Category: Free speech
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Protecting Democratic Participation from Abusive Lawsuits in Europe
Across Europe, freedom of expression, independent journalism, and civic participation are increasingly challenged by abusive legal actions known as Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). These lawsuits are typically initiated by powerful actors to intimidate journalists, activists, researchers, and civil society members who speak on matters of public interest. Rather than seeking justice, such cases…
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Post-Election Violence in Tanzania Raises Grave Human Rights Concerns
In the aftermath of Tanzania’s 2025 general elections, reports of widespread violence have sparked renewed concern over serious human rights violations. According to a 19 March 2026 report by Human Rights Watch, security forces opened fire not only on protesters but also on bystanders with no involvement in demonstrations. The report highlights that civilians who…
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Enforced Disappearance and Reported Death of Humphrey Polepole in Tanzania
Humphrey Polepole, former Tanzanian Ambassador to Cuba and an outspoken government critic, was reportedly abducted in Dar es Salaam on 6 October 2025 by unidentified security personnel. According to reporting by The Africa Report, sources later indicated that he is dead, though circumstances surrounding his alleged death remain unclear and officially unconfirmed. His disappearance occurred…
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Iran Human Rights Violations
Since 28 December 2025, people in Iran, long outraged at decades of political repression and economic hardship, have poured into the streets demanding fundamental change and a political system that respects human rights and dignity. What began with shop closures and strikes in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar in response to a sharp currency collapse and chronic…
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Vietnam Tightens Grip on Dissent Ahead of Communist Party Congress
As Vietnam approaches its Communist Party Congress, the country’s political trajectory is once again intertwined with a tightening grip on freedom of expression. A wave of recent arrests highlights the government’s growing intolerance toward criticism. Bloggers, independent journalists, and social media users who voice dissenting opinions are being detained under vaguely defined charges and handed…
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The “Conspiracy Case” in Tunisia and the Silencing of the Opposition
On 27 November 2025, a Tunis Appeal Court sentenced 34 defendants in the politically motivated “Conspiracy Case” to prison terms ranging from 5 to 45 years, in what human rights organizations have widely condemned as a sham trial lacking basic fair-trial guarantees. Shortly after, Tunisian authorities arrested political activist Chaima Issa, human rights lawyer Ayachi…
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Arrests and Repression During Indonesia’s August–September 2025 Protests
A group of Indonesian activists, Delpedro Marhaen Rismansyah, Muzaffar Salim, Khariq Anhar, Syahdan Hussein, Wawan Hermawan, Saiful Amin, Shelfin Bima Prakosa, and Muhammad ‘Paul’ Fakhrurrozi have played active roles in student movements, civil society advocacy, and grassroots efforts to hold the government accountable. Between 25 August and 1 September 2025, Indonesia saw one of its…
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Activist shot while livestreaming; held without adequate care
Activist Serrote José de Oliveira was shot in the leg on 28 July by armed men who witnesses believe were linked to the Criminal Investigation Services (SIC), while he was livestreaming the first day of a strike in Luanda. He was subsequently arrested and held in detention; his family only learned on 1 August that…
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Trump’s record of human rights abuses
It has been less than a year since Trump’s second term as the US president, yet his record of human rights abuses is too many to count. This has serious consequences on the general population in the US, specifically ethnic and religious minority groups. Besides, his foreign policy continues to breach and enable violations of…
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Arrest of Council of Europe Youth Delegate Enes Hocaoğulları
Enes Hocaoğulları was elected as a youth delegate to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe on 14 February 2025 and, during the Congress session on 19 March 2025, brought to the international stage allegations of torture against peaceful young protesters during the 19 March demonstrations in Türkiye. Although these…