Key highlights: CIVICUS at 59th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

We welcome the renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on human rights in Eritrea. By tabling a Resolution entitled “Discontinuation of the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Eritrea”, the Eritrean government made a direct attempt to silence victims and block justice and accountability. We welcome that the Resolution was rejected despite the inclusion of technical assistance elements. The mandate, first established in 2012, will continue to operate to ensure that a critical international voice for Eritrean victims remains active. Amid grave human rights violations, widespread impunity and militarisation of education, Eritrea has thus far refused access to UN human rights mechanisms, consistently rejected the benchmarks for progress set by Special Rapporteurs, and implemented none of the UPR recommendations it has accepted.

The adoption of the Resolution on Rohingya refugees represents a significant improvement if compared to past Resolutions. The Resolution welcomes the ASEAN’s decision on the implementation of the five-point consensus, adopted in October 2024 as the main reference to address the political crisis in Myanmar. It addresses the increasing restrictions on humanitarian access, in particular in Rakhine, Chin, Kachin, Shan, Kayah and Kayin States, and calls for the facilitation of the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of forcibly displaced Rohingya Muslims and other minorities from Myanmar, including internally displaced persons. However, it does not comprehensively address related security, safety and sustainability issues and fails to call for an end to arms transfers.

At this session, historically dedicated to the rights of women and girls, CIVICUS welcomes the adoption of Resolutions renewing the following:

• Mandate of Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity
• Mandate of the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls
• Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls.

Similarly, we welcome the renewal of the mandate of Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons as a key tool to addressing complex civil society problems related to internal displacement for reasons including armed conflict, generalised violence, human rights violations, and natural disasters. 

Angola’s UPR commitments welcomed — but crackdowns on protest persist 

Amnesty International and CIVICUS delivered a joint statement welcoming Angola’s acceptance of UPR recommendations to strengthen protections for freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, and to investigate and prosecute unlawful use of force and other violations during protests. These commitments align with Article 47 of Angola’s Constitution and its 1991 law on the right to assembly. However, the organisations expressed concern that these commitments are not reflected in practice. We highlighted the ongoing crackdowns on protests, excessive and sometimes lethal use of force against demonstrators, arbitrary arrests and detention of both protesters and bystanders, and the lack of accountability for violations and investigations into allegations of torture and ill-treatment of protesters. Read statement here.

Civic space still under siege in Eritrea 

CIVICUS expressed deep concern over the continued closure of civic space in Eritrea, where fundamental freedoms, including expression, religion, and association, are severely restricted. The use of arbitrary and incommunicado detention, often accompanied by torture and a lack of fair trial guarantees, remains widespread. Such violations are also linked to compulsory military service, where detention is used as punishment. Eritrea continues to rank last globally in press freedom, with no independent media, and peaceful protesters face arbitrary arrests and excessive force. Civil society organisations are unable to operate due to heavy censorship and burdensome restrictions. CIVICUS urged the Human Rights Council to call on Eritrea to end grave violations against civic actors and ensure accountability for systemic repression. Read statement here.

From crackdowns to censorship: spotlight on Burundi’s shrinking civic space at HRC59 

CIVICUS and Burundian civil society organisations raised alarm at the continued serious human rights violations in Burundi, exacerbated by systemic impunity. The restrictive law on foreign NGOs remains in place, hindering civil society work, while human rights defenders and activists face arbitrary arrests, detentions, threats, and surveillance. Particular concern was expressed over recent attacks on two journalists, targeted for reporting on issues deemed sensitive by authorities. In the lead-up to local elections, civic space has come under intensified pressure, with the Imbonerakure militia playing a key role in committing violations and suppressing information. CIVICUS urged the Burundian government to uphold human rights, end its crackdown on civic space, and fully cooperate with the UN Special Rapporteur by granting access to the country and engaging with the OHCHR and its regional office. At the 60th session the Council is expected to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur. Read statement here.

CIVICUS and Center for Civil Liberties call for accountability for rights abuses in Crimea

CIVICUS and the Centre for Civil Liberties based in Ukraine delivered a statement in response to the reports and updates of the UN Secretary-General and the High Commissioner, expressing deep concern over continued human rights violations in Crimea under Russian occupation. These include political persecution, media censorship, religious repression, and discrimination against Crimean Tatars, as well as enforced disappearances, torture, unlawful imprisonment, and forced mobilisation of Ukrainian citizens into the Russian army, amid the lack of redress for victims. The statement called on States to amplify visibility of these violations, provide sustained support to civil society, and ensure accountability through international investigative mechanisms. Read statement here.

  UPR Report on El Salvador adopted amid sharp decline in civic space

CIVICUS expressed deep concern at El Salvador’s increasing repression of civic space, particularly following its failure to implement any of the nine previously accepted UPR recommendations on fundamental freedoms. In the current cycle, only five out of 18 civic space-related recommendations were accepted, showing a clear regression. The country’s prolonged state of emergency has enabled intensified criminalisation of human rights defenders, journalists, and civil society organisations. Particular alarm was raised over the recently adopted Foreign Agents Law, which imposes harsh restrictions on organisations receiving international funding. CIVICUS urged the government to repeal this law, release all arbitrarily detained individuals, and ensure a safe environment for civil society in line with its international obligations. Read statement here.

Fiji’s UPR Report adopted: progress acknowledged, legal reforms still urgently needed

CIVICUS and FORUM-ASIA welcomed Fiji’s constructive engagement in the UPR process and its support for 12 recommendations concerning civic space. These include safeguarding freedoms of expression, assembly, and association, and repealing restrictive laws such as the sedition provisions in the Crimes Act and the amended Public Order Act. While positive steps have been taken since the 2022 government transition, such as repealing a restrictive media law, core concerns remain. Authorities continue to use the Public Order Act to impose arbitrary restrictions on peaceful protests, including those led by students and civil society groups in solidarity with Palestine. CIVICUS urged the government to review and repeal all laws used to curtail civic freedoms and ensure a safe environment for civil society actors, human rights defenders, and journalists. Read statement here.

With 2025 marking the 20th anniversary of the creation of the mandate of the Independent Expert on international solidarity, the brainstorming event aimed to reflect on the right to international solidarity as the foundation of 21st century multilateralism. The Independent Expert, CIVICUS, the Permanent Mission of Cuba and the Vice-Chair of CEDAW presented on the relevance of the concept of international solidarity in the face of the current global context.

Fifteen years after the establishment of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the freedom of peaceful assembly and association, civil society stands at a critical juncture, facing a rising tide of restrictions that challenge its resilience. In this event hosted by the Permanent Mission of Czechia, the Special Rapporteur, CIVICUS and Human Rights House Foundation discussed key trends, including restrictive legislation hindering meaningful public participation, restriction on access to resources, digital surveillance and new technologies, election-related restrictions, and other trends that strike at the heart of the fundamental right to freedom of association.

• “Free and fair elections: why freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and the right to association matter”, which reflected on the impact of the “super-election year” on the global protection of the rights to FoAA.
• “Advancing the implementation of the Model Protocol: uses of digital technologies in contexts of peaceful protest”, which addressed digital repression in protest contexts and highlighted the challenging environments faced by many among our partners.