Interviews

TUNISIA: 'Human rights deserve to be defended, even when that involves taking risks'

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Khabir Moncef, executive director of the Association for the Defence of Human Rights, about the conviction of Tunisian anti-racist activist Saadia Mosbah and the government's growing repression of civil society.

HONG KONG: 'Independent civil society is being replaced with state-aligned structures'

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the erosion of civic space and the implications of the 20-year sentence handed to democracy campaigner and media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai with Alric Lee, co-founder of Lady Liberty Hong Kong, a civil society organisation that documents human rights violations and advocates for democratic freedoms in Hong Kong.

ZIMBABWE: 'The government is changing the rules to keep itself in power'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Zimbabwe's proposed constitutional amendment with Narshon T Kohlo, a youth leader of the Constitution Defenders Forum, a civil society coalition that's mobilising resistance to the changes.

VENEZUELA: 'People once again believe they can influence what happens in their country'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the prospects for a democratic transition in Venezuela with Pedro González Caro, a university lecturer and member of the national coordination committee of Creemos Alianza Ciudadana (Citizen Alliance We Believe), a citizen platform that works for democracy in Venezuela.

CONGO: 'The result was already decided before polling stations opened'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the presidential election in the Republic of the Congo with Ivan Kibangou Ngoy, executive director of Global Participe, a civil society action-research organisation focused on democratic governance based in Pointe-Noire.

'The EU cannot position itself as a defender of human rights while being one of Israel's primary arms markets'

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with a member of 7amleh, the Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media, about how European Union (EU) funding and technology exports enable surveillance and human rights violations in Palestine and across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

AFRICA: 'The African Union must live up to its principles in practice, not just on paper'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the African Union's (AU) democratic accountability gap with Olorunyomi Pauline Adedigba, a lawyer and Global Shaper at the Abuja Hub of the Global Shapers Community, working to strengthen civic space in Africa.

GERMANY: 'The goal is a resilient democracy that doesn't just react to the far right but builds alternatives'

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Lorenz Blumenthaler, Political Communications Specialist at the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, a German civil society organisation that strengthens democracy and counters extremism through analysis, coalition-building and grassroots support.

ITALY: 'White supremacist concepts are entering mainstream political discourse on migration'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Italy's restrictive immigration policies with Eleonora Celoria, a researcher at FIERI (Forum Internazionale ed Europeo di Ricerche sull'Immigrazione), a research centre on migration, and a member of the Association for Legal Studies on Immigration (ASGI), an Italian legal organisation that defends migrants' and asylum seekers' rights through advocacy, public awareness and strategic litigation.

PORTUGAL: 'The far right's electoral legitimacy can eventually become governmental power'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Portugal's presidential runoff election and the rise of the far-right Chega (Enough) party with Jonni Lopes, Executive Director of Academia Cidadã (Citizen Academy) and a Steering Committee member of the European Civic Forum, an organisation working on civic engagement, democratic participation and the protection of civic space at national, regional and international levels.

KAZAKHSTAN: 'This constitution is the final institutional lock on authoritarian rule'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the forthcoming constitutional referendum in Kazakhstan with Yevgeniy Zhovtis, Chief Expert Consultant at the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law.

CHINA: 'The state is using generative AI to engineer reality through informational gaslighting'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses China's tech-enabled repression with Fergus Ryan, a Senior Analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), where he specialises in how the Chinese Communist Party shapes global information environments through censorship, propaganda and platform governance.

EU: 'Funding civil society advocacy isn't just legitimate – it's a legal duty'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the European Union's (EU) Strategy for Civil Society with Giada Negri, Deputy Secretary General and Director of Advocacy and Programme Management at the European Civic Forum, a civil society network that works to protect civic space, strengthen civic participation and promote dialogue.

NIGERIA: 'Air power can't address complex and deeply rooted security challenges'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses recent US airstrikes in north-west Nigeria with Ibrahim Baba Shatambaya, senior lecturer in social sciences at Usmanu Danfodiyo University.

THE NETHERLANDS: 'The direction of policy-making will depend on where the government seeks support'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the new Dutch government with Aïcha Chaghouani, Advocacy and Partnerships Manager at the Netherlands Helsinki Committee, a civil society organisation that promotes democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Europe.

NEPAL: 'The political system only moves when threatened directly'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Nepal's upcoming election with youth activist Anusha Khanal of the Gen Z Movement Alliance, a youth-led civil society coalition mobilising for democratic accountability and governance reform in Nepal.

VENEZUELA: 'An economically stable authoritarian model could become entrenched'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the situation in Venezuela following US intervention and the ousting of President Nicolás Maduro with Verónica Zubillaga, a Venezuelan sociologist who specialises in urban violence, state repression and community responses to armed violence.

