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May - June 2015
Issue: 96



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!
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Global Database of Freedom of Expression Case Law - Columbia University
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International Trade Union Conference Global Rights Index Report for 2015
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FIDH Report on Imprisonment, torture and statelessness: The darkening reality of human rights defenders in Bahrain
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UN Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai’s thematic report on assembly and association rights in the context of natural resource exploitation
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African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Report on Freedom of Association and Assembly in Africa
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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



Swaziland: Human rights defenders released after more than 15 months in detention
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Uganda:  Court dismisses case against human rights defender Gerald Kankya
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UK: Surveillance of two human rights groups ruled illegal by tribunal
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Highlights

Civil Society Watch Report shows core civil society freedoms violated to a significant degree in at least 96 countries during 2014
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CIVICUS makes UPR submissions on restrictions on civil society space in Mozambique, Niger, Sierra Leone, Singapore and Somalia
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Angola: End crackdown on civil society, uphold international commitments
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Azerbaijan condemned at UN body whilst hosting European Games
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Burundi: Stop the violence against protesters
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Submission on China's draft Non-Mainland NGO Management Law
Read the submission in English or Chinese

Addressing the human rights situation and the need for accountability for past atrocities and on-going violations in South Sudan
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South Korea: Release protesters and end crackdown on Sewol Ferry demonstrations
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Joint Letter to government of Cambodia: Work with civil society to address restrictions in draft Law on Associations, and Non-Governmental Organizations
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Thousands around the world participate in Global Day of Citizen Action
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Analysis piece by CIVICUS Head of Policy and Research, Mandeep Tiwana on ‘Why Are Threats to Civil Society Growing around the World’
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Angola: Journalist Rafael Marques de Morais sentenced to a six-month suspended jail term
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Bahrain: Women human rights defenders Zainab Al-Khawaja and Ghada Jamsheer facing years in jail
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Cambodia: Authorities urged to drop draft NGO law
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China: Two activists detained as NGO crackdown widens
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Egypt: Administrative harassment of Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
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Egypt: Continued judicial harassment of Ms. Azza Soliman
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El Salvador: Transgender human rights defender Francela Méndez murdered
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France: Parliament approves new surveillance rules
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Kuwait: Human rights defender Rana Al-Saadoun sentenced to three years in prison
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Kyrgyzstan: Law on 'foreign agents' under consideration by Parliament
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Lebanon: Call to drop “defamation” charges against anti-torture activists
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Philippines: Surveillance, threats and harassment against Karapatan human rights
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Russia: President signs restrictive law banning ‘undesirable’ NGOs
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Saudi Arabia: Court upholds blogger Raif Badawi's 10 years and 1,000 lashes
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Syria: Motion for a resolution on Syria and the case of Mazen Darwish, Hani Alzitani and Hussein Gharir brought before the European Parliament
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Tunisia: Call to drop or amend security bill
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Uganda: UN human rights expert calls for meaningful consultations with civil society on NGO Bill
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UK:  Prime Minister delays plan to repeal Human Rights Act
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Civil Society Behind Bars

Bahrain upholds prison sentence for Nabeel Rajab over 'IS defection' tweet
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Interview  with Civil Society Activists

Lizet Vlamings of the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI) speaks to CIVICUS on Uganda’s restrictive NGO Bill and how civil society is responding to it. She also sheds light on the possible impacts of the bill on civil society activities.
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Mohamed Lofty of the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF) speaks to CIVICUS about the travel ban imposed on him on 2nd of June 2015 while he was travelling to Germany to conduct a series of advocacy visits parallel to President Al-Sisi’s visit. He highlights the challenges of being a human rights defender in Egypt’s repressed political environment.
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Emina Nuredinoska of the Macedonian Center for International Cooperation and Tanja Hafner Ademi of the Balkan Civil Society Development Network speak to CIVICUS about ongoing protests against the government and the current state of civil society in Macedonia.
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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
Tor Hodenfield


COPY EDITOR
Lerato Pagiwa
P.O. Box 933
Southdale, 2135
South Africa
355 Lexington Avenue
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NY 10017
United States

DESIGN, LAYOUT and DISTRIBUTION
Lerato Pagiwa


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