Interviews

Featured

IRAN: ‘The regime uses executions to maintain its grip on power through fear and intimidation’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Jasmin Ramsey, Deputy Director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI), about the ongoing wave of executions as part of the Iranian regime’s effort to suppress dissent and discourage further protests.
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EUROPEAN MEDIA FREEDOM ACT: ‘National security cannot justify the use of spyware on journalists’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the role of civil society in the drafting process of the European Media Freedom Act with Jordan Higgins, Press and Policy Officer at the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF).
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AUSTRIA: ‘A new civil society coalition is emerging to defend democracy against extremism’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the growth of the far right in Austria with Gabriela Greilinger, PhD Student at the University of Georgia, USA and co-founder and director Quo Vademus, a grassroots think tank publishing analysis by young writers and encouraging young people to engage with politics and current affairs.
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GLOBAL GOVERNANCE: ‘To change global institutions, we must think boldly while acting strategically’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Rebecca Shoot, Executive Director of Citizens for Global Solutions, about the deficits of the global governance system and civil society’s proposals for reform.
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ASEAN: ‘Laos’s leadership raises serious human rights concerns’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the implications of Laos chairing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with Mary Aileen Diaz Bacalso, Executive Director of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA).
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ICJ: ‘There should be no place for double standards’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the role of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the context of the case brought by South Africa against Israel with Thomas Van Gool, Project Lead Israel-Palestine at PAX.
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DRC: ‘Civil society is targeted by politicians who see it as an obstacle to their power’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with journalist and human rights activist Jonathan Magoma about recent elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
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GERMANY: ‘Our response to internationally networked far-right groups must also be globally interconnected’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the rise of the far right in Germany with Peter Anhalt, director of the right-wing extremism department, and Maximilian Ruf, director of the research department, at Violence Prevention Network.
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EL SALVADOR: ‘Following the vote, we are officially entering a dictatorship’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about El Salvador’s recent general election with César Artiga, human rights defender and coordinator of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) in El Salvador, the National Driving Team of the Escazú Agreement and the National Coalition for the Right to Live in a Healthy Environment.

