non state actors
Thursday 9.6.2022 Chile - Latest Developments -
Chile: journalist Francisca Sandoval dies after being shot when covering protest
On 1st May 2022, during the Workers’ Day march in Santiago, shooters opened fire following an alleged altercation with protesters. Four people were injured, three of them journalists covering the march. Francisca Sandoval, a 29-year-old journalist with La Victoria's Señal 3, was critically wounded and died from her injuries on 12th May 2022. Read more
Thursday 9.6.2022 Maldives - Latest Developments -
Harassment of journalists, activists as well as anti-protest decree erodes freedoms in the Maldives
In recent months, journalists have faced harassment for covering protests, threatened in their office while a right to information activist was threatened. Human Rights Watch released a report that highlighted how the authorities were failing to protect freedom of speech and association while the de-registration of human rights group the Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) violated due process. A UN expert who visited the country raised concerns around the constriction of civic space and the digital harassment of women. The government has issued a decree restricting anti-India protests. Read more
Monday 6.6.2022 Chad - Latest Developments -
Six members and supporters of Wakit Tama arrested, charged following protest
Between 14th and 17th May 2022, six Wakit Tama members and supporters, including protest organisers, were arrested: secretary-general of the Trade Unions of Chad, Gounoung Vaima Ganfare; lawyer at the Chadian Bar Association Koudé Mbaïnaïssem; President of the Group of Civil Society Executives Hissène Massar Hissène, former ambassador Allamine Adoudou, secretary-general of the Union of Chadian Supplier Traders Youssouf Korom and spokesperson for Wakit Tama Max Loalngar, the former head of human rights organisation Chadian Human Rights League (Ligue Tchadienne de droits de l’homme). The six were charged with gathering to cause public disturbance, harm to property, and physical assault. The trial of the six is set to start on 6th June 2022. Read more
Wednesday 1.6.2022 Sweden - Latest Developments -
XR activists arrested for airport protests, far-right anti-Islam protest turns violent
Sixteen environmental activists from Extinction Rebellion Sweden were arrested for protesting at Swedish airports, the Local reports. Separately, on 22nd April 2022 violent riots occurred in Örebro, where the far-right Danish-Swedish extremist Rasmus Paludan was given authorisation to hold a demonstration. Read more
Wednesday 18.5.2022 Benin - Latest Developments -
Opposition members sentenced to prison; concerns about violations against LGBTQI+ people
In its annual report, issued in December 2021, the National Human Rights Commission noted its concern about "physical and sexual assaults, arbitrary detention, torture and inhuman and degrading treatment observed recently in Benin against Lesbians, Gays, Bi-sexuals, Transgenders, Queers, Intersex and others (LGBTQI+)". Read more | Read in French
Wednesday 18.5.2022 Honduras - Latest Developments -
Honduras: Lenca and Garífuna leaders killed within two days
On 30th April 2022, human rights defender and Lenca Indigenous leader Justo Benítez Sánchez was shot and killed at his home in the San Isidro community, Santa Bárbara department. He was a renowned leader who defended land and water rights and had a key role in the resistance against a mining project that would affect the Gualcarque River. Separately, on 1st May 2022, Garífuna leader Alonso Salgado was killed in an attack at the house of another Garífuna leader, Zury Quintanilla, in Rio Tinto. Read more
Tuesday 17.5.2022 Colombia - Latest Developments -
Colombia: attacks on HRDs and journalists amid increasing violence
According to data from the Observatory of Human Rights, Conflict and Peace of the Instituto de Estudios para el Desarrollo y la Paz (Institute for Development and Peace Studies - INDEPAZ), 64 social leaders and human rights defenders were killed between the beginning of 2022 and 19th April 2022. Read more | Read in Spanish
Wednesday 11.5.2022 Guatemala - Latest Developments -
Guatemala: freedom of expression in sharp decline
On 8th March 2022, journalist Orlando Villanueva was shot and killed in a public sports facility in Puerto Barrios, capital of the Izabal department. Read more | Read in Spanish
Wednesday 11.5.2022 Costa Rica - Latest Developments -
Costa Rica: partial veto of new Access to Information Law
In April and May 2022, violence against Indigenous peoples in China Kichá continued to take place with impunity. On 27th April 2022, the Legislative Assembly approved Bill 20.799, the “General Law of Access to Public Information and Transparency.” The bill was nicknamed the “Gag Law” by the Costa Rican press because its Article 8 established a series of limits on access to information. Read more | Read in Spanish
Saturday 30.4.2022 Poland - Latest Developments -
Judicial harassment of pro-abortion activist & activists helping refugees at Poland/Belarus border
Poland is increasingly criminalising humanitarian work on the Poland/Belarus border. Activists who previously received small fines for helping refugees are now charged with “organising an illegal border crossing”, which is a criminal offence punishable by eight years in prison. While the Polish government announced that it was allocating funding to NGOs for Ukraine crisis support, the funding, some funding was allocated to the National Guard Association, a far-right organisation that has been advocating for push backs. Further concerning developments on abortion rights took place: the death of a pregnant woman who was denied abortion sparked protests and Justyna Wydrzyńska, a human rights defender from the Polish group Aborcyjny Dream Team, faces up to three years in prison for supporting a pregnant woman who needed a safe abortion. In a positive development, the President vetoed proposed amendments to the law on education (dubbed Lex Czarnek), which would have censored workshops on LGBTQI+ rights and civic education in schools.
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