its work from several political parties, it was announced that the state would cease funding HRS. HRS has been praised by

Ayaan Hirsi Ali Ayaan Hirsi Ali (; born 13 November 1969) is a Dutch and American writer, activist, conservative thinker and former politician. She is a critic of Islam and an advocate for the rights and self-determination of Muslim women, opposing forced mar ...

. American writer Bruce Bawer has formerly worked for the organization. The website of the organisation has long been considered to promote the

Eurabia conspiracy theory "Eurabia" (portmanteau of Europe and Arabia) is a far-right Islamophobic conspiracy theory that posits that globalist entities, led by French and Arab powers, aim to Islamize and Arabize Europe, thereby weakening its existing culture and und ...

Bat Ye'or Gisèle Littman (; born 1933), better known by her pen name Bat Ye'or (, ''Daughter of the Nile''), is an Egyptian-born, British-Swiss author and historian, known for her promulgation of the Eurabia conspiracy theory. She claims that Islam, and ...

. Previously, since 2007, the site also published works by the

counter-jihad Counter-jihad (also known as the counter-jihad movement) is a self-titled Islamophobia, anti-Muslim political movement loosely consisting of authors, bloggers, think tanks, demonstrators, and other activists across the Western world. Proponents are ...

blogger

Fjordman Peder Are Nøstvold Jensen (born 11 June 1975) is a Norwegian far-right counter-jihad blogger who writes under the pseudonym Fjordman. Jensen wrote anonymously as Fjordman starting in 2005, until he disclosed his identity in 2011. He has been ac ...

through its former employee Jens Tomas Anfindsen who also attended the 2007 counter-jihad conference in Brussels. HRS has later distanced itself from Bat Ye'or, the Eurabia conspiracy theory and Fjordman. The organisation has however still been considered to have a counter-jihad character, though more subtle than others. The organization has seen controversy as a result of criticism by immigrant women formerly affiliated with the organization, including former employee

Amal Aden Amal Aden (born 1983) is the pseudonym of a Somali– Norwegian writer. She is an author, lecturer and lesbian activist. Aden is substitute member of the Norwegian Press Complaints Commission and has been a contributor to the newspaper ''Dag og ...

criticizing some of its alleged work methods. Aden gave a formal complaint to the police, but the police later dropped the case due to insufficient capacity.

References

External links

Official website
{{Authority control 2001 establishments in Norway Anti-immigration politics in Norway Anti-Islam sentiment in Norway Counter-jihad Foundations based in Norway Human rights organisations based in Norway Think tanks based in Norway Think tanks established in 2001