header_image

September 2013
Issue: 84



Welcome to Civil Society Watch Bulletin, an e-newsletter of updates and analyses concerning civil society's rights to freedom of association, assembly and expression around the world. The Bulletin is compiled by the staff at Civil Society Watch, a programme of CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation. Please feel free to forward the Bulletin to friends and colleagues. We welcome your comments and contributions!
To subscribe or unsubscribe please
click here
or email cswcommunity@civicus.org


FIDH: The Arab League and Human Rights – Challenges Ahead
Click here to download

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: Blood on the Streets – The Use of Excessive Force during Bangladesh Protests
Click here to download

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: Tightening the Screws – Azerbaijan’s Crackdown on Civil Society and Dissent
Click here to download

INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF JURISTS: Complainant’s Manual for Filing a Communication Before the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights
INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP: Zimbabwe’s Elections – Mugabe’s Last Stand
Click here to download

THIRD SECTOR FOUNDATION OF TURKEY (TUSEV): Civil Society Monitoring Report 2012
Click here to download


CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation is an international movement of civil society with members and partners in over a hundred countries. CIVICUS nurtures the foundation, growth and protection of citizen action throughout the world especially in areas where participatory democracy and citizens' freedom of association are threatened. The Civil Society Watch Project of CIVICUS seeks to mobilise quick, principled and effective responses to events that threaten civil society fundamental freedoms of expression, association and assembly



CHINA: Registration rules for International NGOs eased
Read more
OMAN: Detained outspoken activist Sultan al Saadi released without charge after 23 days in detention
Read more




















































































Highlights

CIVICUS makes five UN Universal Periodic Review submissions on the threats to civil society in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Eritrea, Vietnam and Yemen.
Read more



CIVICUS highlights appalling crackdown on freedoms in Uganda as restrictive public order law is passed
Read more

CIVICUS issues alert on threats to free speech in Fiji as prominent civil society leader is convicted for ‘contempt of court’
Read more

CIVICUS urges international community to take action on Bangladesh’s downward democratic trajectory
Read more

CIVICUS joins Zambian civil society in raising concerns about NGO law and media restrictions
Read more

CIVICUS joins Indonesian civil society in condemning the new law on mass organisations
Read more

CIVICUS condemns proposed international funding restrictions on CSOs in Israel as another blow for civil society and dissent
Read more

CIVICUS writes an open letter to Egypt’s interim government urging an end to killings of protestors and restoration of democracy
Read more

 






BAHRAIN: Parliament convenes special session to restrict democratic freedoms 
Read more

Peaceful protestors defy authorities’ lockdown
Read more

BELARUS: Civil society members fined for handing out postcards calling for release of detained activist
Read more

CHINA: Police harass and detain activists demanding participation in Universal Periodic Review process
Read more

COLOMBIA: Paramilitary groups target civil society members
Read more

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Activist exposing violence becomes victim of intimidation
Read more

INDONESIA: Parliament passes Ormas Bill limiting Freedom of Association
Read more

KYRGYZSTAN: Concerns over draft law penalising participation in the activities of unregistered CSOs
Read more

MEXICO: Defamation campaign underway against human rights group monitoring mining activities
Read more

MYANMAR: Call to revise or reject draft NGO law that impacts independence of civil society
Read more

OMAN: Human rights defender and blogger arbitrarily arrested
Read more


PHILIPPINES: Anti-mining activist disappears
Read more

Labour rights activist exposing corruption assassinated
Read more

RUSSIA: Law banning “propaganda on non-traditional sexual relations” receives presidential assent
Read more

RWANDA: Government accused of engineering takeover of independent human rights group
Read more

SAUDI ARABIA: Human Rights Defender sentenced to seven years imprisonment and 600 lashes for setting up a website titled “Liberal Saudi Network”
Read more

Woman journalist prevented from travelling abroad
Read more

SOMALIA: OHCHR expresses concerns about restrictive draft media law
Read more

TUNISIA: Journalist jailed for filming attack on official
Read more

UGANDA: UN experts urge repeal of restrictive Public Order and Management Bill
Read more

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Concerns about ongoing targeting of activists and their families
Read more

VIETNAM: Government announces draconian internet law prohibiting political debate on blogs and social networks
Read more

Concerns about pro-democracy blogger currently on hunger strike
Read more



Civil Society Behind Bars

CIVICUS stands in solidarity with detained Bangladeshi human rights defender, Adilur Rahman Khan
Read more

CIVICUS calls for release of Ales Bialiatski on “International Day of Solidarity with Civil Society of Belarus”
Read more

CIVICUS commemorates detained Bahraini activist, Nabeel Rajab’s second birthday in prison
Read more






Saira Rahman, wife of detained activist Adilur Rahman Khan speaks to CIVICUS about the circumstances surrounding his arrest and detention and the on-going persecution of his Bangladesh based organisation, Odhikar.

Read more

DISCLAIMER
The views expressed in this bulletin are a reflection of those contained in the original reports to which they are linked here, and are not necessarily those of CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation.

CONTACT US

EDITORS
Mandeep Tiwana

COPY EDITOR
Kiva LaTouche
P.O. Box 933
Southdale, 2135
South Africa
1425 K Street NW
Suite 350
Washington DC 20005

DESIGN, LAYOUT and DISTRIBUTION
Oluwakorede Asuni

 


Tel: +27 11 833 5959
Fax:+27 11 833 7997

Tel: +202 331-8518
Fax: +202 331-8774

www.civicus.org