protest
Wednesday 12.5.2021 Japan - Overview -
Opposition against Olympics continues, as state of emergency extended in Japan
In recent months, protests against the Olympics have persisted, including by nurses. A public broadcaster muted protests against the games during the Olympic torch relay. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it would prevent athletes from protesting or demonstrating at the Olympics, sparking criticism. Read more
Tuesday 11.5.2021 Brazil - Latest Developments -
Dictatorship-era National Security Law used to intimidate critics in Brazil
On 29th April 2021, Brazil became the second country to surpass 400,000 coronavirus deaths, according to data by Johns Hopkins University. In April 2021 alone, the country lost nearly 85,000 lives – the deadliest month yet of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more | Read in Portuguese
Thursday 6.5.2021 Nicaragua - Latest Developments -
Three years on, human rights abuses continue in Nicaragua
18th April 2021 marked the third anniversary of Nicaragua’s widespread socio-economic protests of 2018, which sparked an enduring human rights crisis. Read more
Wednesday 5.5.2021 Benin - Latest Developments -
Protests and violence precede controversial presidential elections without main opposition
On 11th April 2021, close to five million people were called to vote in Benin's presidential elections, a tense and controversial election as electoral reforms introduced in 2019 require candidates for the offices of president and vice-president to be sponsored by at least ten percent of the total members of Parliament and/or mayors (16 representatives). Following the disputed legislative elections in April 2019 – in which opposition parties could not participate due to stringent requirements under the 2018 Electoral Code – and the municipal elections in April 2020, in which only one opposition party gained a majority of councillors in seven municipalities. On 27th November 2020, the African Court on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR) rendered a decision calling on authorities in Benin to annul the contentious reforms to the electoral code.
Just days before the poll, protests broke out throughout the country, with some turning violent and other dispersed by excessive force, killing at least two people in Savè.
Read more
| Read in French
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 3.5.2021 Turkmenistan - Latest Developments -
Turkmenistan: New internet restrictions, new cases of persecution of outspoken activists
During the reporting period, the government continued to claim that Turkmenistan was COVID-19 free, although independent sources have reported that the pandemic has taken a serious toll in the country. As part of their efforts to cover up the COVID-19 outbreak in the country, the authorities made new attempts to track down medical workers sharing COVID-19 related information with exile-based outlets, which provide independent coverage of the situation in Turkmenistan. At the same time, President Berdymukhammedov attracted worldwide attention with his claim [https://www.rferl.org/a/turkmen-president-suggests-licorice-might-hold-the-answer-to-curing-covid-19/31028095.html] that liquorice might hold the answer to the cure for COVID-19 and ordered national scientists to work on a medicine based on this plant. Read more
Monday 3.5.2021 Timor-Leste - Latest Developments -
Bill governing cyberspace threatens to restrict freedoms as State of Emergency extended
Restrictions related to a proposed law governing cyberspace and the ongoing state of emergency threaten to affect the country’s civic space. Read more
Friday 30.4.2021 Finland - Latest Developments -
Protests over COVID-19 measures; women politicians targeted online
Protests against COVID-19 measures were staged during this period. As a result of the disrespect shown towards health measures by protesters, the municipal police are opening an inquiry into the gathering. In a separate protest in environmental rights, six protesters from Elokapina (Extinction Rebellion Finland) were arrested during a blockade. The NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence published a report which denounces gender-based online harassment targeting women ministers in the Finnish government Read more
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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Wednesday 28.4.2021 El Salvador - Latest Developments -
Experts underscore steep decline in freedom of expression in El Salvador
On 17th March 2021, journalist Wendy Hernández denounced comments made by a judge in the initial hearing of the journalist’s case against a man who allegedly harassed her during an interview. Read more | Read in Spanish
