News

Polish authorities must stop persecuting and intimidating protesters

November 24, 2020

Polish authorities must stop persecuting and intimidating protesters

Civil society organisations express serious concerns over civic space restrictions in Poland Detention and intimidation of protesters by authorities a huge concern Protests sparked…

Morocco: End intimidation and harassment campaign against rights defender Maati Monjib

November 24, 2020

Morocco: End intimidation and harassment campaign against rights defender Maati Monjib

in News

The undersigned civil society organisations call on the Moroccan authorities to immediately end their intimidation and harassment campaign against academic and human rights defender…

Sri Lanka: A year after Presidential elections, civic freedoms under increasing assault

November 17, 2020

Sri Lanka: A year after Presidential elections, civic freedoms under increasing assault

in News

A year on from the election of Gotabaya Rajapaksa as President of Sri Lanka, global civil society alliance CIVICUS is extremely concerned about the…

UGANDA: ‘No candidate can possibly win the election without young people’s votes’

November 13, 2020

UGANDA: ‘No candidate can possibly win the election without young people’s votes’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Mohammed Ndifuna, Executive Director of Justice Access Point-Uganda (JAP). Established in 2018, JAP aims to kickstart, reignite and invigorate justice efforts…

Algeria: Free Amazigh and Hirak activist in prison for exercising his freedom of opinion

November 11, 2020

Algeria: Free Amazigh and Hirak activist in prison for exercising his freedom of opinion

in News

بالعربية On 11 November, the court of Khenchela (eastern Algeria) is expected to hear activist Yacine Mebarki's appeal, following his sentencing on 8 October…

SOUTH KOREA: ‘North Korean defectors and activists face increasing pressure to stay silent’

November 06, 2020

SOUTH KOREA: ‘North Korean defectors and activists face increasing pressure to stay silent’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Ethan Hee-Seok Shin, a legal analyst with the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG), a Seoul-based civil society organisation (CSO) founded by…

CIVICUS report documents how states need civil society as second wave of COVID-19 hits worldwide

November 05, 2020

CIVICUS report documents how states need civil society as second wave of COVID-19 hits worldwide

in Op-Eds

By Inés Pousadela, Senior Research Specialist and Andrew Firmin Editor-in-Chief at CIVICUS Covid-19 has unleashed a multi-dimensional, once-in-a-generation crisis. As the virus swept the globe,…

States must partner with civil society as second wave of COVID-19 hits countries

November 05, 2020

States must partner with civil society as second wave of COVID-19 hits countries

in Media Releases

NEW ANALYSIS: 'SOLIDARITY IN THE TIMES OF #COVID19: Civil Society Responses to the Pandemic' highlights the irreplaceable role of activists, NGOs & grassroots…

Upcoming UN review critical moment for Honduras to address civic freedom gaps

November 03, 2020

Upcoming UN review critical moment for Honduras to address civic freedom gaps

in Geneva

CIVICUS, the Latin American and Caribbean Network for Democracy (REDLAD) and the Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (ASONOG) call on UN member states to urge…

ITALY: ‘The Sardines movement is all about building self-confidence in the progressive side of politics’

November 03, 2020

ITALY: ‘The Sardines movement is all about building self-confidence in the progressive side of politics’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks to Andrea Garreffa, one of the founders of the Sardines movement (Movimento delle Sardine), a grassroots political movement that began in November…

Cambodia’s Government should stop silencing journalists, media outlets

November 03, 2020

Cambodia’s Government should stop silencing journalists, media outlets

in News

Free Arbitrarily Detained Media Workers, Restore Media Licenses

Upcoming UN review critical moment for Malawi to address civic freedom gaps

November 03, 2020

Upcoming UN review critical moment for Malawi to address civic freedom gaps

in Geneva

CIVICUS, the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and the Centre for the Development of People (CEDEP) call on UN member states to…

Upcoming UN review critical moment for Maldives to address civic freedom gaps

November 02, 2020

Upcoming UN review critical moment for Maldives to address civic freedom gaps

in News

CIVICUS and the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) call on UN member states to urge the Government of the Maldives to…

ARGENTINA: ‘Cultural change enabled legal change, and legal change deepened cultural change’

October 30, 2020

ARGENTINA: ‘Cultural change enabled legal change, and legal change deepened cultural change’

in Interviews

Ten years after the Equal Marriage Law, a milestone for Latin America, was passed in Argentina, CIVICUS speaks with LGBTQI+ leader María Rachid about…

Appointment of UAE Ministry of Interior Official to the Presidency of INTERPOL

October 29, 2020

Appointment of UAE Ministry of Interior Official to the Presidency of INTERPOL

in News

العربية Dear Secretary General, We, the undersigned, are writing to express our deep concern over recent reports announcing the candidacy of Major General Ahmed…

Polish government must stop violent crackdowns on protesters

October 28, 2020

Polish government must stop violent crackdowns on protesters

in Media Releases

#Poland: Authorities must refrain from using excessive force against protesters who are demonstrating against a near-total ban on #abortion. Military deployment at this time…

COVID-19: ‘This is not just a health crisis but also a justice crisis’

October 28, 2020

COVID-19: ‘This is not just a health crisis but also a justice crisis’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks to Abigail Moy, Director of the Legal Empowerment Network, the largest community of grassroots justice defenders in the world. Convened by the…

Judicial harassment of human rights defender Muhammad Ismail

October 23, 2020

Judicial harassment of human rights defender Muhammad Ismail

in News

CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Front Line Defenders, FIDH, in the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, the…

