Statement at the UN Human Rights Council – 57th session
General Debate Item 4
Delivered by Sigrid Lipott
Thank you, Mr President.
CIVICUS is convinced that the Council should play a more assertive role in preventing rather than reacting to human rights crises, and the rapid deterioration of civic space is among the early warning signs on which the Council should promptly act.
In Argentina, the country’s civic space has alarmingly deteriorated. Protests have been repressed with brutality, and journalists and activists are facing increasing attacks. We are concerned about the enforcement of the commonly known as the ‘anti-picket’ protocol for regulating public order during road blockages, which falls short of international law standards. Excessive force has been deployed by law enforcement against protesters and over 600 people were injured since December. In June, 35 protesters were arrested on fabricated charges such as public intimidation, incitement to violence, and disruption of legislative sessions. We are also concerned about a decree modifying the Law on Access to Public Information which reclassifies data on public officials as private, limiting access to information that should remain publicly accessible by international law standards.
Meanwhile, we remain concerned about the unrelenting restrictions on civil society participation and civic space in Azerbaijan as the host of this year’s Conference of Parties on UNFCC. Human rights groups estimate that around 300 political prisoners and 23 journalists are currently unlawfully detained, including Anar Mammadli, Head of the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center and co-founder of the Climate and Justice Initiative. In August, prominent researcher and peace activist Bahruz Samadov was also arrested by the Security Service and charged with treason. These detentions represent the latest crackdown on dissent in a country where civic space has already been severely constrained through restrictive laws, arbitrary prosecutions and repression of protests.
In Thailand, civic space continues to be under severe attack. Leading opposition party, Move Forward, was dissolved in August and leaders have been banned by the Constitutional Court. The government has continued to use royal defamation (lèse-majesté) provisions to arrest or convict around 270 HRDs, activists, protesters, critics and politicians since 2020, and to stifle freedom of expression. Courts routinely deny bail to individuals charged or impose strict conditions in cases where bail is granted. Activists in the Deep South remain at risk while there are also concerns that the government is facilitating transnational repression. We call on the Council to address these worsening situations and ensure responsive action to prevent further deterioration and crisis escalation.
We thank you.
