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Friday 3.7.2020 Albania - Latest Developments
PM condemned for negative rhetoric against media, attempts to shut down TV station
Although the citizens and activists of Tirana called on the authorities to halt the plan to demolish a cultural heritage site of the city, their attempts were unsuccessful. Many people from different backgrounds took to the streets to protest the decision to demolish the National Theatre. They furthermore accused the authorities of starting the demolition while some of the protesters were in the building, thus endangering their lives. Police also used force to push back masses of protesters. A journalist was also detained during the protest. In a separate development, Prime Minister Edi Rama has been criticised for his negative rhetoric towards reporters and journalists in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The State Health Inspectorate has requested the closure of the RTV Ora Television station for violating the instructions by the Ministry of Health to allow only two people in television studios at a time. This is viewed as an attempt to silence critical journalism under the guise of the pandemic. Read more
Monday 29.6.2020 Chile - Latest Developments
Chilean police forces repress protests with COVID-19 regulations
On 18th March 2020, the Chilean government issued a decree that established an exceptional “state of catastrophe” for three months due to the coronavirus (COVID-19). The legislation also allowed the president to take further measures such as restrictions on gatherings in public spaces and individuals’ movement, quarantines or curfews. Read more
Monday 11.5.2020 Venezuela - Latest Developments
Crackdown on dissent and independent journalism during COVID-19
On 13th March 2020, a presidential decree declared a nationwide "state of alarm" in Venezuela due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Among other things, the decree prohibits public gatherings and authorises competent authorities to take "all necessary measures" to enforce orders related to quarantine and isolation. Read more
Tuesday 21.1.2020 Burundi - Latest Developments
Opposition politician found slain as government warns media ahead of 2020 elections
United Nations Special Envoy to Burundi, Michael Kafando, announced plan to step down, opposition party member raped and killed, national media regulator announces new code of conduct for journalists covering upcoming elections, 4 journalists arrested and detained while covering clashes between armed group and security forces Read more | Read in French
Monday 13.1.2020 United States of America - Latest Developments
People in the US turn to protest to demand changes to the status quo
As part of a campaign against University of California (UC)’s outsourcing of jobs, thousands of the school’s service and patient care workers held a strike on 13th November 2019. Read more
Thursday 31.10.2019 Chile - Latest Developments
“Chile has awoken”: several demonstrators killed and thousands detained in massive protests
Over a million people took to the streets in Chile during October 2019, in what started as a protest against higher transportation tariffs and developed into a nationwide movement. On 4th October 2019, a 30 peso (US$ 0.04) increase in metro fares was announced, prompting student-led protests. As the government cracked down on demonstrators, thousands of people joined in to express their general discontent with Chile’s high living costs and growing inequality. Read more
Thursday 11.7.2019 China - Latest Developments
Hong Kong protests met with excessive force as activists suppressed around Tiananmen anniversary
Since March 2019, activists in China have been arrested for their work and human rights lawyers banned from leaving the country while peaceful protesters have been detained by the authorities. In Hong Kong there has been mass protests against an extradition bill which has been met with excessive force by the police while surveillance was ramped up around the Tiananmen anniversary. Read more
Wednesday 3.7.2019 Sudan - Latest Developments
Protests in Sudan continue amid crackdown and internet blackout
In the latest mass protests in Sudan that took place on 30th June 2019, at least eleven people were killed, while over 180 were injured. Despite the Sudanese security forces’ violent crackdown of the peaceful sit-in on 3rd June 2019 in Khartoum, Sudanese people continued to mobilise to demand that the military hand over power to a civilian-led administration. Read more
Monday 1.7.2019 Papua New Guinea - Latest Developments
Attacks and threats against human rights defenders persist in Papua New Guinea
In recent months, civil society has reported the ongoing threats against human rights defenders, proposals to regulate social media by the government and protests by refugees on Manus island as they situation there deteriorates. Read more
Wednesday 5.6.2019 Tunisia - Latest Developments
Tunisia civic space under threat by emergency bill and attempts to undermine transitional justice
A repressive state of emergency draft bill is under discussion in parliament, while the state of emergency has been continuously extended for almost four years during which emergency powers have been abused resulting in human rights violations. The new bill could grant Tunisian authorities sweeping powers to repress civic rights. Additionally, in April, the Ministry of Human Rights and Relations with Civil Society distributed confidentially a proposal to parliament that would effectively ensure impunity for past gross human rights violations, many against peaceful protesters, and grant perpetrators amnesty, an attempt that will undermine victim's rights and civil society mobilisation for justice. Read more
