Welcome to Civil Society Watch Monthly Bulletin, an e-newsletter of updates and analyses concerning civil society's rights to freedom of association, assembly and expression around the world. The Bulletin is compiled by the staff at Civil Society Watch, a programme of CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation. Please feel free to forward the Bulletin to friends and colleagues. We welcome your comments and contributions!
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Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative – Silencing the Defenders: Report to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meet
For more information, click here.

International Center for Civil Society Law – International Journal of Civil Society Law Newsletter
For more information, click here.

International Council on Human Rights – When Legal Worlds Overlap: Human Rights, State and Non-State Law
For more information, click here.

International Service for Human Rights – Briefing Paper on the Right to Freedom of Expression
For more information, click here.


Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe – Report on the Kyrgyz Presidential Elections
For more information, click here.

Reporters Without Borders – Press Freedom Index
For more information, click here.



CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation is an international movement of civil society with members and partners in over a hundred countries. CIVICUS nurtures the foundation, growth and protection of citizen action throughout the world especially in areas where participatory democracy and citizens’ freedom of association are threatened. The Civil Society Watch Programme of CIVICUS seeks to mobilise quick, principled and effective responses to events that threaten civil society fundamental freedoms of expression, association and assembly.


The Eurasia IDEA Network is getting ready for its 2nd Workshop to be held in Geneva. The workshop will focus on capacity building to engage with the UN Human Rights bodies, as well as with international NGOs that are involved in monitoring and advocacy to protect and expand the space for civil society in restrictive environments. The workshop will also give regional civil society an opportunity to attend sessions of the UN Human Rights Council and observe the Universal Periodic Review process with a view to engaging in this important forum. Time will also be allocated for strengthening the network mechanisms and bodies. Given the downward trends in human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Eurasia region, we hope that this workshop will open up new opportunities for leverage to our regional colleagues.


African leaders adopt landmark refugee convention
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ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights launched
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UN Human Rights Council endorses Gaza fact finding report
For more information, click here.



CIVICUS submission to the Commonwealth Committee of the Whole
Read more.

CIVICUS calls for restoration of democracy and justice in Guinea
Read more.

CIVICUS dismayed at trial court proceedings in the case of Kazakh human rights defender
Read more.

CIVICUS condemns conviction of noted Turkmen environmental activist under questionable circumstances
Read more.






AZERBAIJAN: The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) accuses government of jailing journalists on “trumped up” charges
For more information, click here.

COLUMBIA: UN Special Rapporteur highlights patterns of persecution of human rights defenders at US congressional hearing
For more information, click here.

MEXICO: Investigation demanded into alleged torture of members of peasant organisation
For more information, click here.

PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES: Palestinian Authority does U-turn on Gaza fact-finding report
For more information, click here.

PAKISTAN: The International Crisis Group (ICG) warns that military offensive unlikely to succeed if political reforms in tribal areas not implemented
For more information, click here.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION: Noted civil activist assassinated in Ingushetia; For more information, click here
Chair of “Memorial” fined following defamation suit by Chechen President. For more information, click here.

TURKEY: LGBT organisation faces closure on account of disturbing "public morality"
For more information, click here.

UGANDA: Bill criminalising promotion of homosexuality introduced with grave implications for LGBT groups, human rights defenders and NGOs
For more information, click here.

UNITED STATES: Senate Judiciary Committee approves bill to extend life of controversial Patriot Act
For more information, click here.

UZBEKISTAN: Human rights defender sentenced to five years in prison for "fraud"
For more information, click here.

ZIMBABWE: Government withdraws invitation to UN Special Rapporteur on Torture; For more information, click here
Human rights defenders arrested on flimsy grounds in separate incidents. For more information, click here.






Following a workshop during 17 – 19 September 2009, civil society partners have commenced with the full implementation of the Early Warning System. Partners have been monitoring the civil society space of their respective countries since 1 October 2009 and most have provided their first bi-weekly reports on the observed threats. During this first month of monitoring a number of high level threats have been identified and the EWS group is now discussing the formulation of tailored response strategies. For a summary of high level threats identified in Ethiopia, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia and Uzbekistan, click here. For more information, contact the CSW team at: cswatch@civicus.org






Interview with Kirk Herbertson, Institutions and Governance Program, World Resources Institute

The World Resources Institute (WRI) is an environmental think tank in Washington DC that works at the intersection of the environment and development. Kirk works in WRI’s Institutions and Governance Program, whose goal is to empower people and support institutions to foster environmentally sound and socially equitable decision-making. His work focuses in particular on the impacts of international financial institutions—such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and World Bank—on the rights of local communities whose lives are closely tied to their land and natural resources. To read more about Kirk’s work and the approach of the IFC and the World Bank Group to human rights and civil society engagement, click here.

DISCLAIMER
The views expressed in this bulletin are a reflection of those contained in the original reports to which they are linked here, and are not necessarily those of CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation.

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EDITORS
Adam Nord
Devendra Tak
Mandeep Tiwana
Netsanet Belay
Sonia Zilberman
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Suite 900
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DESIGN AND LAYOUT
Daniel Gray
Jessica Hume

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