CIVICUS calls on the Indonesian authorities to immediately investigate and punish security forces personnel responsible for unleashing violence against peaceful protesters.

CIVICUS urges authorities to drop baseless charges against José Rubén Zamora There are concerns for Zamora’s health and safety in detention.

 As we mark Nelson Mandela Day and #StandAsMyWitness campaign anniversary, number of countries to legally harass and put activists behind bars nearly doubled in five years.

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation are deeply concerned over Singapore’s recently passed Online Criminal Harms Act.

CIVICUS, the global civil society alliance, calls on all parties contesting the upcoming elections to strengthen commitments to respecting and protecting civic freedoms.

A coalition of civil society organisations is demanding public development banks (PDBs) to take radical and innovative steps to tackle human rights violations and environmental destruction.

Global civil society alliance, CIVICUS is urging UN Human Rights Council member states to do the right thing by voting in support of a resolution to debate the human rights situation in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).

On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, 9 August, global civil society alliance CIVICUS urges the Mexican authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Indigenous land rights campaigner Kenia Hernandez, and to free all Indigenous activists behind bars for their work protecting and promoting human rights.

#StandAsMyWitness campaign launched two years ago on Nelson Mandela Day Campaign has been part of successful global calls to release incarcerated human rights defenders  21 human rights defenders currently featured in the campaign have spent 50 years collectively in prison In honour of Nelson Mandela Day 18 July, global civil society alliance CIVICUS calls for renewed efforts to help free 21 human rights defenders featured in its #StandAsMyWitness global campaign.

The use of violence to disperse recent protests in Chad and the arrests and detention of members of civil society and the political opposition highlight ongoing attempts by the military junta to stifle civic freedoms and silence criticism of their actions.

CIVICUS and Human Rights Institute of South Africa (HURISA) call on the South African government to urgently denounce the ongoing killings of human rights defenders in the country and act decisively to identify the perpetrators of such heinous acts.

In the lead up to the high-level meeting on ASEAN humanitarian assistance to Myanmar, civil society organisations voiced their grave concerns in a webinar titled ‘Beyond ASEAN’s Five Point Consensus: Humanitarian Assistance in Myanmar’ held last Thursday, 5 May.

Government extends a state of emergency with unprecedented mass arrests and restrictions on civic rights.

Human rights groups CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation and the Asia Democracy Network (ADN) are disappointed by the Thai government’s failure to accept recommendations to repeal restrictive laws as recommended by members states of the UN Human Right Council, despite making commitments to civic freedoms.

Arabic Tunisia: More than 100 civil society organisations have endorsed a statement calling for an end to restrictions in Tunisia.

CIVICUS, the global civil society alliance, is appalled by the Pakistani government’s failure to keep its commitments to the Open Government Partnership (OGP), which has led to its removal.

Following the conviction of Narin - a protester who placed a sticker over the Thai King’s portrait under Article 112 (lese majeste) - on Friday, 4 March 2022, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, and Asia Democracy Network (ADN) said: The conviction of Narin under Article 112 (lese majeste) for placing a sticker with the logo of a satire page ‘Gukult’ over a portrait of the King during a democracy protest in September 2020 sets a disturbing precedent for civic space in Thailand.

Medardo Mairena Sequeira, who appeared in court yesterday to face trumped charges, was found guilty of conspiracy to undermine National integrity.

Human rights organisations CIVICUS, Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI), Justice Access Point (JAP) and African Institute for Investigative Journalism (AIIJ) call on UN member states to urge the Government of Uganda to protect civic freedoms as its human rights record is examined by the UN Human Rights Council on 27 January 2022 as part of the 40th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

International human rights groups raise the alarm about the state of civic rights in Timor-Leste ahead of the country's review at the United Nations Human Rights Council on 27 January 2022.

International human rights groups raise alarm about the state of civic rights in Venezuela ahead of the country's review at the United Nations Human Rights Council on 25 January, 2022.

9 out of 10 people live in countries where civic rights are severely restricted.

Portuguese  Brazilian authorities are debating a restrictive bill which amends the Anti-terrorism law (2016) If passed, the bill will severely impact on the rights of expression, assembly, association and privacy Concerns raised by UN Special Rapporteurs about the impact of the bill have largely been ignored

CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society organisations, is seriously concerned over the ongoing judicial harassment against human rights defenders Adilur Rahman Khan and ASM Nasiruddin Elan.

🇸🇻 #ElSalvadorNew law on "foreign agents" restricts freedoms of expression and association and gives the executive broad powers to repress civil society and independent media.

