News

Myanmar: Military Junta has Crushed Civic Space Five Years Since its Takeover

CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, calls on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the international community to step up and do more to resolve the human rights crisis in Myanmar as well as reject the sham election results.

UN Budget Cuts – Hurts Human Rights Around the World

CIVICUS remains deeply concerned about the outcome of the UN budget negotiations in New York.

UGANDA: Reverse the suspension of five human rights organisations and urgently lift internet shutdown

CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, is seriously concerned over a decision by the Ugandan authorities to suspend the operations of five human rights organisations.

One year since the arrest of Abdulrahman Yusuf al-Qaradawi: a year of complicity, enforced disappearance, and diplomatic failure

Today, 28 December 2025, marks one year since the arrest of Egyptian–Turkish poet and opposition figure Abdulrahman Yusuf al-Qaradawi in Lebanon.
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Iran: Joint statement on the detention of Narges Mohammadi

We Volunteer Activists and CIVICUS strongly condemn the arbitrary detention and reported ill-treatment of Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Iranian human rights defender Narges Mohammadi by Iranian authorities.
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Belarus: The release of Viasna defenders Ales Bialiatski and Uladzimir Labkovich 

CIVICUS welcomes the release of Belarusian human rights defenders Ales Bialiatski and Uladzimir Labkovich, who were freed on 13 December 2025 as part of a broader release of 123 political prisoners by Belarusian authorities.

NIGER: Reverse the Suspension of Civil Society Organisations

CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society organisations and activists dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society worldwide, strongly condemns Niger’s decision to suspend hundreds of non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The Pacific: States Must Strengthen the Protection of Civic Freedoms

CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, calls on the governments in eight countries in the Pacific to do more to respect civic freedoms and strengthen institutions to protect these rights.

India: Arbitrarily Detained Without Trial for Four Years - Khurram Parvez Must be Released

We, the undersigned organisations, call for the immediate and unconditional release of human rights defender Khurram Parvez.

1,000 Civil Society Leaders Come Together, Demand Democracy and Civic Freedoms from Governments and Institutions

The International Civil Society Week (ICSW) which gathered over 1,000 civil society leaders from around the world called on governments and multilateral institutions to defend democracy and civic freedoms.

The African Commission must Confront the Widespread Closure of Civic Space Across Africa

CIVICUS statement at the 85th  Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights     Agenda Item 3  – Human rights situation in Africa (with a special focus on Rapidly Closing Civic Space and Systemic Violations of the Human Rights) Delivered by Dr Paul Mulindwa, CIVICUS Global civil society alliance CIVICUS welcomes this opportunity to address the African Commission.

CIVICUS at the 85th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights

Friday, 20 October 2025 – 29 October 2025 At CIVICUS, we believe in the fundamental importance of human rights and are dedicated to advancing the work of human rights defenders and protecting civic space.

Morocco: End the Crackdown on Peaceful Protests and Uphold the Right to Demands Social Justice

Arabic We, the undersigned human rights organisations, strongly condemn the escalating crackdown by Moroccan authorities on peaceful protests, including minors and human rights defenders, which has now extended into a third day.

Tajikistan: Lawyer Wrongfully Held for a Decade

Free Buzurghmer Yorov and All Others Held for Exercising their Human Rights Tajikistan authorities have wrongfully imprisoned a human rights lawyer for 10 years for exercising his human rights, 12 organizations said today.
France, September 1, 2025. On a billboard in a working-class neighborhood of Poitiers, posters show the faces of Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant with the headline: WANTED for GENOCIDE; Hans Lucas via AFP
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Benjamin Netanyahu, Found Guilty of Genocide by UN Commission, to Address the UN

For Immediate Release September 24, 2025, New York, NY – Ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks at the United Nations General Assembly Friday, CIVICUS Secretary General Mandeep Tiwana issued the following: “Just one week after an independent UN Commission found that Israel has committed genocide, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is being given the UN stage.
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As Trump Addresses UN, CIVICUS Warns: US Undermining Peace and Human Rights

For Immediate Release Monday, September 23, New York, NY – Ahead of President Donald Trump's speech to the UN General Assembly today, Secretary General of CIVICUS, Mandeep Tiwana, said: “One of the greatest threats to peace and multilateralism today is the United States President.

