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Honduras: Trial of Guapinol defenders begins as state continues to ignore calls for their release

The trial of the Guapinol human rights defenders begins on 1 December, after 2 years of unlawful detention.
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Winners of the 2021 Innovation Awards!

Winners of the 2021 Nelson Mandela-Graça Machel Innovation Awards reflect the power of collective action.
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Over 100 Global foundations & donors pledge solidarity with blacklisted Palestinian civil society groups

Philanthropic leaders urge governments to uphold democracy and human rights by protecting civil society against repressive policies More than 100 global foundations and donors, most of them U.
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Honduras: Int. Law Experts file an amicus curiae brief requesting the cessation of criminal proceedings against the defenders of the Guapinol River

🇭🇳#Honduras: Together with ten other human rights organisations we have filed an amicus curiae challenging the unjust and arbitrary detention of the #GuapinolWaterDefenders.
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Sri Lanka: Two years on, escalating assault on freedoms by the Rajapaksa administration

Two years on from the election of Gotabaya Rajapaksa as President of Sri Lanka, the state of civic freedoms in the country continues to regress.
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Sri Lanka: Release human rights defenders detained for advocating for education rights

🇱🇰#SriLanka: Ahead of their trial tomorrow, the courts must grant bail to 5 human rights defenders detained for participating in peaceful protests to protect education rights, pending their release.
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ASEAN: Cambodia Chairmanship Should Thoroughly Address Crisis in Myanmar

We, the undersigned organisations, call on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) to increase its effort to address the ongoing human rights crisis in Myanmar, which was triggered by the attempted coup in February 2021.
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Five reasons why the elections in Nicaragua do not guarantee human rights

On 7 November 2021, general elections will be held in Nicaragua in the context of a deterioration of the human rights crisis that began with the repression of protests in April 2018.
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A decline in civic freedoms is anything but ‘silly’  

UK Member of Parliament, Jacob Rees-Mogg’s belittling of the CIVICUS Monitor's Watchlist is further evidence of the disregard for civil society and citizen activism in the country.
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The International Community Must Support and Protect Palestinian Civil Society

بالعربية As a group of 242 regional and international organisations, we express our full solidarity with Palestinian civil society and human rights defenders as Israel continues to escalate its attacks to shut down critical human rights work and silence opposition to its occupation of Palestinian territory and apartheid over the Palestinian people as a whole.
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Hongkong: Civic space deteriorates as another civil society group plans closure

#HongKong: The closure of @amnesty & other civil society groups highlights the devastating impact of the draconian #NationalSecurityLaw on #civicspace.
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Malaysia: IPCC bill is a step backwards for police accountability

Today, we—Amnesty International Malaysia, ARTICLE 19, CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation and Human Rights Watch—call on Members of Parliament in Malaysia to reject the deeply flawed Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC) bill and move quickly to table a bill to establish a police accountability mechanism that is truly independent and capable of ensuring adequate police oversight.
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Vietnam: Immediately release journalist and human rights defender Pham Doan Trang

  Ahead of her upcoming trial on 4 November, the undersigned 28 human rights and freedom of expression organizations today condemn the ongoing arbitrary detention of independent journalist and woman human rights defender Pham Doan Trang.
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Poland: A Year On, Abortion Ruling Harms Women

Anniversary Marks Ongoing Assault on Women’s Rights, Rule of Law Women, girls, and all pregnant people have faced extreme barriers to accessing legal abortions in the year since a Constitutional Tribunal ruling virtually banned legal abortion in Poland, 14 human rights organizations said today.
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Sudan: Stop harassing journalists and human rights defenders

🇸🇩#Sudan: Over the last few weeks, the Sudanese authorities have used criminal provisions which carry lengthy penalties to harass and intimidate journalists and human rights defenders.
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Afghanistan: Assault on peaceful protests highlight deteriorating space for civic freedoms

Global civil society alliance CIVICUS condemns the excessive use of force and arbitrary arrests by Taliban security forces as they crack down on protests in Afghanistan.
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Honduras: After two years in pre-trial detention, release arbitrarily detained Guapinol human rights defenders

🇭🇳#Honduras: Today marks 2 years since the pre-trial detention of the #GuapinolWaterDefenders for defending their land, water & environment.
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Uganda: Lift restrictions on NGOs and respect freedom of assembly and expression

