Amnesty International: Civil society is silenced

“2021 started with a lot of promise, but it turned out completely differently,” said Amnesty International’s Philip Luther, one of the authors and analysts at Amnesty International. Every year, the international organization examines developments in 154 countries around the world, recording the most important trends in the field of human and political rights. “We hoped to get out of the pandemic in a fair way and in a spirit of solidarity,” said Amnesty International, a German analyst. The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a pandemic for last year, with some governments using the pandemic to restrict freedom of expression over the past year, such as Russia and China. , Cambodia and many others, where rallies were broken up and human rights activists were endangered.

Zilke Pfeiffer, head of the evangelical church’s “Brot fur die Welt” (Human Rights and Peace) section, told DW: “There are various strategies that are making civil society work There are specific activists in the world who are being targeted, discriminated against, threatened, persecuted and in some cases killed.Example: Just a few days ago, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega locked in 25 NGOs. with the German “Brot fur die Welt ‘.

Pegasus use against journalists, opposition, activists

According to Amnesty International, the use of digital technology is a widespread method, both state and non-state. The 2021 report includes a number of examples: From the longest-running internet download in the Jammu and Kashmir regions of northern India from August 2019 to February 2021, the use of face recognition software at demonstrations in Moscow, which led to arrests, up to the use of Pegasus espionage software against journalists, opposition politicians and human rights activists.

According to Amnesty International analyst Philip Luther, “we have seen authorities block access to the internet at certain times to prevent the public from organizing or exchanging information on possible protests against the crackdown.” The German analyst concludes: “The aim was to silence civil society.”

Protests are a ray of hope in 80 countries

After a year in the shadow of the pandemic, pressure on civil society internationally and the abuse of power by governments both online and offline, Amnesty International’s 2021 report leaves some hope: In 80 countries the world has descended on the road to its rights, such as in Russia, India, Colombia, Sudan and Lebanon, knowing, in many cases, of the possible consequences. According to Philip Luther, this year we should aim to “support the protesters, who are defending and claiming rights in many countries around the world.”

Lisa Henell

Edited by: Stefanos Georgakopoulos

Source: Deutsche Welle

Source: Capital

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