As world leaders meet at #COP26, barriers for participation have left many participants from the frontlines of the fight against climate change out in the cold https://t.

🇮🇳#India: Today human rights lawyer & activist Sudha Bharadwaj will celebrate her 60th birthday in prisonShe was arrested on fabricated charges 3 years ago and has been denied bail.

🇸🇩#Sudan: Military leaders must exercise restraint amidst political tensions & refrain from the use of excessive force.

Disinformation campaigns are on the rise in East Asia as states use false information to shape self-serving narratives.

CIVICUS, the global civil society alliance, welcomes the conclusions adopted by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention that found the arrest and detention of Muhammad Ismail arbitrary and calls on the Pakistan authorities to immediately and unconditionally put an end to all acts of harassment against Muhammad Ismail and his family.

The ongoing violations of the right to freedom of association, peaceful assembly and expression, and particularly the labelling of civil society groups as “foreign agents,” is intended to force associations to close operations or self-censor, said CIVICUS, global alliance of civil society organisations.

New research on the state of civic freedoms in the Philippines CIVICUS, the global civil society alliance, continues to call on the UN Human Rights Council to establish an independent investigative mechanism to address human rights violations and abuses in the Philippines to further accountability and justice.

CIVICUS, the global civil society alliance, condemns the recent raid carried out on facilities associated with human rights defender Harsh Mander who serves as Director of the Centre for Equity Studies and calls on the government of India to stop targeting and intimidating human rights defenders.

The CIVICUS Monitor has produced a fourth installment of research on the state of civil liberties during the COVID-19 pandemic.

🇦🇫#Afghanistan: UN & Member States must take urgent steps to protect civil society in the country.

🇿🇲#Zambia: Ahead of tomorrow's national elections, we are calling on President @EdgarLungu to guarantee the rights of all Zambians and refrain from shutting down the internet: https://t.

3 months ahead of the Presidential elections, authorities in 🇳🇮#Nicaragua have arbitrarily detained several opposition leaders & activists.

The police harassment of opposition politicians for their criticism of the land law amendments highlights the restrictive space for civic freedoms in Fiji, said global civil society alliance CIVICUS today.

🇹🇳#Tunisia: Authorities must exercise restraint amidst political tensions & refrain from the use of excessive force.

Russian On 9 July 2021, Buzurgmehr Yorov, a Tajikistani human rights lawyer and outspoken critic of the government, will mark his 50th birthday behind bars.

New research on the state of civic freedoms in Hong Kong - a look at restrictions over the past year CIVICUS, the global civil society alliance, is extremely concerned about the alarming regression of civic freedoms in Hong Kong.

OUT NOW! New State of Civil Society Report looks at where people have mobilised to demand more just, equal & sustainable societies during the pandemic.

Judicial persecution of journalists and activists Recent legislative and presidential elections marred by protests, violence and human rights violations.

  Global civil society alliance CIVICUS is extremely concerned by the escalation of repression of critical voices by the Malaysian authorities in recent weeks.

Photo by Brenton Geach/Gallo Images via Getty Images It has been almost thirty years since Freedom Day was first introduced in South Africa but still the fundamental freedoms of many people are being curtailed - particularly the rights and freedoms of people within the LGBTQI+ community.

Arabic On April 5 Bahraini human rights defender Abdul-Hadi al-Khawaja turns 60 2021 marks 10 years since Bahraini pro-democracy protests Abdul-Hadi’s family concerned about his fragile health in prison during pandemic On 5 April 2021 prominent Bahraini human rights defender Abdul-Hadi al-Khawaja turns 60.

15 March marks one year in detention for rights activist Teresita Naul Philippines Human Rights Commission says Teresita was wrongfully ‘red-tagged’ Teresita’s daughter fears for her mother’s life in prison

Arabic The sentencing of human rights defender and LGBTQI+ activist Rania Amdouni to six months in prison by a court in Tunis on 4 March 2021 for participating in peaceful protests calling for social and economic justice is an attack on the rights to freedom of expression and assembly in Tunisia.

The Bangladeshi authorities must end their escalating crackdown on human rights, and respect and protect people’s rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Bangladesh to curb protesters demanding justice for writer Mushtaq Ahmed’s death in prison on 25 February, the nine undersigned human rights organizations said in a joint statement today.

Joint research report on the state of civic freedoms in Malaysia The Perikatan Nasional government has undermined and obstructed the exercise of fundamental freedoms during its first twelve months in power, said ARTICLE 19 and CIVICUS in a new report published today.