🇺🇬#Uganda: The closure & suspension of over 50 #NGOs is a new low for human rights in a country with a history of severe restrictions on civil society groups.
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Myanmar: Activists behind bars

Following the February 2021 military coup, thousands in Myanmar have been arbitrarily arrested, detained, and attacked including human rights defenders, trade unionists, journalists, political and student activists, poets, writers, and monks.
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Zambia: New government must lift restrictions on civil liberties

🇿🇲#Zambia: We urge President @HHichilema to undertake commitments for a bold human rights agenda & revive civil liberties.
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Pakistan: Three years on, Prime Minister Imran Khan has overseen an assault on civic freedoms

Three years after Imran Khan took office as Pakistan’s Prime Minister in August 2018, global civil society alliance CIVICUS has documented an ongoing assault on civic freedoms.
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CIVICUS stands with indigenous peoples and calls for a new social contract

#IndigenousDay: Across the world, indigenous peoples continue to face marginalisation & exclusion.
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Thailand: Immediately repeal emergency regulation that threatens online freedoms

🇹🇭#Thailand: Joint statement by 1⃣7⃣ international CSOs calling on the authorities to immediately repeal emergency regulation that threatens online freedoms.
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Cambodia: A year on, the persecution of human rights defender Rong Chhun and other activists continue

CIVICUS, the global civil society alliance, calls on the Cambodian authorities to drop the baseless charges against trade union activist and human rights defender Rong Chhun and to release him immediately and unconditionally.
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Indonesia: Unilateral renewal of Special Autonomy and arbitrary arrest of protesters in West Papua

CIVICUS and TAPOL regret the revision and renewal of the Special Autonomy Law in West Papua (Papua and West Papua Provinces), which further strips critical aspects of decentralisation and autonomy for the region.
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India: Death of priest highlights persecution of human rights defenders under Modi government

"Human rights activism should not amount to the equivalent of a death sentence,” says CIVICUS, after receiving the devastating news that #Indian activist, Fr.
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Eswatini: Respect democratic rights and stop violence against peaceful protesters

🇸🇿#eSwatini: Africa’s last absolute monarchy has been rocked by the largest pro-democracy protests in years.

Cambodia: Government must end the persistent judicial harassment of environmental defenders

The Government of Cambodia must drop the charges against Mother Nature Cambodia (MNC) environmental defenders and immediately release them, said human rights groups Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Asia Democracy Network (ADN), CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Earth Rights International (ERI), and Front Line Defenders.
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Bangladesh: Hold security forces accountable for torture

Rights Groups Call for Decisive Action on International Day for Victims The Bangladesh government has failed to address widespread allegations of torture and ill-treatment by its security forces, ten rights groups said on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.
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Malaysia: Authorities reverting to repressive tactics of former governments to throttle expression online

🇲🇾#Malaysia: Authorities have launched a systematic campaign to silence critical voices online.
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French Separatism Bill threatens fundamental freedoms, warn civil society organisations

The proposed French "separatism" bill («Projet de loi confortant le respect des principes de la République») could threaten rights and civil liberties, according to French and European civil society organisations including CIVICUS, the European Civic Forum (ECF), Le Mouvement Associatif (LMA) and la Ligue des droits de l’Homme (LDH).
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Bangladesh: No accountability for killing of Mushtaq Ahmed 100 days on

🇧🇩#Bangladesh: Over 100 days since dissident writer, Mushtaq Ahmed, was killed in prison.

The French “separatism” bill raises concerns for rights and civil liberties

Dear Commissioner Didier Reynders, Dear Michael O’Flaherty, Cc: Commissioner Ylva Johansson, Vice President Vera Jourová The French “separatism” bill raises concerns for rights and civil liberties: the European Commission must question France We, civil society organisations that advocate for rights and values, for the defence of civil liberties and the rule of law, and against any form of discrimination, are writing to raise concerns about the French “separatism” bill («projet de loi confortant le respect des principes de la République») currently under discussion in Parliament.
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Call on UNHRC to adopt a resolution on human rights situation in Occupied Palestine

HRC 30th Special Session: Call on the United Nations Human Rights Council to adopt a resolution on the grave human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and in IsraelOn 27 May 2021, the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) will hold a Special Session in relation to the escalating human rights violations against the Palestinian people on both sides of the Green Line.
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Cambodia: Stop silencing critical commentary on COVID-19