EL SALVADOR: ‘The election is only a formality to give the green light to a dictatorship’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about El Salvador’s general election with Carolina Amaya, a Salvadoran freelance journalist specialising in climate crises and socio-environmental conflicts.
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INDONESIA: ‘We must become an example of successful societal resistance against the threat of autocratic rule’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the upcoming general election in Indonesia with Muhammad Isnur, chairperson of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) and Secretary of the Board of the Human Rights Working Group.
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AZERBAIJAN: ‘Operating on the ground has become increasingly difficult due to security concerns’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the links between the exploitation of fossil fuels and human rights violations in Azerbaijan with Kate Watters, Executive Director of Crude Accountability.
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PAKISTAN: ‘It doesn’t matter who casts the vote as much as who counts the vote’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about Pakistan’s upcoming election with Muhammad Mudassar, Chief Executive Officer at the Society for Human Rights and Prisoners’ Aid (SHARP-Pakistan).
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GERMANY: ‘The far right is instrumentalising protests triggered by completely legitimate concerns’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the rise of the far right in Germany with Jakob Guhl, Senior Manager, Policy and Research at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD).
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VENEZUELA: ‘With the new NGO law, the government aims to take control of the entire associational fabric’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Rigoberto Lobo Puentes, founder of Promotion, Education and Defence of Human Rights (Promoción, Educación y Defensa en Derechos Humanos, PROMEDEHUM), about Venezuela’s NGO bill which, if passed, will further hinder civil society’s work.
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GLOBAL GOVERNANCE: ‘Civil society is a vital tool for achieving a more democratic system’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Anja Olin-Pape, Head of Strategy at the Global Challenges Foundation, about the deficits of the global governance system and civil society’s proposals for reform.
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ECUADOR: ‘Violence is linked to the deterioration of the living conditions of young people from low-income groups’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the current crisis of violence in Ecuador with Mauro Cerbino, professor and researcher at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO) in Ecuador.
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NORWAY: ‘On top of being environmentally irresponsible, deep-sea mining is unlikely to be profitable’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Martin Sveinssønn Melvær, Materials and Industry Lead at the Bellona Foundation, about the bill recently passed by Norway’s parliament to allow commercial-scale deep-sea mining.
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HONDURAS: ‘Human rights should be more than just talk. They should be reflected in practice’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Christopher Castillo, General Coordinator of Alternative for Community and Environmental Vindication of Honduras (Alternativa de Reivindicación Comunitaria y Ambientalista de Honduras, ARCAH), about progress made and pending issues after two years of Xiomara Castro’s presidency.
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EL SALVADOR: ‘Legalising abortion is all about recognising women’s status as citizens’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Morena Herrera, president of Citizens’ Group for the Decriminalisation of Abortion, about the struggle for abortion rights in El Salvador, which has some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the world.
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ARGENTINA: ‘Citizens must be able to take part in informed discussions on the issues that affect them’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Mariela Belski, Executive Director of Amnesty International Argentina, about the potential human rights effects of changes introduced by Argentina’s new government led by President Javier Milei.
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GLOBAL GOVERNANCE: ‘A system that embraces diversity and inclusion is more legitimate’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Marc Limon, Executive Director of the Universal Rights Group and former diplomat at the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, about the deficits of the global governance system and proposals for reform.
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SERBIA: ‘People are concerned that a critical tool to hold political elites accountable is being taken away’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the results of Serbia’s recent elections and subsequent protests with Raša Nedeljkov, Programme Director of the Centre for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA).
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GLOBAL GOVERNANCE: ‘The Summit of the Future is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Dr Richard Ponzio, Director of the Global Governance, Security and Justice Programme at the Stimson Center, about the deficits of the global governance system and civil society’s proposals for reform.
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GUATEMALA: ‘Disregard for the will of the people expressed at the ballot box is the greatest possible insult to democracy’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Jorge Santos, General Coordinator of the Guatemalan Human Rights Defenders Protection Unit (UDEFEGUA), about the imminent inauguration of a new president, which comes after 100 days of mobilisation to demand respect for the election results.
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VENEZUELA: ‘The government seeks to stoke nationalist sentiment to try to hold on to power’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Mariano de Alba, Senior Adviser at the International Crisis Group, about the recent referendum called by the Venezuelan government on the status of the Essequibo territory, disputed with neighbouring Guyana, and its possible implications for democracy in Venezuela and peace in the region.
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BURUNDI: ‘Human rights activism can hardly be carried out openly anymore’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the repression of civil society and human rights defenders and LGBTQI+ rights in Burundi with Carina Tertsakian, co-founder of the Burundi Human Rights Initiative (BHRI).
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GLOBAL GOVERNANCE: ‘The scale and urgency of our challenges calls for more than incremental reform, it requires transformation’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Stirling Dean, Chair and Executive Director of the United Institutions Foundation, about the deficits of the global governance system and civil society’s proposals for reform.
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UK: ‘The government continues to scapegoat migrants and fuel racist rhetoric to cover its policy failures’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Aria Danaparamita, Advocacy Director of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), about the UK’s new migration treaty with Rwanda, aimed at sending asylum seekers arriving unlawfully in the UK to Rwanda for processing.
