Civic Space Developments
Thursday 8.12.2022 Nicaragua - Latest Developments -
Nicaragua in contempt of international human rights mechanisms
On 18th October 2022, the Ministry of the Interior ordered the removal of the legal status of 42 national civil society organisations (CSOs) and the cancellation of the operating registration of 58 foreign CSOs, most of them from the United States, Spain and Germany. Read more
Thursday 8.12.2022 North Korea - Latest Developments -
North Korean authorities have used the pandemic to increase border security and further repress citizens
There have been ongoing reports of civic space violations in recent months. The authorities have continued to monitor cell phones at the border and crack down on foreign video content from South Korea, imposing heavy prison sentences on offenders. Human rights groups have also reported the government has substantially increased security along its northern border, using COVID-19 as the justification. Read more
Tuesday 6.12.2022 United States of America - Latest Developments -
USA: Massive workers’ strike at California university
On 14th November 2022, about 48,000 graduate students and staff at the University of California (UC) launched a system-wide labour strike at all ten campuses to demand higher wages, improved leave for parents and caregivers, childcare support and full funding for public transit. Read more
Tuesday 6.12.2022 Qatar - Latest Developments -
As Qatar hosts the FIFA World Cup, human rights organisations draw attention to its dismal human rights record
Head of Qatar’s World Cup organising committee, Hassan al-Thawadi, accused teams who wanted to wear the OneLove armband at the World Cup of sending a “very divisive message” to the Islamic and Arab world; The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) documents the grave violations committed against foreign workers; a Resolution of the European Parliament urged FIFA and Qatar to compensate widespread abuses that migrant workers suffered while building the 2022 World Cup infrastructure; the Qatar Criminal Court of Appeal upheld the life sentences handed down to a number of human rights activists Read more
Monday 5.12.2022 Bolivia - Latest Developments -
Bolivia: Strike paralyses Santa Cruz department for over a month
From 22nd October 2022, civilian groups in the Santa Cruz department launched an indefinite strike against the postponement of a national population and housing census. Read more
Monday 5.12.2022 China - Latest Developments -
Widespread protests in China met with repression including restrictions, harassment and censorship
Unprecedented protests have erupted across China including in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Lanzhou, Guangzhou, and Chengdu due to widespread public frustration with the “zero-COVID” policy, lockdowns and other restrictions. The authorities have moved swiftly to stifle the mass protests by blocking protest sites, harassing and arresting protesters, and have stepped up surveillance and censorship of social media.
Read more
Thursday 1.12.2022 Cuba - Latest Developments -
Cuban authorities harassing journalists and activists to force them to renounce their work
On 9th September 2022, human rights defender Raúl Soublett López announced the decision to shut down the Afro-Cuban Alliance, a project focused on LGBTQIA+ rights and racial justice. The activist also publicly renounced any socio-political activism, saying he would concentrate on his physical and mental health. Read more
Thursday 1.12.2022 Panama - Latest Developments -
Panama: judicial harassment continues to affect freedom of expression
In a report presented at its 78th General Assembly in October 2022, the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) stated that judicial harassment remained the main threat to freedom of the press in Panama. Read more
Thursday 1.12.2022 Guatemala - Latest Developments -
Attacks on Guatemalan human rights organisations and justice operators
On 19th October 2022, the Attorney General’s Office raided the family house of Leily Santizo, a former prosecutor with the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG). The raid took place in execution of an arrest warrant against Santizo for alleged obstruction of criminal proceedings. Read more
Thursday 1.12.2022 Iraq - Latest Developments -
Journalists barred from entering parliament to cover election of the President
Iraqi Parliament’s media department prevented a group of journalists from entering the parliament building to cover the election of the President of the Republic; The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) launched a report entitled “Patterns of Torture in Iraq” which focuses on the main patterns of torture in Iraq since the beginning of the widespread peaceful demonstrations that erupted across the country on 1st October 2019; Human Rights Watch reported on the push to silence LGBTIQ+ rights in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Read more
