CIVICUS makes UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) submissions on civil society space in Timor-Leste, Togo, Uganda, and Venezuela.
The United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review is a unique process that reviews the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States every 4.5 years.
CIVICUS and its partners have submitted UN Universal Periodic Review submissions on four countries (Timor-Leste, Togo, Uganda and Venezuela) in advance of the 54th UPR session, scheduled to take place in January – February 2027, as part of the last session within the 4th UPR cycle. The submissions evaluate the state of civil society in each country, with a focus on the promotion and protection of the rights to freedom of association, peaceful assembly, and expression (including media freedom), as well as the broader environment for human rights defenders (HRDs). Each submission includes an assessment of how the respective State has implemented civic space-related recommendations received during the 3rd UPR cycle, which concluded over four years ago. In addition, the submissions offer a series of concrete follow-up recommendations to strengthen civic space and ensure alignment with international human rights obligations.
Timor-Leste – CIVICUS, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), La'o Hamutuk and the Judicial System Monitoring Program (JSMP) assess the Government of Timor-Leste's compliance with its international human rights obligations to ensure a safe and enabling environment for civil society. The submission focuses on the rights to freedoms of association, expression (including media freedom) and peaceful assembly, and unwarranted restrictions on HRDs. During the 3rd UPR cycle, Timor-Leste received five recommendations related to civic space, accepted all five, but has only partly implemented three and failed to implement two. The submission raises concerns about the harassment and arrest of HRDs and journalists, including the detention of an activist for expressing solidarity with West Papua and the prosecution of journalists under defamation provisions. In May 2026, parliament introduced amendments that would recriminalise defamation with penalties of up to five years' imprisonment. The Law on Freedom of Assembly and Demonstration is routinely misinterpreted by police as requiring permission rather than notification, and police have used teargas and detentions in response to student protests in 2025 and 2026. Civic space in Timor-Leste is rated as ‘narrowed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor.
Togo: English | French – CIVICUS, the Coalition Togolaise des Défenseurs des Droits Humains (CTDDH) and the West African Human Rights Defenders Network (ROADDH/WAHRDN) assess the Government of Togo's compliance with its international human rights obligations to ensure a safe and enabling environment for civil society. The submission focuses on the rights to freedoms of association, expression (including media freedom) and peaceful assembly, and unwarranted restrictions on HRDs. During the 3rd UPR cycle, Togo received 20 civic space-related recommendations, accepted 16 and noted four, but has only partly implemented one. Togo's civic space has further deteriorated since its previous UPR examination, particularly following the May 2024 constitutional amendments that abolished direct presidential elections and removed term limits. The submission raises concerns about the arbitrary arrest of activists, HRDs, journalists, musicians, and poets for criticising authorities or supporting pro-democracy protests. A draft Law on Associations adopted in December 2025 without civil society consultation grants the minister discretionary powers to suspend recognition of associations indefinitely and permits dissolution on vague grounds. In June 2025, security forces responded to peaceful demonstrations with systematic excessive force, killing at least seven people, wounding dozens, and arbitrarily arresting at least 81 protesters. Authorities have maintained a pattern of banning protests, civil society organisations (CSO) meetings and workshops, while the media regulator suspended French outlets France 24 and RFI and traces of Pegasus spyware were found on journalists' phones. Civic space in Togo is rated as ‘repressed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor.
Uganda – CIVICUS and the Centre for Minority Rights Development (CEMIRIDE) assess the Government of Uganda's compliance with its international human rights obligations to ensure a safe and enabling environment for civil society. The submission focuses on the rights to freedoms of association, expression (including media freedom) and peaceful assembly, and unwarranted restrictions on HRDs. During the 3rd UPR cycle, Uganda received 28 recommendations related to civic space, accepted one and noted 27, but has not implemented any. The submission raises concerns about the mass suspension of CSO permits, including ahead of the January 2026 general election when seven human rights organisations were suspended on national security grounds and had their bank accounts frozen. The 2024 amendments to the NGO Act grant the state broad powers to revoke permits on vague grounds, while the Protection of Sovereignty Act passed in April 2026 increases oversight of internationally funded CSOs. HRDs, journalists and opposition figures face systematic harassment, arbitrary arrest and judicial persecution, including raids on CSO offices and detention of prominent HRDs. Ahead of the 2026 general election, authorities imposed a total internet shutdown, violently dispersed opposition rallies, and detained over 300 opposition supporters. Civic space in Uganda is rated as ‘repressed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor.
Venezuela: English | Spanish – CIVICUS and Espacio Público assess the Government of Venezuela's compliance with its international human rights obligations to ensure a safe and enabling environment for civil society. The submission focuses on the rights to freedoms of association, expression (including media freedom) and peaceful assembly, and unwarranted restrictions on HRDs. During the 3rd UPR cycle, Venezuela received 80 recommendations related to civic space, accepted 43 and noted 37, but has only partly implemented five. The submission raises concerns about the sharp deterioration of civic space following the disputed presidential election of July 2024, including enforced disappearances, mass arbitrary arrests, torture and the violent repression of protests, in which the UN Fact-Finding Mission recorded 25 deaths and authorities acknowledged detaining more than 2,220 people. The Anti-NGO Law, enacted in November 2024, imposes sweeping registration and oversight requirements that have forced organisations to suspend operations or relocate abroad, while the Simón Bolívar Law criminalises international advocacy with penalties of up to 30 years' imprisonment. HRDs and journalists face criminalisation under terrorism and conspiracy charges, and 206 domains remained blocked as of May 2026. After the June 2026 earthquakes, officials closed community-run aid centres and restricted journalists' access to affected areas. Civic space in Venezuela is rated as ‘closed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor.