Ladies European Tour community should #StandWithSaudiHeroes

October 22, 2020

Ladies European Tour community should #StandWithSaudiHeroes

in Open Letters

بالعربية Dear Organisers, Participants and Sponsors, We, the undersigned organisations, are writing to ask you to reconsider your participation in the Ladies European Tour…

Burundi: four journalists still in jail one year after they were arrested

October 22, 2020

Burundi: four journalists still in jail one year after they were arrested

in Media Releases

Exactly one year to this day 4 journalists from the IWACU news agency were arrested and later convicted after a flawed judicial process. CIVICUS…

Tanzania: Systematic restrictions on fundamental freedoms in the run-up to national elections

October 22, 2020

Tanzania: Systematic restrictions on fundamental freedoms in the run-up to national elections

in Media Releases

🇹🇿🗳️With national elections in #Tanzania on 28 October, over 65 civil society organsations from across the world have called on President, @MagufuliJP, to end…

Nigeria: Urgent call to end violence against #EndSARS protesters

October 21, 2020

Nigeria: Urgent call to end violence against #EndSARS protesters

in Media Releases

🇳🇬The brutal shooting of peaceful protesters in Lagos by Nigerian security forces is a gross violation of protesters’ rights and those responsible should be…

Honduras: killings and harassment of environmental defenders must stop

October 20, 2020

Honduras: killings and harassment of environmental defenders must stop

in News

Honduran authorities must act to protect environmental defenders in the community of Guapinol and investigate threats and harassment against them, according to global civil…

Open letter: The Covid-19 ‘recovery’ must supercharge the fight against inequality

October 19, 2020

Open letter: The Covid-19 ‘recovery’ must supercharge the fight against inequality

in News

The Covid-19 ‘recovery’ must supercharge the fight against inequality

Thailand: Drop charges against peaceful protesters and end restrictions on civic freedoms

October 19, 2020

Thailand: Drop charges against peaceful protesters and end restrictions on civic freedoms

in Media Releases

Read the Thai version of the letter Letter to the Prime Minister of Thailand as the government cracks down on peaceful protests calling for democracy, human rights and reform.…

Country recommendations on civic space for Universal Periodic Review

October 17, 2020

Country recommendations on civic space for Universal Periodic Review

in Geneva

CIVICUS makes joint UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) submissions on civil society space in Mozambique, Niger, Paraguay and Singapore The United Nations Human Rights…

Amid COVID-19, what is the health of civic freedoms?

October 16, 2020

Amid COVID-19, what is the health of civic freedoms?

in Op-Eds

By Marianna Belalba Barreto, Civic Space Research Lead at CIVICUS and Aarti Narsee, Civic Space Research Officer More than half a year after the World Health Organization declared the…

Algeria: Critically-ill activist Abdallah Benaoum must be immediately released

October 15, 2020

Algeria: Critically-ill activist Abdallah Benaoum must be immediately released

in News

بالعربية The Algerian authorities have accelerated the arbitrary detention and prosecution of activists and journalists amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, most recently refusing requests to provisionally…

Open letter to the G20 Finance Ministers

October 15, 2020

Open letter to the G20 Finance Ministers

in Open Letters

Dear G20 Finance Ministers, As you meet this week, we are writing to you to encourage you to take concrete actions in order to…

MYANMAR: ‘Opposition parties complain that the election body censors their messaging'

October 15, 2020

MYANMAR: ‘Opposition parties complain that the election body censors their messaging'

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks to award-winning journalist Cape Diamond (Pyae Sone Win) about the upcoming elections in Myanmar. Cape is a multimedia journalist based in Myanmar,…

With targeted attacks on civil society, the future of democracy hangs in the balance in…

October 15, 2020

With targeted attacks on civil society, the future of democracy hangs in the balance in…

in Op-Eds

By Sylvia Mbataru, Civic Space Research at CIVICUS Elections in East Africa have faced a wave of recent problems. Presidents pursuing extended term limits,…

85 CSOs concerned as Cuba is granted a new seat on UN Human Rights Council

October 14, 2020

85 CSOs concerned as Cuba is granted a new seat on UN Human Rights Council

in News

In response to Cuba’s election to a fifth term on the Human Rights Council, 85 Cuban and international human rights and freedom-of-expression organizations, in…

Outcomes from the UN Human Rights Council: Progress & Shortcomings

October 08, 2020

Outcomes from the UN Human Rights Council: Progress & Shortcomings

in Geneva

Joint statement from the end of the United Nations' 45th Session of the UN Human Rights Council 14 organisations share reflections on the key…

Pakistani authorities must prevent further attacks on transgender people

October 08, 2020

Pakistani authorities must prevent further attacks on transgender people

in Media Releases

Pakistani authorities must investigate recent wave of brutal attacks and killings of #transgender people in #Pakistan and ensure justice and accountability for the violence…

Saudi Arabia: C20 attendees must call on government to free jailed activists

October 06, 2020

Saudi Arabia: C20 attendees must call on government to free jailed activists

in News

In January 2020, over 220 Civil Society Organisations endorsed a statement issued by Amnesty International, CIVICUS and Transparency International announcing that they will not…

Singapore: Drop police report against independent media outlet New Naratif

October 05, 2020

Singapore: Drop police report against independent media outlet New Naratif

in News

We, the undersigned civil society organisations, urge the government of Singapore to order the Elections Department (ELD) to immediately withdraw its police report against…