India, Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand - restrictive law
Monday 23.8.2021 Singapore - Latest Developments -
Singapore PM listed as press freedom ‘predator’ as journalists continue to be targeted
In recent months, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was included in a list of violators of press freedom. Journalists have continued to face defamation and other charges for their reporting, there are reports of increasing surveillance and an individual has been charged under the Official Secrets Act. Read more
Friday 9.7.2021 India - Latest Developments -
Death of Fr Swamy and increasing online restrictions highlights risk facing activists in India
Ongoing calls for the authorities to release human rights defenders and activists detained under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) have escalated following the death in custody of Fr Stan Swamy, a Jesuit priest and human rights defender. UN experts have raised concerns about the arrest and detention of tribal rights activist Hidme Markam detained in February 2021. Social media companies, in particular Twitter, have been targeted by authorities to stifle dissent. Read more
Monday 24.5.2021 Singapore - Latest Developments -
Singapore continues to stifle fundamental freedoms despite UN human rights review
In recent months, Singapore has continued to attack fundamental freedoms and use laws against critics and human rights defenders despite facing a UN review of its rights record. It has continued to wield repressive laws such as the Public Order Act and defamation provisions against human rights defenders, activists and journalists. It has also continued to criminalise individuals organising peaceful protests. Singapore has dropped two places in the Reporters Without Borders' World Press Freedom Index. Most recently, it issued a warning around an event discussing LGBTQI+ issues. Read more
Tuesday 4.5.2021 India - Latest Developments -
Indian authorities continue to stifle dissent and persecute activists despite pandemic surge
As the coronavirus pandemic rages in India, claiming thousands of lives, the authorities have continued to stifle civic freedoms. The authorities are formulating a new policy to regulate civil society that has raised concerns. Activists and critics continue to be persecuted and silenced with the use of restrictive laws. New regulations imposed in February 2021 allow greater governmental control over online content. Twitter and Facebook have been forced to take down or block political content critical of the government. Farmers are continuing their protests against new laws. Read more
Monday 19.4.2021 Thailand - Latest Developments -
Crackdown on Thai activists continues as new restrictive NGO law proposed
Since the beginning of 2021, scores of activists have been charged for lese majeste, sedition and other violations, including seven leading pro-democracy protesters who have been denied bail. A restrictive new NGO law has been proposed that could be used to muzzle civil society groups and non-governmental organisations. The security forces have used rubber bullets, tears gas and water cannon to disperse protests while the authorities are increasingly invoking the lese majeste laws to restrict public discourse on the monarchy. Read more
Friday 2.4.2021 Pakistan - Latest Developments -
Attacks on Aurat March, minorities and critics highlight shrinking space for dissent in Pakistan
In recent months, intimidation and threats against women activists involved in the Aurat March have been experienced, while groups continue to raise concerns about enforced disappearances. Pashtun activists have been arrested for their comments during protests while transgender persons have continued to face attacks. The authorities also attempted to increase controls over the media while three people were sentenced to death for online blasphemy. Read more
Wednesday 24.2.2021 India - Latest Developments -
Indian authorities target activists, journalists as they suppress support for the farmers’ protests
Since early January 2021, the authorities have continued to suppress and demonise the farmers protest movement using excessive force with over a hundred detained and charged as well as blocking roads and protests spaces. Activists supporting them have been criminalised using draconian laws as well as journalists reporting and commenting on the protests. The government has also attempted to silence criticism online. Read more
Wednesday 3.2.2021 Singapore - Latest Developments -
Singapore targets peaceful protesters and continues judicial harassment of critics
In recent months the Singaporean authorities have continued to use the restrictive Public Order Act to charge human rights activist Jolovan Wham, arrest LGBT activists and warn social media users against peacefully protesting. It has also continued to harass independent news outlet New Naratif and to prosecute critics for defamation. Read more
Tuesday 12.1.2021 India - Latest Developments -
Persecution of activists, raids in Kashmir and increasing restrictions on foreign funding in India
In September 2020, the Indian Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill 2020 was adopted which would impose further restrictions on civil society. In October 2020, Jesuit priest Father Stan Swamy was the latest activist to be arrested under the UAPA while the health of detained poet and social activist Varavara Rao continues to deteriorate. Also, in October, raids were conducted on human rights defenders, non-governmental organisations and newspapers in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. Journalists and human rights lawyers continue to be targeted for exercising their freedom of speech while student activists and protesters remain in jail for their activism. Farmers continue to protest against new farm laws. Read more
Wednesday 2.12.2020 Thailand - Latest Developments -
Thai authorities use excessive force, lese-majeste laws to clamp down on pro-democracy protests
There have been ongoing pro-democracy protests in Thailand demanding the dissolution of Thailand’s military-backed government led by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the drafting of a new constitution and an end to the harassment of activists and government critics. Over the last month, the authorities have continued to attempt to suppress the protests by using excessive force and blocking public spaces, charging protest leaders for lese-majeste, targeting student protesters and using disinformation tactics
Read more