Sri Lanka: Continued civic space violations and lack of reforms, one year on

  Read in Tamil CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, calls on the government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to halt the continued harassment of activists and journalists and crackdown on protests.

Urgent Citizen Action Required to Promote Democracy

Today, on the International Day of Democracy, CIVICUS underlines the critical importance of active citizen participation.

Urgent Appeal on Critical Health of Egyptian Lawyer and Human Rights Defender Hoda Abdel-Moneim

The undersigned human rights organisations are deeply concerned over the severe deterioration in the health of lawyer and human rights defender Hoda Abdel-Moneim, 66 years old, who has been in pretrial detention since 1st of November 2018.

UN Celebrates 80 Years, but Civil Society Faces Ongoing Barriers

As the United Nations (UN) marks 80 years, civil society continues to encounter significant obstacles to participation.

CIVICUS at the 60th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council

60th Session of UN Human Rights Council (8 September–8 October 2025) Overview Structural Challenges at the Human Rights Council Thematic Priorities Country-Specific Priorities ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Overview As civic space continues to shrink globally, amid funding challenges and a UN liquidity crisis, the Human Rights Council remains a vital space for defending human rights and amplifying the voices of those most affected.

INDONESIA: Investigate violations during protest crackdown and hold security forces to account

Indonesia has witnessed violent crackdowns on protests, with reports of arbitrary arrests, ill-treatment, unlawful killings, and digital attacks.
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Bangladesh: Interim government must do more to protect fundamental freedoms and strengthen accountability

Positive steps taken by interim government to investigate protest violations and address enforced disappearances Lack of reforms related to NGO laws and protection for human rights defenders and journalists New cyber law ordinance still problematic and restrictive defamation provisions remain Police reforms stalled, controversial Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) remains untouched despite UN calls for disbandment CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, welcomes the positive steps taken by the interim government to respect and protect civic space since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime a year ago.

Tajikistan: End Systematic Repression of Pamiri People

We, the undersigned civil society organisations, are deeply concerned about the ongoing systematic repression of Pamiri Indigenous Peoples in Tajikistan.

Life Against War: Let’s Stand with Iranian Civil Society and Defend International Law

Volunteer Activists and CIVICUS call for an immediate end to violence in Iran, Israel, and the Middle East.

Thailand: Chronology of judicial harassment against human rights defender Arnon Nampa

Arnon Nampa is a human rights lawyer and one of the founders of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), a leading human rights organisation.

Egypt: Rights Groups Call for End to State Harassment of Human Rights Defender Mohamed Abdel Salam

The undersigned human rights organisations call on the Egyptian authorities to immediately end all forms of harassment or intimidation against human rights defender Mohamed Abdel Salam, Executive Director of the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE), in retaliation for his legitimate human rights work.

Key highlights: CIVICUS at 59th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

The 59th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council ran from 16 June to 9 July 2025, resulting in 25 Resolutions, one technical decision, and 14 Universal Period Review adoptions.
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United States of America: Sanctions on the United Nations Special Rapporteur an assault on human rights

  We, the signatory civil society organisations, are gravely concerned about United States of America (USA) sanctions imposed on Francesca Albanese, the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967.

Cambodia: Release Mother Nature Environmental Activists from Jail

On the one-year anniversary of the arrest of five Mother Nature environmental defenders, CIVICUS expresses concern over their continued imprisonment and its implications for civic freedoms in Cambodia.

Kenya: New report describes a year of unprecedented restrictions on civic freedoms

Over the past year, Kenya’s government has launched an all-out assault on civic space to crush dissent both online and in the streets in response to last June’s anti-Finance Bill protests, global civil society alliance CIVICUS said in a new research briefing today.

India: International human rights groups reiterate call for release of Khurram Parvez on his birthday

CIVICUS joins human rights organisations in calling on the Indian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Khurram Parvez and to end the persistent misuse of counter-terrorism laws to target civil society and suppress dissent.

