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August 2011
Issue: 63



Welcome to Civil Society Watch 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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International Journal for Not for Profit Law June 2011 "Democracy and Civil Society"
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UN Human Rights Committee releases General Comment No 34 on Freedom of Expression
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UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders: Commentary on the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders
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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 Project 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 Coordinator has returned from Voronezh, Russia where he was based with the Youth Human Rights Movement (YHRM), to CIVICUS House in Johannesburg.  Currently, Eurasia CIVICUS is working to address the Belarus crisis, pursuing a petition on AVAAZ.org and gearing up to bring Belarus as an issue to the World Assembly in Montreal.  Eurasia is also currently working with YHRM on a project designed to bring interns from the United States to Voronezh.  If you are interested in joining YHRM, please visit: http://www.yhrm.org/eng/

 

Seven activists honoured with Alison Des Forges award for their courage
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Highlights

A number of workshops are being organised on the theme of civil society and democratic space at the CIVICUS World Assembly (10-12 Sep 2011) Read more



CIVICUS urges Cambodian government to halt slide towards authoritarianism
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CIVICUS urges Belarusian authorities to release human rights defender, Aliaksandr Bialiatski
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CIVICUS highlights inconsistency of charges against Zimbabwean activists for watching televised recordings of Middle East protests
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CIVICUS joins civil society groups in highlighting the deteriorating human rights situation in Angola
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BAHRAIN: Human rights lawyer subjected to torture and ongoing judicial harassment
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BRAZIL: Activists receive death threats
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BURUNDI: Seven NGOs urge targeted investigations in case involving the death of activist investigating police corruption and illegal weapons purchase
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ECUADOR: Statement released on violations of freedom of expression
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LEBANON: Civil society calls on authorities to cease harassment of activist documenting torture
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MALAWI: Authorities urged to properly investigate protest killings
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NEPAL: Rights activists call for effective human rights mechanism in South Asia
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SAUDI ARABIA: Concerns raised about the implications of proposed anti-terror law on peaceful dissent
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SOUTH SUDAN: Government urged to establish strong institutional mechanism to protect human rights defenders to overcome legacy of war
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SRI LANKA: Justice urged as body of disappeared human rights defender discovered
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SYRIA: OHCHR calls on Syria to stop violent attacks on civilians "now"
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Repression escalates after UN Security Council statement
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Civil Society Watch (CSW) Online

Recently posted reports on CSW Online include: the transitional military government of Egypt plans to restricting foreign funding to civil society; justice remains absence in Burundi for the assassination of Ernest Manirumva; and civil society leaders in Malawi receive death threat following a bloody police crackdown on protests. At a glance in July, CSW Online registered 7 new users and was visited by 991 unique visitors and 2,283 page views. The online system also saw spikes of new visitors from India, United States, South Africa, China, United Kingdom, and Philippines.






Gino Govender, a seasoned civil society and trade union activist has recently joined Amnesty International's International Mobilization team. He is based in South Africa and his mandate includes supporting growth in the region.  Prior to joining Amnesty, Gino was the Executive Director of Ditsela Workers' Education Institute.  He has served a variety of student, community, labour and political organisations in organising, education and leadership roles over the years. He speaks to CIVICUS about his work, future plans and the state of civil society in Southern Africa.

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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.

CONTACT US

EDITORS
Mandeep Tiwana
Adam Nord

COPY EDITING
Margaret Fish
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DESIGN AND LAYOUT
Jessica Hume
Oluwakorede Asuni

 


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