CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, is seriously concerned over a decision by the Ugandan authorities to suspend the operations of five human rights organisations.
Following the illegal invasion of Venezuela and the abduction of its head of state by US forces on 3 January 2026, global civil society alliance CIVICUS urges respect for international law and the UN Charter.
We Volunteer Activists and CIVICUS strongly condemn the arbitrary detention and reported ill-treatment of Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Iranian human rights defender Narges Mohammadi by Iranian authorities.
CIVICUS welcomes the release of Belarusian human rights defenders Ales Bialiatski and Uladzimir Labkovich, who were freed on 13 December 2025 as part of a broader release of 123 political prisoners by Belarusian authorities.
CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society organisations and activists dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society worldwide, strongly condemns Niger’s decision to suspend hundreds of non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, calls on the governments in eight countries in the Pacific to do more to respect civic freedoms and strengthen institutions to protect these rights.
The International Civil Society Week (ICSW) which gathered over 1,000 civil society leaders from around the world called on governments and multilateral institutions to defend democracy and civic freedoms.
CIVICUS statement at the 85th Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights
Agenda Item 3 – Human rights situation in Africa (with a special focus on Rapidly Closing Civic Space and Systemic Violations of the Human Rights)
Delivered by Dr Paul Mulindwa, CIVICUS
Global civil society alliance CIVICUS welcomes this opportunity to address the African Commission.
Foreign agents laws are proliferating, increasingly threatening the civil society worldwide, finds CIVICUS report ‘Cutting civil society’s lifeline: The global spread of foreign agent laws,’ released today.
Friday, 20 October 2025 – 29 October 2025
At CIVICUS, we believe in the fundamental importance of human rights and are dedicated to advancing the work of human rights defenders and protecting civic space.
Arabic
We, the undersigned human rights organisations, strongly condemn the escalating crackdown by Moroccan authorities on peaceful protests, including minors and human rights defenders, which has now extended into a third day.
Free Buzurghmer Yorov and All Others Held for Exercising their Human Rights
Tajikistan authorities have wrongfully imprisoned a human rights lawyer for 10 years for exercising his human rights, 12 organizations said today.
For Immediate Release
September 24, 2025, New York, NY – Ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks at the United Nations General Assembly Friday, CIVICUS Secretary General Mandeep Tiwana issued the following:
“Just one week after an independent UN Commission found that Israel has committed genocide, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is being given the UN stage.
For Immediate Release
Monday, September 23, New York, NY – Ahead of President Donald Trump's speech to the UN General Assembly today, Secretary General of CIVICUS, Mandeep Tiwana, said:
“One of the greatest threats to peace and multilateralism today is the United States President.
Read in Tamil
CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, calls on the government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to halt the continued harassment of activists and journalists and crackdown on protests.
The undersigned human rights organisations are deeply concerned over the severe deterioration in the health of lawyer and human rights defender Hoda Abdel-Moneim, 66 years old, who has been in pretrial detention since 1st of November 2018.
60th Session of UN Human Rights Council (8 September–8 October 2025)
Overview
Structural Challenges at the Human Rights Council
Thematic Priorities
Country-Specific Priorities
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Overview
As civic space continues to shrink globally, amid funding challenges and a UN liquidity crisis, the Human Rights Council remains a vital space for defending human rights and amplifying the voices of those most affected.
Positive steps taken by interim government to investigate protest violations and address enforced disappearances
Lack of reforms related to NGO laws and protection for human rights defenders and journalists
New cyber law ordinance still problematic and restrictive defamation provisions remain
Police reforms stalled, controversial Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) remains untouched despite UN calls for disbandment
CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, welcomes the positive steps taken by the interim government to respect and protect civic space since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime a year ago.
We, the undersigned civil society organisations, are deeply concerned about the ongoing systematic repression of Pamiri Indigenous Peoples in Tajikistan.
The undersigned human rights organisations call on the Egyptian authorities to immediately end all forms of harassment or intimidation against human rights defender Mohamed Abdel Salam, Executive Director of the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE), in retaliation for his legitimate human rights work.
The 59th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council ran from 16 June to 9 July 2025, resulting in 25 Resolutions, one technical decision, and 14 Universal Period Review adoptions.
On the fifth anniversary of the launch of the Stand As My Witness campaign, global civil society alliance CIVICUS calls on governments around the world to immediately release all unjustly imprisoned human rights defenders.
We, the signatory civil society organisations, are gravely concerned about United States of America (USA) sanctions imposed on Francesca Albanese, the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967.
On the one-year anniversary of the arrest of five Mother Nature environmental defenders, CIVICUS expresses concern over their continued imprisonment and its implications for civic freedoms in Cambodia.
Over the past year, Kenya’s government has launched an all-out assault on civic space to crush dissent both online and in the streets in response to last June’s anti-Finance Bill protests, global civil society alliance CIVICUS said in a new research briefing today.
CIVICUS joins human rights organisations in calling on the Indian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Khurram Parvez and to end the persistent misuse of counter-terrorism laws to target civil society and suppress dissent.
Summary Report: Roundtable on Democratic Decline and the Establishment of a UN Mandate on Democracy
A roundtable convened by CIVICUS and Democracy Without Borders in collaboration with the Human Rights Foundation on the margins of the Oslo Freedom Forum (25–28 May 2025) brought together around twenty participants with experience in international civil society, intergovernmental organisations, academia, human rights monitoring mechanisms, and national governments.
59th Session of UN Human Rights Council (16 June to 11 July 2025)
Overview
Structural Issues
Thematic Priorities
Country-Specific Priorities
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Overview
As civic space continues to shrink globally, the Council remains a vital platform for defending human rights and raising the voices of those most affected.
Amid growing repression, a collective of civil society organisations call on El Salvador government to immediately and unconditionally release detained human rights defenders and protesters, repeal repressive legislation, and stop assault on civic space.
More than 70 civil society organisations—including CIVICUS—have sounded the alarm over Italy’s new Security Decree, warning it poses a serious threat to democracy amid a systemic deterioration of the rule of law.
From 2–22 May 2025, CIVICUS participated in the 83rd Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and the preceding NGO Forum held in Banjul, The Gambia.
CIVICUS has joined over 300 global leaders, human rights experts, and organisations in a collective appeal urging the United Nations to act urgently to stop the execution of political prisoners in Iran.
CIVICUS joins national and international civil society organisations in expressing grave concern over recent legislative amendments in Peru that threaten civic space and the work of human rights defenders.
At CIVICUS, we believe in the fundamental importance of human rights and are dedicated to advancing the work of human rights defenders and protecting civic space.
Criminalising student human rights defenders (HRDs) protests shows a disturbing continuation of repression of right to peaceful assembly and protest in Bangladesh.
The 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women marks important milestones, with the 80th UN anniversary and the 30th Beijing Platform anniversary, amid growing threats to women's rights.
CIVICUS and fellow human rights organisations have issued an urgent appeal to the United Nations, calling for immediate and sustained support for Bangladesh during this pivotal moment of political transition.