Democracy and human rights debated at Oslo Freedom Forum side event

  Summary Report: Roundtable on Democratic Decline and the Establishment of a UN Mandate on Democracy A roundtable convened by CIVICUS and Democracy Without Borders in collaboration with the Human Rights Foundation on the margins of the Oslo Freedom Forum (25–28 May 2025) brought together around twenty participants with experience in international civil society, intergovernmental organisations, academia, human rights monitoring mechanisms, and national governments.

CIVICUS at the 59th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council

59th Session of UN Human Rights Council (16 June to 11 July 2025) Overview Structural Issues Thematic Priorities Country-Specific Priorities ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Overview As civic space continues to shrink globally, the Council remains a vital platform for defending human rights and raising the voices of those most affected.

El Salvador: Free detained activists and end crackdown on civil society

Amid growing repression, a collective of civil society organisations call on El Salvador government to immediately and unconditionally release detained human rights defenders and protesters, repeal repressive legislation, and stop assault on civic space.
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USA: Stop protest and migrant rights violations and abuse of Presidential powers

CIVICUS global civil society alliance urges the United States of America (USA) authorities to respect the constitutional right to peaceful protest.

Italy’s New Security Decree Threatens Democracy, Say Over 70 NGOs

More than 70 civil society organisations—including CIVICUS—have sounded the alarm over Italy’s new Security Decree, warning it poses a serious threat to democracy amid a systemic deterioration of the rule of law.

CIVICUS at ACHPR83: A Recap of Outcomes and Next Steps

From 2–22 May 2025, CIVICUS participated in the 83rd Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and the preceding NGO Forum held in Banjul, The Gambia.

Global Call to UN: Stop Iran’s Execution of Political Prisoners

CIVICUS has joined over 300 global leaders, human rights experts, and organisations in a collective appeal urging the United Nations to act urgently to stop the execution of political prisoners in Iran.
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CIVICUS at the 83rd Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights

At CIVICUS, we believe in the fundamental importance of human rights and are dedicated to advancing the work of human rights defenders and protecting civic space.
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Bangladesh: Stop criminalising student leaders’ peaceful protests

Criminalising student human rights defenders (HRDs) protests shows a disturbing continuation of repression of right to peaceful assembly and protest in Bangladesh.
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Global civil society report 2025: threats to human rights grow, but there’s hope in grassroots action

Democracy faces existential threats, but civic action remains a powerful force for renewal.
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CSW69: A Pivotal Moment for Women’s Rights Amid Growing Global Challenges

The 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women marks important milestones, with the 80th UN anniversary and the 30th Beijing Platform anniversary, amid growing threats to women's rights.
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Letter to the U.N. Secretary-General in advance of his visit to Bangladesh

CIVICUS and fellow human rights organisations have issued an urgent appeal to the United Nations, calling for immediate and sustained support for Bangladesh during this pivotal moment of political transition.
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Trump administration puts US civic freedoms under severe threat – CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist

The United States of America is added to the CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist due to threats to civic freedoms under Trump administration.
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Deadly conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) culls human rights and civic freedoms - CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist

The escalating conflict between M23 and DRC forces has cost thousands of lives since January, induced widespread displacement, and a humanitarian crisis.
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“Anti-Gandhi bill” will worsen Italy’s faltering civic space – CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist

The “anti-Gandhi bill” (Bill 1236) will worsen country’s already declining respect for freedoms of expression, assembly, and association.
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Serbian civil society under pressure as country sees biggest protests in decades – CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist 

Civic space is rapidly faltering amid massive protests against government corruption that led to a train station disaster.
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Activists targeted, protests stifled, digital spaces gagged in Pakistan – CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist

Pakistan is added to civic space watchlist with authorities targeting activists, stifling protests and restricting digital spaces.
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Bahrain: Free Human Rights Defender Ali Al Hajee

CIVICUS joins 23 organisations in urging Bahraini authorities to immediately and unconditionally release human rights defender Ali Al Hajee, who was arrested on 1 March 2025 in connection with his peaceful social media comments.

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