BURKINA FASO: 'The dissolution of parties complicates the return to constitutional order'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the dissolution of political parties in Burkina Faso with a member of Burkinabe civil society, who has asked to stay anonymous for security reasons.

THAILAND: 'Electoral periods are particularly sensitive moments for civic space'

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about Thailand's recent general election and constitutional referendum with a representative of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, a civil society organisation that provides legal assistance and monitors rights violations affecting activists, human rights defenders and protesters.

AI GOVERNANCE: 'The debate is not only about transparency, but about data sovereignty'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses AI governance and data justice with Lobna Jeribi, an international senior public policy advisor with a PhD in Information Systems.

PHILIPPINES: 'Preventing similar cases requires dismantling the mechanisms that treat dissent as crime'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the criminalisation of dissent in the Philippines with Kyle A Domequil, spokesperson of the Free Tacloban 5 Network, a campaign supporting journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, human rights defender Marielle Domequil and their co-accused and advocating for their release.

OLYMPIC TRUCE: 'A call for states to exercise restraint and facilitate humanitarian access'

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Hugh Dugan of the Truce Foundation, a civil society organisation inspired by the Olympic Truce that promotes Olympic values of excellence, fair play, respect and unity.

GAZA: 'Humanitarian aid matters for survival, but its dynamics diminish Palestinian agency'

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about life in Gaza under Israel's ongoing military assault with Ali Abdel-Wahab, a data analyst and policy researcher with PalThink for Strategic Studies and the Social Developmental Forum.

PHILIPPINES: 'The government treats journalists as security threats rather than contributors to public debate'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the conviction of journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and its implications for press freedom in the Philippines with Aleksandra Bielakowska, Advocacy Manager for Asia-Pacific of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a member of the #FreeFrenchieMaeCumpio coalition.

COSTA RICA: 'Institutions and democratic guarantees are being eroded in the name of security'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the results of Costa Rica's recent election with Ilka Treminio Sánchez, a political science professor and researcher at the University of Costa Rica.

VENEZUELA: 'Although the repressive architecture remains intact, a small window of hope has opened'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses civil society and the prospects for democracy in Venezuela with Luz Mely Reyes, co-founder and director of Efecto Cocuyo, a media outlet that reports on the reality and struggles of Venezuelan communities.

'After decades of denial and silence, the suffering of Rohingya people is being heard at the world's highest court'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the genocide case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) with Mohammed Nowkhim of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace & Human Rights (ARSPHR), a civil society organisation led by Rohingya people born out of refugee camps in Bangladesh to document atrocities, preserve survivor testimony and advocate for accountability and justice.

'The process looks democratic on paper, but genuine competition is systematically undermined'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Uganda's presidential election with Nalongo Nana Mwafrika, a Ugandan civic activist, human rights defender and former parliamentary candidate working on accountability, democracy and young people's political participation.

UGANDA: ‘The Process Looks Democratic on Paper, but Genuine Competition is Systematically Undermined’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Uganda’s presidential election with Nalongo Nana Mwafrika, a Ugandan civic activist, human rights defender and former parliamentary candidate working on accountability, democracy and young people’s political participation.

GAZA: ‘Unless the Colonial Mindset is Dismantled, Gaza’s Political Future will Remain Externally Managed’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the future of Gaza with Karam Dana, interdisciplinary social scientist and professor at the University of Washington Bothell.

IRAN: ‘When International Attention Decreases, State Violence Often Intensifies’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Iran’s recent wave of protests and their repression with members of Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights (HOHR), a civil society organisation that documents and reports on human rights violations in Kurdistan and across Iran.

VENEZUELA: ‘We Are Seeing an Economic Transition, But No Democratic Transition’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the situation following the US intervention in Venezuela with Guillermo Miguelena Palacios, director of the Venezuelan Progressive Institute, a think tank that promotes spaces for dialogue and democratic leadership.

BRAZIL: ‘Femicide is the Culmination of a Cycle Rooted in the Normalisation of Control Over Women’s Bodies’

Interviews
Read in Portuguese CIVICUS discusses recent protests against gender-based violence in Brazil with Beatriz Souza, programme analyst at ELAS+ Foundation, an organisation dedicated to the rights of LGBTQI+ people and women.

MYANMAR: ‘Since the Coup, Factory Employers Have Increasingly Worked With the Military to Restrict Organising and Silence Workers’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks to the Business and Human Rights Centre (BHRC) about labour rights abuses in Myanmar’s garment industry since the 2021 military coup.

