News

Sri Lanka: end government crackdown on peaceful protesters

August 08, 2022

Sri Lanka: end government crackdown on peaceful protesters

We, the undersigned organizations, condemn the Sri Lankan authorities' violent crackdown and increasing reprisals against peaceful protesters in Sri Lanka. This includes arrests, intimidation…

BANGLADESH: ‘Civil society made a lot of efforts to stop Japan financing the Matarbari project’

August 05, 2022

BANGLADESH: ‘Civil society made a lot of efforts to stop Japan financing the Matarbari project’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the cancellation of the Matarbari 2 coal-fired power plant project in Bangladesh with Sharif Jamil, General Secretary of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon…

‘Due to closed civic space, it is difficult to build the resilience of communities inside…

August 04, 2022

‘Due to closed civic space, it is difficult to build the resilience of communities inside…

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Helen Kidan, executive member of the Eritrean Movement for Democracy and Human Rights (EMDHR), about 20 years of crackdown by the…

CAMEROON: ‘Indigenous people should be at the forefront of our own movement and speak for…

August 03, 2022

CAMEROON: ‘Indigenous people should be at the forefront of our own movement and speak for…

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about Indigenous peoples’ rights in Cameroon with Barrister Unusa Karimu, board member of Mbororo Social and Cultural Development Association (MBOSCUDA). MBOSCUDA is…

28 CSOs condemn the continued blocking of Al-Manassa’s website and dozens of other news websites

August 01, 2022

28 CSOs condemn the continued blocking of Al-Manassa’s website and dozens of other news websites

in News

The undersigned civil society organisations condemn the blocking by the Egyptian authorities of three links to access the Al-Manassa website within approximately 72 hours,…

SPAIN: ‘We demand legal and safe channels for migration; attempts to stop it will only…

August 01, 2022

SPAIN: ‘We demand legal and safe channels for migration; attempts to stop it will only…

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Solidary Wheels about the deadly consequences of European governments’ anti-migrant policies, in light of the deaths of migrants at an attempted…

Joint Civil Society Letter to UN Member States: Appointment of the next UN High Commissioner…

July 29, 2022

Joint Civil Society Letter to UN Member States: Appointment of the next UN High Commissioner…

in Geneva

Your Excellency, The post of High Commissioner for Human Rights is critical to the promotion and protection of human rights globally, particularly at a…

Pakistan:‘International support to civil society must come with understanding of our political & societal context’

July 28, 2022

Pakistan:‘International support to civil society must come with understanding of our political & societal context’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the political situation in Pakistan since the removal of its Prime Minister Imran Khan with journalist and researcher Rabia Mehmood. Rabia…

Joint statement: the European Union must address reprisals against human rights defenders in India

July 28, 2022

Joint statement: the European Union must address reprisals against human rights defenders in India

in News

The joint European Union (EU)-India press release, which provides a summary of the topics discussed during the 10th EU-India human rights dialogue which took…

CIVICUS UN Universal Periodic Review submissions on civil society space in Benin, Guatemala, Pakistan, Peru,…

July 27, 2022

CIVICUS UN Universal Periodic Review submissions on civil society space in Benin, Guatemala, Pakistan, Peru,…

in Geneva

The United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of…

Myanmar: Execution of four democracy activists highlights junta’s brutality

July 26, 2022

Myanmar: Execution of four democracy activists highlights junta’s brutality

in News

We, the undersigned, strongly condemn the execution carried out by the military junta against four pro-democracy activists in Myanmar. We call on the international…

Malawi: respect human rights and allow peaceful protest

July 25, 2022

Malawi: respect human rights and allow peaceful protest

in News

The government of Malawi must stop the clampdown on peaceful protests and respect the rights of its citizens to voice concerns which is in…

Maldives: amend provision in the evidence act that compels journalists to reveal sources

July 25, 2022

Maldives: amend provision in the evidence act that compels journalists to reveal sources

in News

The undersigned 10 organizations call on the government of Maldives to repeal or amend the deeply problematic provision in the Evidence Act (Act No.…

Serious concerns over ongoing violations of human rights in Nicaragua and lack of accountability for…

July 25, 2022

Serious concerns over ongoing violations of human rights in Nicaragua and lack of accountability for…

in Open Letters

His Excellency António Guterres Secretary-General United Nations 405 East 42nd Street New York, NY, 10017 USA 30 By email: and Dear Secretary-General, …

CIVICUS calls for the release of Eswatini MPs before the anniversary of their detention

July 24, 2022

CIVICUS calls for the release of Eswatini MPs before the anniversary of their detention

in News

Calls for the release of Eswatini MPs Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube 25 July marks their one-year anniversary in detention MPs feature in …

Sri Lanka: Brutal attack against peaceful protesters by security forces

July 23, 2022

Sri Lanka: Brutal attack against peaceful protesters by security forces

in News

Joint Statement Five human rights organizations strongly condemned the brutal attack against unarmed peaceful protesters by Sri Lankan forces in Colombo in the early…

Chad’s transition to nowhere

July 21, 2022

Chad’s transition to nowhere

in Op-Eds

By Ine Van Severan, Civic Space Researcher & David Kode, Lead of Advocacy and Campaigns cluster Chad’s return to civilian rule is under threat. 15…

MONGOLIA: ‘The government makes decisions without proper consultation’

July 21, 2022

MONGOLIA: ‘The government makes decisions without proper consultation’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with two civil society activists, who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons, about restrictions experienced by civil society in Mongolia and…

TUNISIA: ‘The new constitution will guarantee the president extensive powers, enabling further violations’

