negative court ruling
Friday 10.1.2020 Nauru - Latest Developments
Despite political change in Nauru, judiciary convicts 2015 protesters
In December 2019, a group of high-profile protesters known as the Nauru 19 were found guilty of rioting and other charges. They were charged after they had organised a protest outside parliament in June 2015 against the suspension of three parliamentarians for granting interviews, critical of the government, to foreign media. Read more
Friday 20.12.2019 Uruguay - Latest Developments
Protests against pulp mill met with excessive force in Uruguay
On 5th September 2019, hundreds marched in Montevideo to protest the large new pulp mill that company UPM plans to construct in Paso de los Toros, department of Tacuarembó. The march was convened by a coalition of over 60 civil society organisations, the Coordinación Nacional contra UPM (National Coordination against UPM). Read more
Thursday 21.11.2019 Zimbabwe - Latest Developments
Groups strike, protest, amid deteriorating economic conditions
Doctors in public hospitals down their tools as they go on strike to demand increased salaries, civil servants protest in Harare demanding salary increments amidst tough economic conditions, opposition group MDC's supporters violently dispersed in planned protest against deteriorating economic conditions Read more
Monday 4.11.2019 Burundi - Latest Developments
Commission of inquiry slams human rights abuses ahead of elections
UN Commission of Inquiry on Burundi (CoI) concluded in its report, released on 4 September 2019, the existence of a climate of fear and intimidation for those who do not support the ruling party, controversy surrounds the killing of two opposition party members on 11 July 2019, while in police custody, At least one person was killed and 10 others wounded after fighting occurred between members of ruling CNDD-FDD party and those of the National Congress for Liberty (CNL) opposition party in Mubimbi commune, CSO PARCEM suspended by government, HRD Germain Rukuki's 32 year sentence upheld by Court of Appeal in his absence, BBC closes office until further notice Read more
Monday 4.11.2019 Rwanda - Latest Developments
South Africa issues warrants for two Rwandans in 2014 murder of ex spy chief
Australia's national broadcaster reported that a network of alleged Rwandan spies has been working to suppress dissident refugees in the country, South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority issued arrest warrants for two Rwandans accused of murdering Rwandan critic Colonel Patrick Karegeya, who was found dead in his hotel room in Johannesburg in 2014, Syridio Dusabumuremyi, an official of the FDU-Inkingi party had been stabbed and murdered in an attack by two men at a shop where he worked, Rwanda voted in favour of extending the mandate of the United Nations LGBT rights watchdog for another three years at the U.N. Human Rights Council, Supreme Court in Rwanda rejected a challenge to the law created in 2018 which maintains that it is a crime to insult the president, Burundian musician Jean Pierre Nimbona, popularly known as Kidum, was banned from playing at the Kigali Jazz Fusion festival. Read more
Thursday 31.10.2019 Kyrgyzstan - Latest Developments
Kyrgyzstan: Journalists and media face threats, attacks as ex-president is arrested
This update covers developments concerning freedom of association, peaceful assembly and expression in Kyrgyzstan from the beginning of July to the beginning of October 2019. The International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and the Legal Prosperity Foundation (LPF) have prepared the update within the framework of their cooperation with the CIVICUS Monitor. Read more
Monday 28.10.2019 Chad - Latest Developments
Journalists prosecuted, media outlets suspended
On 23rd September 2019, a court in N'Djamena sentenced journalist and editor for the quarterly Salam Info, Martin Inoua Doulguet, to a prison sentence of three years and a high fine of two million CFA francs (3,390 USD), to be paid jointly with co-accused Abdramane Boukar Koyom, editor of the satirical newspaper Le Moustik. The latter was not given a prison sentence. Read more | Read in French
Tuesday 22.10.2019 Guinea - Latest Developments
Protests against constitutional changes : at least 9 killed, several activists sentenced to prison
The Front national de la défense de la Constitution (FNDC; National Front for the Defense of the Constitution) a coalition of opposition parties, civil society organisations and trade unions formed in April 2019, vowed to use 'all legal means' to oppose any changes in the Constitution, which could see the two-term limit for presidents removed, allowing president Alpha Condé to run for a third term. Nationwide protests, called for by FNDC, were repressed, with at least 9 people killed, while protest leaders were arrested in the days leading up to the protests. Read more | Read in French
Thursday 26.9.2019 Ecuador - Latest Developments
Protests against economic austerity met with repression in Ecuador
On 16th April 2019, hundreds of Ecuadorians marched in Quito against the withdrawal of Julian Assange’s asylum status and the austerity measures imposed by the government of President Lenín Moreno. According to reports, as the demonstration neared the presidential palace, they were met with police repression. Police used tear gas, clubs and horses, leaving several people injured.
On 11th April 2019, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was arrested by police at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London where he had been granted asylum since 2012. On 13th April 2019, Ola Bini, a Swedish privacy and internet security developer and activist, was arrested at Quito’s international airport as he was about to board a flight to Japan. He was detained for over two months without trial and without clear charge.
Read more
| Read in Spanish
Thursday 26.9.2019 Azerbaijan - Latest Developments
Families protest conviction of youth involved in July 2018 protest
family members of protesters who were arrested and detained in July 2018 took to the streets to protest the arrests and detentions, Azerbaijani journalist Sevinj Vagifgizi for ‘filming election fraud’, Supreme Court upheld reportedly baseless charges of tax evasion against journalist Khadija Ismayilova, while journalist is released from prison Read more