SINGAPORE: ‘The Ceasefire Remains a Temporary De-Escalation, Not Stable Peace’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the Cambodia–Thailand peace process with Dr Eugene Mark, Fellow and Co-coordinator of the Thailand Studies Programme at the Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore.

SOUTH AFRICA: ‘The Global System Works Against Petty Corruption, But Collapses When Corruption Becomes Grand, Political and Organised’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Ruth Kolevsohn, Executive Director of Good Governance Africa, about recent anti-corruption protests across Africa and calls for an International Anti-Corruption Court.

BELARUS: ‘Freedom Always Returns – but Only If We Hold Fast to Our Values and Sustain the Struggle’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Belarusian activist, blogger and journalist Mikola Dziadok about his experiences as a two-time political prisoner and the repression of dissent in Belarus.

SOUTH AFRICA: ‘For 30 Years We’ve Addressed Climate Change Without Confronting its Root Cause Fossil Fuels’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the campaign for a global fossil fuel treaty with human rights advocate Kumi Naidoo, president of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, co-founder of the Global Artivism Initiative and Global Ambassador of Africans Rising.

NETHERLANDS: ‘LGBTQI+ People, Sex Workers and People Who Use Drugs Are Most Affected by HIV and Suffer the Most Criminalisation’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about HIV response in Africa with Samuel Matsikure, Key Populations Lead at Aidsfonds.

DRC: ‘Behind the Rhetoric of Peace and Stability, Economic and Strategic Interests are Prolonging the War’

Interviews
Read in French CIVICUS discusses the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with Crispin Ngakani, a Congolese civil society activist and member of Aid Life Learn Environment (ALLEN), an organisation that works for community protection, the defence of human rights and humanitarian action.

GREENLAND: ‘Greenland is Not for Sale: Greenlanders are the Only Ones Who can Decide Their Own Future’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the US government’s renewed calls to annex Greenland with Rachael Lorna Johnstone, Professor of Law at the University of Akureyri, Iceland.

CHILE: ‘The Election Result Opens up Uncertainty for Democracy and Civic Space’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Flavia Liberona, executive director of Fundación Terram, about the results of Chile’s presidential election.

BENIN: ‘Loss of Trust in Democratic Systems has Become a Major Risk Factor’

Interviews
Read in French CIVICUS discusses an attempted coup in Benin with Aisha Dabo, programme coordinator at AfricTivistes, a pan-African network committed to democracy, human rights and citizen participation in the digital age.

IRAQ: ‘The Election Felt Like a Formality Because it Took Place in a Context Hostile for Dissent, Pluralism and Rights’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses civic space and democratic participation in Iraq with Iraqi human rights defender Hasan Ibrahim.

UNITED KINGDOM: ‘When Critical Thinking isn’t Welcomed, Art Offers Alternative Ways of Speaking’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks to Daria Cybulska about her 2024 Churchill Fellowship field research in Central Asia, where she explored how civil society uses art, creativity and informal organising to survive, self-organise and push for change under increasing repression.

DENMARK: ‘Civil Society Should Not Just be Heard; it Should Influence Agendas, Priorities and Practice’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the outcomes and limitations of the Annual CSO-UN Dialogue on Peacebuilding with Sweta Velpillay, co-director of Conducive Space for Peace (CSP), an international civil society organisation (CSO) that works at the intersection of civic agency, global collaboration and peacebuilding.

UGANDA: ‘Refugees are being pushed into a legal limbo as international support collapses’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses a crisis for refugee protection in Uganda with Fabian Kagimu, founder of Prism Empowerment and Development Initiative, a trans-led feminist humanitarian organisation that supports refugees, internally displaced transgender women, gender-diverse people and young people living with HIV.

KAZAKHSTAN: ‘This anti-LGBTQI+ bill can still be blocked – but only with sustained international pressure’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Kazakhstan’s anti-LGBTQI+ bill with Temirlan Baimash, activist and co-founder of QUEER KZ youth initiative, a Kazakhstani LGBTQI+ organisation.

ZAMBIA: ‘Constitutional Changes in an Election Period Tend to be Driven by Political Expediency Rather than the Public Interest’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses recent constitutional changes in Zambia with Gideon Musonda, Executive Director of the Advocates for Democratic Governance Foundation, a Zambian civil society organisation.

SOUTH AFRICA: ‘Declaring Gender-Based Violence and Femicide a National Disaster Creates a Mechanism for Faster Action’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses South Africa’s recent declaration of gender-based violence (GBV) as a national disaster with Cameron Kasambala, student and spokesperson for Women for Change, a South African civil society organisation that works to raise awareness of violence against women and children.

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