CSO closure
Friday 30.12.2022 Ukraine - Latest Developments -
Anti-war solidarity protests continue abroad
Ukraine to limit activities of religious organisations affiliated with Russia ; Anti-War protests continue across Europe; Read more
Tuesday 27.12.2022 Palestine - Latest Developments -
Israeli occupation forces raid, damage and seal offices of several CSOs; Jerusalem born French-Palestinian lawyer exiled to France
On the morning of 18th August 2022, the Israeli occupying forces (IOF) entered, raided and sealed the entrances to the offices of seven CSOs, damaging and confiscating property while doing so. Following the raid, IOF attached a new door to the organisation’s offices and welded it shut to prevent any future access, attaching a military order announcing the association’s closure under Article 319 of the Emergency Regulations, of 1945.On 18th December 2022, Israeli occupation authorities unlawfully and forcibly deported Jerusalem born French-Palestinian lawyer Salah Hammouri, exiling him to France. This comes after Israel’s Supreme Court rejected Hammouri’s appeal against the revocation of his right of residence in Jerusalem on 29th November 2022. Additionally, several HRDs and journalists were targeted Read more
Thursday 8.12.2022 Nicaragua - Latest Developments -
Nicaragua in contempt of international human rights mechanisms
On 18th October 2022, the Ministry of the Interior ordered the removal of the legal status of 42 national civil society organisations (CSOs) and the cancellation of the operating registration of 58 foreign CSOs, most of them from the United States, Spain and Germany. Read more | Read in Spanish
Wednesday 30.11.2022 Somalia - Latest Developments -
Somaliland: Media and journalists face new wave of attacks
In Somaliland, delayed elections spark protests, as media and journalists bear the brunt with increasing attacks and restrictions Read more
Tuesday 1.11.2022 Tanzania - Latest Developments -
Reprieve proves elusive for Maasai community protesting evictions
Pastoralists accused of conspiring to murder government and police officers deployed in a game reserve, and of killing police officer Garlus Mwita in Ololosokwan Village, Ngorongoro District during a protest they held on 10th June 2022, after an arrow was allegedly shot at the officer while he was attempting to demarcate land in Loliondo; East African Court of Justice (EACJ) dismissed a lawsuit filed by a group of Maasai villagers who claimed that the Tanzanian government used force to evict them from their ancestral grounds; Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) ordered online news outlet DarMpya to suspend its publication over expired licence; Tanzanian Information Minister Nape Nnauye warned against promoting same-sex relations on social media Read more
Tuesday 1.11.2022 Chad - Latest Developments -
"Black Thursday": at least 50 killed in protests against extension of military transitional period
On 20th October 2022, dozens of people were killed in protests across the country against the decision of the military junta to extend the transitional period by another two years. Civil society actors and opposition, including the platform Wakit Tama and opposition party Transformateurs, had called for the protests on 20th October 2022 - the day that would mark the end of the initially agreed 18-month transition to civilian rule. On 19th October 2022, authorities banned the protests saying organisers had not complied with legal provisions related to protests, adding that the protest "aims to create a popular and armed insurrection with the support of external forces in order to destabilise the country". Read more | Read in French
Thursday 6.10.2022 Belarus - Latest Developments -
As Belarus marks 2nd anniversary of the 2020 protests, pressure against CSOs and protesters continues
Forced liquidation of civil society organisations continues; Illegal trials against peaceful protesters continue; Read more
Thursday 15.9.2022 Guinea - Latest Developments -
Military junta dissolves FNDC coalition following protests
On 8th August 2022, Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation of the military transitional government, Mory Condé, issued an order dissolving Front National pour la Défense de la Constitution (FNDC), a coalition of political parties, trade unions and civil society groups formed in April 2019 against any changes in the Constitution as to allow former President Alpha Condé to run for an unconstitutional third term. In the order, the military transitional government accuses FNDC of perpetrating violence and targeting security forces during protests. The order further motivates the group's dissolution as FNDC "jeopardises national unity, public peace and peaceful living together, does not appear on the list of NGOs in Guinea, nor on the list of association collectives […] and even less in the directory of NGOs approved in Republic of Guinea".
Read more
| Read in French
Tuesday 23.8.2022 Nicaragua - Latest Developments -
Nicaragua: closure of CSOs, community radio stations, and television cable channel
The repression and persecution of civil society organisations, religious groups, and independent press continues unabated. In recent months, leaders of the Roman Catholic Church were particularly targeted. Church representatives who attempted to mediate dialogues between the government and opposition in 2018 have been branded as “terrorists” by President Daniel Ortega. Read more | Read in Spanish
Wednesday 10.8.2022 Bangladesh - Latest Developments -
Bangladesh authorities intensify persecution of rights group Odhikar, journalists, and critics
In recent months, civic space violations have continued to take place, including the judicial harassment of human rights group Odhikar and their staff as well as ongoing attacks by ruling party youth activists, carried out with impunity. There have been cases of arrests and attacks against journalists, the use of blasphemy charges against teachers, and the seven-year conviction of a student for a social media post critical of the government. Regulations to increase control over the digital space has also been proposed in the government. Read more
