protestor(s) detained
Friday 9.4.2021 New Zealand - Latest Developments -
Protests on environment, against racism and pandemic lockdown in New Zealand
In recent months, there has been protests in New Zealand against the felling of native trees, against racism and the COVID-19 lockdown. Read more
Tuesday 6.4.2021 United Kingdom - Latest Developments -
Calls for #KilltheBill as the UK government seeks to stifle protests even further
the UK government and authorities have been cracking down on the right to peaceful assembly, with senior government officials labelling environmental and racial justice movements as ‘criminals’. During this reporting period, the government introduced a policing bill which gives significantly more power to the police and threatens peaceful assembly. The kidnapping and murder of Sarah Everard sparked protests over the lack of safety for women. A metropolitan police officer has been charged in connection with the murder. The disproportionate force used by police during a vigil to remember Everard led to a backlash against the government and police, in the context of attempts to increase police powers. Protests against the bill have been ongoing.
Read more
Tuesday 6.4.2021 United States of America - Latest Developments -
Protests against Anti-Asian attacks in the USA
Democrat Joe Biden was sworn in as the United States’ 46th president on 21st January 2021. The usual celebrations were cut back because of the coronavirus pandemic and the inauguration was also closed to the general public because of security concerns related to the 6th January 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol. Read more
Tuesday 6.4.2021 Venezuela - Latest Developments -
Five HRDs released in Venezuela, but cases of arbitrary detention and intimidation continue
During the 46th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet spoke about the situation in Venezuela. Read more
Wednesday 31.3.2021 Latvia - Latest Developments -
Concerns over proposed constitutional amendment which seeks to limit LGBTI rights
In December 2020, the Constitutional Court of Latvia granted ‘paternity’ leave to the female partner of a woman. This comes after the partner had been refused leave due to not being the biological father of the child. In deciding to grant the leave, the Constitutional Court acknowledged that under Article 110, which obliges the legislator to ensure protection for all families (regardless of marriage), the partner was entitled to leave. This Constitutional Court’s decision sparked a move by the far right-wing National Union Party to submit an amendment to article 110 to constitutionally strengthen the concept of family as a union between a man and a woman. Minister for Welfare Ramona Petraviča also expressed opposition to the decision of the Constitutional Court Read more
Monday 29.3.2021 Niger - Latest Developments -
Protests, clashes, internet shutdown follows second round of presidential elections
On 27th December 2020, legislative and presidential elections took place in Niger. Observers noted that the presidential elections could be the first peaceful democratic transition between two elected presidents in Niger. Since Niger's independence in 1960, the country experienced four coups.
As none of the presidential candidates gathered more than 50 percent of the votes, a second run-off vote between Mohamed Bazoum of the ruling Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS) and Mahamane Ousmane was organised on 21st February 2021. Protests and clashes erupted on 23rd February 2021 when it was announced that Bazoum had won with 55.75 percent of the votes.
Read more
| Read in French
Monday 22.3.2021 Chile - Latest Developments -
Chile: overwhelming majority approves Constitutional Convention
On 25th October 2020, an overwhelming majority of people in Chile voted in support of rewriting the country’s Constitution, paving the way for a Constitutional Convention which will be composed by representatives elected in April 2021. Read more | Read in Spanish
Monday 22.3.2021 Maldives - Latest Developments -
Despite UN review, Maldives authorities crack down on protests and target the media
In the last few months, we have seen a crackdown on opposition protests by the authorities and the failure to amend the regressive Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act to bring it in line with international human rights law and standards. Further, media workers have been targeted. There has also been a failure to review the arbitrary dissolution of human rights organisation the Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) and the seizure of their funds as recommended during the UPR review Read more
Friday 19.3.2021 Greece - Latest Developments -
Government silences free speech at universities, further restricts media freedom & ups surveillance
On 28th January 2021, approximately 5,500 people peacefully protested in Athens and Thessaloniki against a government education bill that, among other aims, intends to implement disciplinary measures that would scrutinise students for displaying banners and posters at university, thus limiting free expression, and would establish a police force at university campuses. Regarding the police force, even though the police officers would be unarmed, they would be qualified to arrest students and demand the presence of riot police when necessary. On 11th February 2021, the education bill was approved by the Greek Parliament with 166 votes in favour and 132 against. Following the bill’s approval, demonstrations erupted again. Police have used excessive force and detained protesters during protests. In another concerning development, the access of journalists to assemblies in Greece has been restricted due to the introduction of new guidelines into the “National Plan for the Management of Public Outdoor Assemblies”. Read more
Friday 19.3.2021 Belgium - Latest Developments -
Protests against racial and classist injustice face excessive and racialised policing
Durig this period, three major protests against racial and classist injustice were met with excessive force by police, according to the Belgian League of Human Rights (LDH). Police have been criticised for breaching the right to demonstrate and for the use of disproportionate force. According to the LDH, not only did the police first prohibit one of these protests but (while tolerating the event) also proceeded to intimidate people who may have intended to participate in the demonstration. LDH found that there was a “disproportion of police deployment” which included: riot police, around thirty police vehicles, dogs, cavalry, pumpers, drones and a helicopter. Police also arbitrarily detained people, including minors and several detainees reported having been subject to physical violence or racist and sexist insults and police failed to respect sanitary measures for those arrested. Read more
