Civic Space Developments
Friday 17.1.2020 Myanmar - Latest Developments
Despite serious crimes probe, Myanmar continues to silence critics and block the internet
Over the last few months, the authorities convicted film maker Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi and the Peacock generation poetry troupe for criticism of the military, while a Kachin activist was jailed for insulting a judge. The internet shutdown in Rakhine state remains. Rohingya campaigners outside the country faced threats while protesters continue to be arrested and convicted. Read more
Wednesday 15.1.2020 Papua New Guinea - Latest Developments
Activist group continues resistance against seabed mining in PNG
Over the last few months, an activist group known as the Alliance of Solwara Warriors have continued their campaign to ban seabed mining. Refugee and activist Behrouz Boochani was released from detention on Manus island after six years, a senior Papua New Guinea journalist was reinstated after being sacked briefly and thousands marched in support of West Papua. Read more
Tuesday 14.1.2020 Rwanda - Latest Developments
President Kagame Denies Spying on Opponents Abroad
American pastor deported on accusation of hate speech, President Kagame denies spying on dissidents abroad, while outspoken government critic confirms being a victim of surveillance while in exile Read more
Tuesday 14.1.2020 Eritrea - Latest Developments
Eritrea second on list of worst jailers of journalists in Africa
Eritrea accuses Qatar of supporting opposition groups and encouraging anti-government protests in Eritrea, Berlin’s ambassador to Eritrea summoned over DW’s (Germany’s state-owned international broadcaster) media coverage of the country Read more
Tuesday 14.1.2020 Tanzania - Latest Developments
Government tightens reins on civic freedoms during the last year
over the last year, the experienced continued closing of civic space by introducing restrictive laws, abduction and detention of HRDs, while crackdown on press freedom continued Read more
Monday 13.1.2020 United States of America - Latest Developments
People in the US turn to protest to demand changes to the status quo
As part of a campaign against University of California (UC)’s outsourcing of jobs, thousands of the school’s service and patient care workers held a strike on 13th November 2019. Read more
Monday 13.1.2020 Panama - Latest Developments
Report on freedom of expression highlights criminal defamation
On 10th December 2019, Panama’s Fórum de Periodistas por la Libertades de Expresión e Información (Journalists’ Forum for Freedom of Expression and Information) published a report on freedom of expression between 1st December 2018 and 30th November 2019. In the report, the criminalisation of slander and libel is highlighted as a serious restriction. In addition, according to the report, lawsuits demanding millions in compensation from journalists for “crimes against honour” have multiplied. Read more
Monday 13.1.2020 India - Latest Developments
Discriminatory citizenship law sparks a month of protests in India and brutal response from police
Over the last month, a divisive and discriminatory citizenship law has sparked widespread protests in India. It has been met with excessive force and deadly violence by the authorities, with at least 27 killed and hundreds injured. Critics of the law and activists have been arrested while there have been allegations of torture in detention by the police in Uttar Pradesh. The police also failed to protect attacks against students by a pro-government mob at Jawaharlal Nehru University. Read more
Friday 10.1.2020 Nauru - Latest Developments
Despite political change in Nauru, judiciary convicts 2015 protesters
In December 2019, a group of high-profile protesters known as the Nauru 19 were found guilty of rioting and other charges. They were charged after they had organised a protest outside parliament in June 2015 against the suspension of three parliamentarians for granting interviews, critical of the government, to foreign media. Read more
Wednesday 8.1.2020 Pakistan - Latest Developments
Activists disappeared or arrested in Pakistan while media faces restrictions and threats
Over the last few months, Pakistani human rights defender Idris Khattak was forcibly disappeared, activist Muhammad Ismail was arbitrarily detained on trumped up charges, while his daughter and women rights activist Gulalai Ismail fled the country. The authorities also denied entry to a representative from the Committee to Protect Journalists' (CPJ), warned news anchors not to express their opinions, while journalists from the Dawn newspaper faced threats for their reporting. Student protesters including Alamgir Wazir were arrested and charged for their activism. Read more
