In advance of the 22nd Session of the UN Universal Period Review (UPR), which examines each countries human rights record every 4 and a half years, CIVICUS has issued six joint and standalone submissions. The submissions, including on Belarus, Honduras, Liberia, Malawi, Maldives, and the USA, analyse each countries’ commitments to uphold the rights to freedom of assembly, association and expression and to protect human rights defenders. The submissions further include a number of concrete recommendations to ensure the creation of an enabling environment for civil society.
In Belarus, CIVICUS and the Belarusian Documentation Center highlight concerns about the escalating criminalization of dissent critical of Alexander Lukashenko’s government as well as legislative and extra-legal measures taken to subvert the rights to freedom of association and assembly. The submission further discusses the routine arbitrary arrest of human rights defenders and the Belarusian government’s continued disengagement with the international community, including UN Special Procedures mandate holders.
In Honduras, CIVICUS highlights concerns about the systematic targeting of civil society activists, human rights defenders and journalists working on contentious issues including land rights, child, women’s and LGBTI rights. The submission further highlights the government’s continued attempts to restrict freedom of assembly through the use of excessive and even deadly force to disperse peaceful protests.
In Malawi, CIVICUS, the Centre for Development of People (CEDEP) and Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) examine threats to and attacks on human rights defenders, civil society activists and journalists. We further highlight worrying developments in which senior government representatives and members of the ruling party issue public statements condemning the activities of civil society and the media including likening them to enemies of the state. The submission also examines the government’s violent response to peaceful demonstrations in 2011 which led to the deaths of 20 protesters and left many more injured.
In Liberia, CIVICUS and the National Civil Society Council of Liberia’s (NCSCL) joint submission discusses restrictions on freedom of expression and the propensity of government representatives to accuse media houses and newspapers of defamation and libel for publishing articles which highlight government corruption. While Liberia has made significant strides in improving media freedoms especially in the aftermath of the civil war, newspapers and journalists continue to be targeted by the government for publishing dissenting views. The submission further highlights restrictions on freedom of assembly particularly during periods of elections and national emergencies.
In the USA, CIVICUS examines the government’s unwarranted restrictions to the right to freedom of assembly through excessive government interference, including debilitating policy requirements, mass arrests, the use of excessive force by security forces and the arrest of journalists attempting to monitor and document protests. In addition, the submission examines the government’s repeated invocation of federal legislation to unduly curtail freedom of the expression and stifle independent dissent at universities as well as draconian legislation to destabilize the legitimate work of Muslim civil society groups in the country.
In the Maldives, CIVICUS and the Voice of Women analyse the government’s escalating campaign to limit the right to freedom of association of independent civil society organizations through undue policy restrictions and mass dissolutions of civil society groups. The submission further examines the continued harassment and intimidation of independent journalists as well as the use of legislation to unwarrantedly hinder the free exercise of the right to freedom of assembly.