minority groups
Wednesday 18.1.2023 United States of America - Latest Developments -
USA: civil liberties endangered and defended in the courts
In December 2023, the Treasury Department announced plans to expand protections for a range of activities that provide life-saving aid and peacebuilding in places where civilians need assistance. The announcement identified a number of new or amended General Licenses designed to meet basic human needs, specifying the types of activities and financial transactions that are permitted in areas where sanctions exist. Read more
Saturday 31.12.2022 Pakistan - Latest Developments -
Authorities in Pakistan continue harassment of journalists, persecution of activists and stifling of protests
Civil society has documented the criminalisation of journalists for their reporting and the ongoing persecution of human rights defenders. Further, the authorities have continued to arrest and use excessive force against opposition protests as well as around the Gwadar port protests. Read more
Friday 30.12.2022 Colombia - Latest Developments -
Colombia: four journalists killed in the second half of 2022
In December 2022, Colombia’s human rights ombudsperson said killings of human rights defenders (HRDs) and social leaders had reached a record high, with 199 killings recorded in the first 11 months of the year. Read more
Wednesday 28.12.2022 Montenegro - Latest Developments -
Political deadlock sparks mass protests
Political crisis and anti-government protests marked the last two months of 2022. The political crisis between the pro-Western, and pro-Serb and pro-Russian parties in Montenegro deepened in the past months. Montenegro has been in political deadlock for months after its Constitutional court was left without a quorum due to the retirement of judges. The court's blockage could make it difficult to organise next year’s presidential elections and early parliamentary elections. On 12th December 2022, hundreds of protesters again rallied under the slogan "We Are Many” in the capital. Clashes broke out between protesters and police following the adoption of the amended law giving the parliament's pro-Serbian, pro-Russian majority presidential powers. The move stripped the country's pro-Western president of a decisive role in appointing the prime minister. Read more
Monday 28.11.2022 Afghanistan - Latest Developments -
Protests escalate in Afghanistan as frustration with Taliban rule and abuses grow
In recent months, protests by women activists have been met by restrictions and violence as well as arrests, torture and ill-treatment. Media outlets have been banned and journalists covering protests restricted. Books and social media apps are being banned while political parties have effectively been banned. Read more
Tuesday 22.11.2022 Honduras - Latest Developments -
Honduras: attacks on Garífuna human rights defenders continue
Alfredo López Álvarez, a Garífuna human rights defender and member of the Triunfo de la Cruz Land Defence Committee, was threatened during the Central America Donors Forum 2022 in October 2022. Read more | Read in Spanish
Tuesday 22.11.2022 Austria - Latest Developments -
Palestinian activists face lawsuit and ban; climate activists threatened with SLAPPs
In December 2021, after long and intense protests by climate organisations and scientists, the ‘Lobautunnel’ project was put on hold by climate and transport minister Eleonore Gewessler. Nonetheless, the Municipality of Vienna threatened to initiate court proceedings against individual protesters - some of them minors - scientists and civil society organisations involved in the demonstrations against ‘Lobautunnel’. Separately, a member of BDS Austria is being sued for defamation by the municipality of Vienna over a social media post. This case sheds light on the underlying hostile context for Palestinian rights advocates in Austria, Read more
Monday 21.11.2022 Dominican Republic - Latest Developments -
Dominican Republic: anti-colonial demonstration attacked by ultra-nationalist group
On 27th July 2022, medical professionals protested in Santo Domingo to demand improvements in the country’s healthcare system. The peaceful protest organised by the Dominican Medical Association (Colegio Médico Dominicano - CMD) was joined by about 200 people, who marched from a maternity hospital toward the National Palace. Read more | Read in Spanish
Friday 28.10.2022 Denmark - Latest Developments -
Protests as government proposes to ban hijabs in schools
On 26th August 2022, several thousand people took to the streets in Copenhagen to protest the recent Danish government proposal to ban hijabs in primary schools, put forward by the ‘Danish commission for the Forgotten Women’s Struggle’. Read more
Wednesday 19.10.2022 France - Latest Developments -
Macron secures second term, climate movement targeted via Separatism bill
While President Emmanuel Macron was re-elected for a second term in April 2022, the presidential coalition Ensemble lost the absolute majority in the National Assembly following legislative elections in June 2022. After the results of the presidential election were announced on 24th April 2022, far-left protesters took to the streets in Mayor-run French cities. In Paris, Rennes and Toulouse some incidents were reported as police clashed with protesters. Concerning developments that took place in relation to the so-called Separatism bill. On 13th September 2022, the prefect of the Vienne department sent letters to public authorities in the Poitiers area urging them to withdraw their funding of “Village des Alternatives”, a festival organised by Alternatiba, a grassroots movement fighting against climate change and social inequalities. According to the prefect, the scheduled activities would allegedly breach the “contract of republican commitment”. However, the mayor of Poitiers, one of the recipients of the letter, criticised the request of the prefect as disproportionate and offered her support to Alternatiba, refusing to defund the activities. Read more | Read in French
