self censorship
Thursday 1.12.2022 Cuba - Latest Developments -
Cuban authorities harassing journalists and activists to force them to renounce their work
On 9th September 2022, human rights defender Raúl Soublett López announced the decision to shut down the Afro-Cuban Alliance, a project focused on LGBTQIA+ rights and racial justice. The activist also publicly renounced any socio-political activism, saying he would concentrate on his physical and mental health. Read more
Thursday 1.12.2022 Guatemala - Latest Developments -
Attacks on Guatemalan human rights organisations and justice operators
On 19th October 2022, the Attorney General’s Office raided the family house of Leily Santizo, a former prosecutor with the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG). The raid took place in execution of an arrest warrant against Santizo for alleged obstruction of criminal proceedings. Read more
Tuesday 22.11.2022 El Salvador - Latest Developments -
El Salvador: hostile environment for human rights defenders and journalists
In September and October 2022, civil society organisations and international human rights experts expressed concern about the effect of continued exception measures on fundamental freedoms in El Salvador. The coalition Mesa por el Derecho a Defender Derechos (Board for the Right to Defend Rights) said human rights defenders are carrying out their work amid a hostile environment, subjected to daily attacks. Read more
Saturday 1.10.2022 Haiti - Latest Developments -
Haiti: Escalating protests over multiple crises, with people calling for Prime Minister’s resignation
In August and September 2022, towns across Haiti saw recurrent protests over rising fuel prices amid shortages, inflation, poverty, food insecurity, gang violence and other pressing issues. Many of the protesters demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who they said has done little to address the country’s crises. Read more
Thursday 25.8.2022 Venezuela - Latest Developments -
Venezuela: Teachers protest for decent wages; killing and detention of HRDs
On 30th June 2022, Uwottujja leader and human rights defender Virgilio Trujillo Arana was shot and killed in Puerto Ayacucho, Amazonas state. He was a member of Organización Indígena Piaroas Unidos del Sipapo (Oipus), an Indigenous organisation, and coordinated Autana’s Uwottujja Indigenous guard, a group created to defend ancestral territories from illegal mining and other illicit activities. Read more
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 13.7.2022 El Salvador - Latest Developments -
El Salvador: three years of Bukele government marked by human rights crisis
Monitoring by national and international human rights groups has reported mass human rights violations taking place in El Salvador under the state of exception. As previously reported on the CIVICUS Monitor, President Nayib Bukele first declared a state of exception on 27th March 2022, following a surge in gang-related killings. This measure has been extended three times since then. Read more | Read in Spanish
Tuesday 17.5.2022 Tanzania - Latest Developments -
President Suluhu acts on promise to expand media freedoms, arbitrary arrests of journalists continue
President Suluhu meets exiled opposition leader; Opposition party chairman released from detention; Planned eviction of Maasai community sparks protests in Tanzania and UK; Legislative amendments approved to expand media freedom; New licences issued to newspapers banned during Maghufuli era; Arbitrary arrests of journalists a remaining concern Read more
Wednesday 4.5.2022 El Salvador - Latest Developments -
El Salvador: human rights defenders arbitrarily detained during state of emergency
On 24th April 2022, El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly extended the state of emergency for another 30 days, following a request from President Nayib Bukele.
Since a state of emergency was established to address gang-related violence, about 16,000 people were detained for alleged connections with criminal groups. Amid the crackdown, there have been reports of arbitrary detentions and police officers being made to fulfil arrest quotas, encouraging further due process violations. Human rights groups and journalists speaking out about abuses have faced stigmatisation and public vilification.
Read more
| Read in Spanish
Thursday 28.4.2022 Venezuela - Latest Developments -
Venezuela: censorship of independent media online and detention of elderly woman for satirical video
On 20th March 2022, military agents killed four Yanomami people in the Parima B sector of Alto Orinoco, Amazonas state. Three other Indigenous people, including a teenager and two military staff, were wounded amid a “confrontation.” Read more | Read in Spanish
