restrictive law
Friday 30.4.2021 Ireland - Latest Developments -
CSOs call for protection of the right to peaceful assembly during the pandemic
As fundamental rights continue to be restricted under the pretext of the health emergency, CSOs are calling for the need to protect the rights of “peaceful and pandemic-safe protesters”. The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) is requesting the government to demonstrate consideration for human rights by carrying out a ‘human rights test’ every time it makes the decision to restrict rights. More specifically, ICCL has called on the government to issue specific guidelines on how people can exercise fundamental rights such as protesting in a “pandemic-safe” way. During this reporting period, anti-lockdown protests were staged , with several protesters arrested. During a separate protest staged following the recent murder of British woman Sarah Everard, police took down the names of protesters which eventually caused protesters to disperse. Concerns have been raised about the “perceived inconsistency in policing demonstrations”.
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Thursday 22.4.2021 Canada - Latest Developments -
Civil society pushes back against restrictive laws in Canada
Several people were arrested for protesting against pipeline projects or to demand government action to address the climate emergency. 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 16.4.2021 Estonia - Latest Developments -
New centre-left government committed to supporting LGBTI and women’s rights
Chairperson of the Reform Party, Kaja Kallas, has become Estonia’s first female Prime Minister. With the formation of the new centre-left government, CSOs are hoping for a more open and enabling environment for civil society. Along with the new Prime Minister, her new cabinet has promised to support LGBTI+ communities, women and equality issues. In a concerning development, the government has approved legislation granting greater powers to police to curb violations of coronavirus restrictions. This includes the issuing of fines to violators of COVID-19 restrictions, with fines ranging up to €32,000 in the case of businesses and other organisations.
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Thursday 15.4.2021 Palestine - Latest Developments -
Amendments to Law on Charitable Associations and CSOs seek to restrict civic space further
Following the amendment of Law No. 1 on Charitable Associations and Civil Society Organisations and publication in the official papers on 2nd February 2021, civil society organisations (CSOs) issued a statement to express their absolute rejection of this law due to concerns that it intends to further restrict civic space. In another development, MADA Center documentation indicates a decline in the number of violations in Palestine, with 21 violations in February 2021, compared to a total of 37 violations during January 2021. The violations include the obstructing journalists from doing their work, harassment and detention of journalists.
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Wednesday 14.4.2021 Russia - Latest Developments -
Pro-Nalvany protests record unprecedented number of arrests and prosecutions
more than 11,000 people were detained by law enforcement and over 9,000 administrative cases and 90 criminal cases were filed against protesters calling for the release of Navalny across 125 cities between January and February; New law to regulate foreign agents which introduces criminal liability for natural persons-foreign agents who have not applied for their inclusion in the register of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation takes effect in March; Journalists face pressure because of their investigative activities Read more
Wednesday 14.4.2021 Armenia - Latest Developments -
Protests erupt over peace agreement, journalists under increasing pressure
Protests erupts after dissatisfaction with November 2020 peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan to end the war in Nagorno Karabakh; Increased pressure on Armenian media reported during the pandemic and war in Nagorno Karabakh; Defamation and insult fines increase threefold by parliament Read more
Monday 12.4.2021 Austria - Latest Developments -
Increased police powers to crackdown on protests, attempts to limit media freedom
Concerns have been raised about the speedy law-making processes, with well over 100 laws being passed since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, limiting the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens. The past months have seen diminishing compliance with COVID-19 regulations, resulting in an increasing number of protests, many of which have been organised by far-right groups and COVID-19 sceptics. Following the breaking up of a gathering of around 2,000 people against coronavirus measures on 3rd January 2021, and a further demonstration of 2,500 people on 6th January 2021, where three people were detained, the Ministry of the Interior and Vienna State Police Directorate have announced a tougher approach by security authorities through issuing strict guidelines for peaceful assemblies. International organisations such as Amnesty International are concerned that the guidelines do not establish clear criteria in placing restrictions on freedom of peaceful assembly, and simply grant greater powers to police in the context of the pandemic. Read more
Friday 9.4.2021 Denmark - Latest Developments -
CSOs call for Parliament to scrap the “Security for all Danes” draft law
Several CSOs, among them ActionAid Denmark, Amnesty International Denmark and Nyt Europa, have relaunched a series of actions to stop the “Security for all Danes” draft legislative proposal, as discussed at the first hearing in the Parliament on 23rd March 2021. Protests against anti-COVID restrictions have been organised in the last couple of months. Environmental rights groups who staged protests over the construction taking place at Lærkesletten on Amager Fælled (a habitat with many endangered species), were met with detentions.
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Friday 9.4.2021 Myanmar - Latest Developments -
Arrests, deadly attacks on protest movement escalate despite condemnation, sanctions on Myanmar
Two months since the Myanmar military seized power in a coup it has launched a brutal crackdown against a protest movement across the country. There have been reports of attacks on compounds of striking public-sector workers and targeting the general population in cities unleashing night-time terror by beating, arresting and even murdering people apparently at random, while destroying or looting private property.
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