July 20, 2022

TUNISIA: ‘The new constitution will guarantee the president extensive powers, enabling further violations’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about Tunisia’s 25 July constitutional referendum with Amine Ghali, director of Al Kawakibi Democracy Transition Center (KADEM). KADEM is a civil society…

This Mandela Day lets redouble efforts to free imprisoned human rights defenders

July 18, 2022

This Mandela Day lets redouble efforts to free imprisoned human rights defenders

in Op-Eds

By Benjamin Tonga and Mandeep Tiwana On 18 July, people in South Africa and around the world will mark Nelson Mandela Day to commemorate…

Sri Lanka: State of emergency must not be used to curtail fundamental freedoms

July 18, 2022

Sri Lanka: State of emergency must not be used to curtail fundamental freedoms

in News

CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, is concerned with the declaration of a state of emergency by the prime minister’s office in Sri Lanka…

Activism works: on Mandela Day, let's boost efforts to free human rights defenders around the…

July 18, 2022

Activism works: on Mandela Day, let's boost efforts to free human rights defenders around the…

in Media Releases

#StandAsMyWitness campaign launched two years ago on Nelson Mandela Day Campaign has been part of successful global calls to release incarcerated human rights defenders …

JAMAICA: ‘We must establish a republic – where the people are sovereign and not the…

July 14, 2022

JAMAICA: ‘We must establish a republic – where the people are sovereign and not the…

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the movement to make Jamaica a republic with Professor Rosalea Hamilton, founding director of the Institute of Law and Economics and…

Indonesia: Draft law of criminal code negatively impacts fundamental freedoms

July 14, 2022

Indonesia: Draft law of criminal code negatively impacts fundamental freedoms

in News

Statement in Indonesian Joint statement: Hold public consultations on the revised draft of the Criminal Code and repeal restrictive provisions We, the undersigned organizations,…

Egypt: CSOs urge German Ministers to raise human rights with President Al-Sisi ahead of COP27

July 14, 2022

Egypt: CSOs urge German Ministers to raise human rights with President Al-Sisi ahead of COP27

in Open Letters

Arabic Civil society groups have written a letter to Foreign Affairs Minister Baerbock and State Minister and Special Envoy Morgan urging them to press President…

TURKEY: ‘Civilian refugees should not be used as political bargaining chips’

July 13, 2022

TURKEY: ‘Civilian refugees should not be used as political bargaining chips’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Bassam Alahmad, co-founder and executive director of Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ), about the Turkish plan to return one million…

Egypt: Uphold rights to free expression at environmental summit

July 12, 2022

Egypt: Uphold rights to free expression at environmental summit

in News

Arabic 36 organisations urge Egyptian authorities to end crackdown on civil society organisations and peaceful protests for a successful COP27 Egyptian authorities should ease…

Sierra Leone: stop violence against peaceful protesters and respect democratic rights of citizens

July 12, 2022

Sierra Leone: stop violence against peaceful protesters and respect democratic rights of citizens

in News

The government of Sierra Leone must stop the brutal repression of peaceful protests and respect the rights of its citizens to engage in demonstrations…

BURUNDI: ‘Our right to be recognised and represented as an Indigenous community is being violated’

July 12, 2022

BURUNDI: ‘Our right to be recognised and represented as an Indigenous community is being violated’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about Indigenous peoples’ rights in Burundi with Severin Sindizera, Global Coordinator of the Indigenous Peoples Global Forum for Sustainable Development (IPGFforSD). IPGFforSD…

Food crisis promises a global wave of unrest

July 11, 2022

Food crisis promises a global wave of unrest

in Op-Eds

By Andrew Firmin, Editor-In-Chief at CIVICUS For the past couple of weeks, mass protests have brought the South American nation of Ecuador to a…

Joint NGO statement: key takeaways from the 50th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

July 08, 2022

Joint NGO statement: key takeaways from the 50th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

in Geneva

Joint NGO statement from the end of the 50th Session of the United Nations' Human Rights Council We welcome the resolution on discrimination against…

TANZANIA: ‘The human rights of the Maasai people are violated through involuntary assimilation and relocation’

July 08, 2022

TANZANIA: ‘The human rights of the Maasai people are violated through involuntary assimilation and relocation’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the unlawful eviction of Maasai people from their ancestral lands with Joseph Moses Oleshangay, a Tanzanian human rights lawyer and activist…

Resolution on peaceful protests reaffirms the need to protect the right to protest and strengthen…

July 08, 2022

Resolution on peaceful protests reaffirms the need to protect the right to protest and strengthen…

in Geneva

Resolution on peaceful protests adopted by the 50th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

HRC50: resolution on freedom of peaceful assembly & association renews the crucial Special Rapporteur mandate…

July 08, 2022

HRC50: resolution on freedom of peaceful assembly & association renews the crucial Special Rapporteur mandate…

in Geneva

Resolution on on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association adopted at the 50th Session of the UN Human Rights Council CIVICUS welcomes this…

ROHINGYA REFUGEES: ‘We want to go back home in peace’

July 06, 2022

ROHINGYA REFUGEES: ‘We want to go back home in peace’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the situation in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh and youth activism with Maung Sawyeddollah, founder and executive director of the Rohingya…

Timor-Leste: Civil society has played a critical role in strengthening democracy, but civic space shortfalls…

July 01, 2022

Timor-Leste: Civil society has played a critical role in strengthening democracy, but civic space shortfalls…

in Geneva

Statement at the 50th Session of the UN Human Rights Council Adoption of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report of Timor-Leste Delivered by Marta…