Welcome to Civil Society Watch Monthly 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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CIVICUS: Assessing and Strengthening Civil Society Worldwide – An updated programme description of the CIVICUS Civil Society Index Phase 2008-2010Click here to download
Human Rights Watch Report: Sleight of Hand - Repression of the Media and the Illusion of Reform in Zimbabwe Click here to download
International Center for Not for Profit Law: Survey of Arab NGO laws
Click here to download
International Crisis Group, Kyrgyzstan - A Hollow Regime Collapses
Click here to download
Third Sector Foundation of Turkey (TUSEV): Barriers to Freedom of Association of Associations in Turkey Click here to download
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Book Review
Cruel Ethiopia by Helen Epstein, the New York Review of Books
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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 Programme of CIVICUS seeks to mobilise quick, principled and effective responses to events that threaten civil society fundamental freedoms of expression, association and assembly.
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In Kyrgyzstan, proactive engagement is being carried out with local partners in monitoring the political situation given the transfer of power. In Turkmenistan, links were established with MSF and local colleagues with regard to targeting of health workers. In Russia local civil society groups were contacted with regard to attacks on an environmental NGO. With regard to Uzbekistan, an analysis of the state of civil society and restrictions on fundamental freedoms in the country was published in the international press. CIVICUS in partnership with with the Belarusian Pro-Democratic Assembly of NGOs and FIDH is organising a side event at the 8th session of the UN Human Rights Council on 12 May. The title of the event is The UPR for Civil Society in Belarus: Barriers to Freedom of Association.
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MACEDONIA: New NGO law adopted in line with European standards and international best practices Read more
World Bank: Free access to online data now available
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Highlights
CIVICUS revives Civil Society Behind Bars Campaign by highlighting Maxim Popov and Morong 43 cases Visit the campaign page
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CIVICUS joins coalition of NGOs urging only those states are elected to the UN Human Rights Council that meet basic human rights criteria Read more
CIVICUS joins submission to the UN Human Rights Council urging the US government to “reassess its national security and counter-terrorism laws as applied to civil society organizations” Read more
CIVICUS expresses concerns about persecution of environmental groups by the authorities in RussiaRead more
CIVICUS highlights threats to civil society following international criticism of the health system in Turkmenistan Read more
Clampdown on intelligentsia and civil society is threatening social and cultural freedoms in Uzbekistan: article by Sonia Zilberman, CIVICUS Read more
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ARGENTINA: Former dictator convicted for illegal detention and torture of dissidents Read more
CAMBODIA: Civil society apprehensive about introduction of new NGO lawRead more
CHINA: Peking University closes down Center for Women’s Law Studies and Legal Services Read more
ETHIOPIA: Activities of Ethiopian Bar Association suspended by Charities and Societies Agency Read more
IRAN: Concerns mount as Iran is elected to the UN Commission on Women’s RightsRead more
IRAQ: Call to suspend restrictive media broadcast rules Read more
ISRAEL AND PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES: Al Haq Director subjected to continued travel ban
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KAZAKHSTAN: Activists send petition to US President not to attend OSCE summit because of clampdown on free speechRead more
Court orders newspaper to pay approximately 136, 000 dollars to oil company in damages for ‘defamation’ Read more
KENYA: International Criminal Court approves investigation into 2007 post election violence Read more
Human rights defender arrested and tortured Read more
MEXICO: Caravan of international human rights observers attacked resulting in two deaths Read more
MYANMAR: Continued repression impeding the work of aid agencies Read more;
THAILAND: International Crisis Group sends out conflict risk alertRead more
TURKEY: Member of EU Turkey Civic Commission refused entry into the country Read more
UGANDA: UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders criticises restrictive bills Read more
Sexual minorities group expresses apprehensions ahead of divisive preacher’s visit to the country Read more
UNITED NATIONS: Concerns about civil society exclusion following structural renovation of the UN Secretariat Read more
ZIMBABWE: Women human rights defenders detained for five days after peaceful protest Read more
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In addition to the regular bi-weekly reports from EWS partners, the CSW team has been editing for publication quarterly reports sent from project partners that outline threats to civil society in their respective countries. The Early Warning System project webpage on CIVICUS website is being updated with pertinent timely information highlighting patters and trends of threats to civil society observed in respective countries. The construction of a global database to track threats to civil society is underway. To access the quarterly report from Egypt, click here
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Gertude Hambira, Secretary General of the General Agricultural and Plantation Worker’s Union of Zimbabwe talks about the state of civil society in Zimbabwe. Gertude was forced to leave the country following death threats after she exposed gross human rights violations committed on farm workers during the ‘fast track land reform programme.’
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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.
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