🇰🇭#Cambodia: Government authorities have arrested dozens of individuals for expressing critical opinions about the government’s response to #COVID19.
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Belarus: Release arrested journalist after forced emergency landing at Minsk Airport

✈️#Belarus: The use of a false security threat to force the landing of a plane carrying journalist, Roman Protasevich, is a new low even by the standards of the Alexander Lukashenko government.
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India: Chronology of harassment against human rights defender Sudha Bharadwaj

Sudha Bharadwaj, aged 60, is a human rights lawyer and activist who has spent her life defending Indigenous people in India and protecting workers’ rights.
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Afghanistan: Joint call for immediate end to attacks against HRDs & need for protection & accountability

The threats, harassment, intimidation, and attacks against human rights defenders, activists, journalists, and media workers in Afghanistan must end – the undersigned international human rights organisations said.
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Indonesia: Activists at risk in the Papua region

Global civil society alliance, CIVICUS is extremely concerned about the risks facing activists in the region of Papua following new counter-insurgency operations in the region since late April 2021.
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Chad: Stop violence against peaceful protesters and respect democratic rights of Chadians

Chadian authorities must stop the brutal repression of peaceful protesters and ensure an immediate democratic transition in Chad, says global civil society alliance CIVICUS.
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Uganda: Stop arrests, detention, and targeting of opposition leaders and activists ahead of inauguration

🇺🇬#Uganda: Over 40 activists have been arrested ahead of today's presidential inauguration of @KagutaMuseveni Our statement on the arrests and the continued targeting of opposition leaders: https://t.
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Colombia: Stop brutal attacks and killings of protesters

🇨🇴At least 20 killed in #Colombia as police brutally crackdown on protests.
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Cambodia: Conviction of environmental defenders another blow to civil society

From left to right: Long Kunthea, Thun Ratha and Phuon Keoreaksmey The conviction of environmental defenders today highlights again the rapid deterioration of human rights and space for civil society in Cambodia, says global civil society alliance CIVICUS.
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Myanmar: ASEAN meeting outcomes ignores assault on rights and civil society

Global civil society alliance CIVICUS is disappointed that the outcomes of the regional ASEAN summit held in Jakarta fell short of what is necessary to address Myanmar’s human rights crisis, including by failing to call for the immediate release of human rights activists, journalists and others arbitrarily detained.

A year after imprisoned Saudi activist Abdullah al-Hamid’s passing, NGOs call for accountability & release of all HRDs

April 24, 2021 marks one year since prominent Saudi human rights defender Dr Abdullah al-Hamid passed away, while serving an 11-year prison sentence on politically motivated charges.
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ASEAN summit must call on Myanmar's military to end the violence and restore elected government

  Re: ASEAN summit must address grave violations in Myanmar by security forces To: H.
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Cuba: Int’l action needed to hold Cuban government accountable for human rights violations

The international community must demand accountability from the Cuban government for its actions and to immediately stop unlawful short-term arbitrary detentions, house arrests, forced exile, and smear campaigns against dissenting voices In response to the aggressive acts committed by police officers in recent weeks against Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) activists on hunger strike; the beatings and arrests of members of the San Isidro Movement; the forced exile imposed on Cuban citizens, making them stateless; permanent house arrests; and smear campaigns against journalists, artists, and dissidents, the undersigned 7 organizations issue the following statement:
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UK: Stop the violence against protesters and amend the Policing Bill

The use of violence against peaceful protesters in the United Kingdom (UK), who are protesting against the draconian police, crime, sentencing and courts bill, is a major assault on the right to peaceful assembly in the UK and indicative of how peaceful protesters will be treated if this bill is eventually passed into law.
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Thailand: NGO law would strike ‘severe blow’ to human rights

The Thai authorities’ adoption of a draft law to regulate non-profit groups would strike a severe blow to human rights in Thailand, several international organizations said today.
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Bangladesh: Authorities must conduct investigations into death of protesters

The Bangladeshi authorities must conduct prompt, thorough, impartial, and independent investigations into the death of at least 14 protesters across the country between 26 and 28 March, and respect the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, said 11 human rights organisations in a joint statement today.

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