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GLOBAL GOVERNANCE: ‘When there is political will, states are able to uphold their responsibility to protect’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Elisabeth Pramendorfer, Geneva Representative, Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (GCR2P), about the deficits of the global governance system and civil society’s proposals for reform.
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GLOBAL GOVERNANCE: ‘We must reaffirm the relationship between the rule of law and human rights’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Francesca Restifo, Senior Human Rights Lawyer and UN Representative of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), about the deficits of the global governance system and civil society’s proposals for reform.
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PANAMA: ‘By giving the government the green light to discriminate, the Court has broadened the reach of the LGBTQI+ cause’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Iván Chanis Barahona, president of Fundación Iguales, about the situation of LGBTQI+ people and the struggle for equal marriage rights in Panama.
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USA: ‘We should shift away from overreliance on policing and promote community-based solutions’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about police violence in the USA with Abdul Nasser Rad, Managing Director of Research and Data at Campaign Zero (CZ).
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BANGLADESH: ‘This is a one-sided election in which we already know who the winner will be’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Dr Mubashar Hasan about the ongoing crackdown on dissent in Bangladesh ahead of 7 January general elections.
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GLOBAL GOVERNANCE: ‘Every person on the planet should have an equal opportunity to participate in decision-making’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Andreas Bummel, co-founder and Executive Director of Democracy Without Borders (DWB) and the Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly, about the deficits of the current global governance system and civil society’s proposals for reform.
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GLOBAL GOVERNANCE: ‘The main problem is that words do not translate into tangible actions’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the challenges of global governance with Carlos Quesada, founder and executive director of the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race & Equality).
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COP28: ‘To truly end the fossil fuel era, bold visions must now turn into historical action on the ground’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Kaisa Kosonen, Senior Policy Advisor at Greenpeace Nordic, about the outcomes of the COP28 climate summit and the vital role played by civil society in setting the agenda for fossil fuel phase-out.
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HONG KONG: ‘We urge governments to protect exiled human rights defenders within their jurisdictions’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Anouk Wear, research and policy adviser at Hong Kong Watch, about recent district council elections held in Hong Kong amid an ongoing crackdown on dissent.
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LEBANON: ‘Civil society has taken the lead in advocating for social change, human rights and political reforms’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about deteriorating civic space conditions amid political and security instability in Lebanon with Fadel Fakih, Executive Director of the Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH).
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UK: ‘The Rwanda plan sets a worrying precedent for the future of migration and human rights’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Julia Tinsley-Kent, Policy and Strategic Communications Manager of the Migrants’ Rights Network, about the UK’s new migration treaty with Rwanda, aimed at sending asylum seekers arriving unlawfully in the UK to Rwanda for processing.
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ALGERIA: ‘The state must respect the freedoms of those calling for truth and justice on enforced disappearances’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the repression of civil society in Algeria with Nassera Dutour, a Franco-Algerian human rights activist and president of the Collective of Families of People Disappeared in Algeria (CFDA) and the Euro-Mediterranean Federation against Enforced Disappearances.
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GLOBAL GOVERNANCE: ‘We cannot address 21st-century challenges with 20th-century foundations’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Nudhara Yusuf, Executive Coordinator of the Global Governance Innovation Network at the Stimson Center, about the deficits of the current global governance system and civil society’s proposals for reform.
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INDIA: ‘The once-cosmopolitan state of Manipur is now divided into two rival communities’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about ethnic violence and a humanitarian crisis in the Indian state of Manipur with Mangneo Lhungdim and Sulekha Thapa, Executive Director and Deputy Director of Oasis India.
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TAIWAN: ‘China has tried to intimidate voters and pressure Taiwanese civil society organisations’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Taiwan’s upcoming presidential election with Brian Hioe, one of the founders of New Bloom Magazine.
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BOLIVIA: ‘Forest fires translate into loss of biodiversity and a low quality of life’

Interviews
  CIVICUS speaks with Jordi Surkin, conservation director of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Bolivia, about recent fires in four of Bolivia’s nine departments.
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BELARUS: ‘Despite the repression, we haven’t halted our work for a single day’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Marina Kostylianchenko of Viasna about the closure of civic space and criminalisation of activism in Belarus.
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MEXICO: ‘The criminalisation of human rights defenders threatens the whole collective in order to deactivate it’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with members of the Collective for the Freedom of Kenia Hernández about the criminalisation of activism in Mexico.
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NIGER: ‘We seek to cut the umbilical cord with the former colonial power’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the situation in Niger since the July military coup with Clément Kocou Gbedey, National Coordinator in Niger of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP).
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PALESTINE: ‘Lack of a political horizon leading to the liberation of Palestinians has brought us here’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the ongoing conflict in Gaza with Abdalaziz Alsalehi, senior researcher at the Social and Economic Policies Monitor (Al-Marsad).

NETHERLANDS: ‘We call on potential coalition partners to stand up for our country’s international reputation’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the far-right victory in the snap elections that took place in the Netherlands on 22 November with Niels Hoogerheijde, Policy Advisor at Partos, the Dutch membership body for civil society organisations (CSOs) working in international development.

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