Meanwhile, in Belarus, the blatant electoral manipulation propping up the decades-old dictatorship of Alexander Lukashenko spurred a massive, sustained Slipper Uprising after the countrys August elections. Hewasleft with a brokenleft legandfingerby men whoaccused him of organizing anti-government protests. On the eve of theJuly 30,anti-corruption protests, security forcesraidedtheBulawayohomeof Mduduzi Mathuthu. Share this via Printer, As More Climate Chaos Looms, Slashing Fossil Fuels Is Key. If you are able to help, please chip in today and help the fight for humanity and human rights to continue. Today's best deals include a half-priced Echo Dot, 40% off the Eufy video doorbell, and more. At anti-lockdown protests, some protesters were heavily armed, but faced little police pushback. The police conduct during the Mott Haven protest amounts to serious violations of international human rights law, and it also appears to violate civil rights protections of the US Constitution and the police departments Patrol Guide. The security agents allegedlytorturedMuchehiwa. For example, the government proposed Serious Disruption Prevention Orders go even further than Russian Law on Assemblies. Theglobal Black Lives Matter protests that broke out in the wake of George Floyds death show what solidarity can look like inpractice;the extraordinary international effort to develop avaccineis another example. Bialiatski, a pro-democracy activist and founder of the Viasna human rights group which provided legal and financial help to protesters during a 2020 wave . Having shown remarkable resilience as a political strategy, even under potentially dangerous conditions, surging protests will almost certainly continue to punctuate global politics in the new yearand beyond. Although masks are issued at prisons, many inmates and some wardens do not use them,partly due toinsufficient understandingaboutprotection againstthevirus. It firmly settles the debate about whether the right to peaceful assembly extends to online activities, says governments should not block or hinder Internet connectivity in relation to peaceful assemblies, and questions the chilling effect of surveillance technologies.. Protesters gather at a park in Brooklyn, New York City to demonstrate against racism and police violence. Together, we can create a more just and equal world. Please try again. The protesters eschewed guidance from medical experts recommending social distancing and face coverings, and demanded businesses be allowed to open despite the public health emergency and experts' recommendations. If the Public Order Bill passes, people convicted for protesting would not even be allowed to participate. More in People around the world held protests in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the U.S. Credit: Abdulmonam Eassa / Barcroft Media via Getty Images. Those who participated used the hashtag#IRunWithMaud to raise awareness of Arbery's case, while also calling attention to a petitiondemanding justice for Arbery(Opens in a new tab), which currently calls for charges to be brought against Glynn County Police Officer Robert Rash, as new evidence(Opens in a new tab) about his communications related to one of Arbery's killers came to light. As protests spread across the country, organizers worked to center the stories of Black women, specifically Black trans women. Westminster has repackaged the worst parts of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act into a new Public Order Bill. In July,aspokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rightsexpressed concernaboutallegations thatZimbabweanauthorities may be using the Covid-19 pandemic as a pretext to clamp down on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and association. This year, though, awareness of the holiday was especially high, as people across the countryparticipated in protests and rallieson Juneteenth in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. The Mnangagwa administration has so far failed to implement recommendations of theMotlanthe Commission of Inquiry, established toinvestigate widespread violencein the aftermath of theAugust 2018elections. As COVID-19 cases remained spectacularly high in the U.S., due in a large part to government inaction and mismanagement, other anti-lockdown protests cropped up as well. Amnesty International UK 2019. Tallinn (Estonia), March 3 (AP/PTI): A Belarusian court on Friday sentenced Ales Bialiatski, Belarus' top human rights advocate and one of the winners of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, to 10 years in prison. With an abundance of mail-in ballots due to the pandemic, presidential election results dragged on, as many Americans stayed anxiously glued to their TVs and social media feeds, waiting to hear the winner. Most of those injured did not receive any immediate medical care, as police arrested or obstructed volunteer medics in medical scrubs with red cross insignia. He was laterarrested bypolice on charges of inciting public violence. The National Prosecutor's Office stated that almost half of its cases had been closed without charges being brought. Bialiatski and three other top. It also stressed the right of journalists and human rights observers to monitor and document any assembly, including violent and unlawful ones. The NYPDs highest-ranking uniformed officer, Chief of Department Terence Monahan, was present during the action, along with at least 24 other uniformed supervisory officers chiefs, lieutenants, captains, or inspectors in white shirts. Dozens of people spent hours in detention with untreated wounds and their hands bound behind their backs. Despite the greatest public health challenge in over a centuryand the viral threat, lockdowns, and increasingly repressive environment it triggeredprotests remained an integral part of the global political landscape. To be heard, citizens band together in solidarity and demand their rights are respected. Indigenous women in Ecuador demand protection in fight to defend Amazon homeland Felix Narvaez for Amnesty International. Amongthe Mnangagwa governmentsfew positive stepsonhuman rights in 2020 was theamendment of the Education Act. It was a year unlike any other, and it was also an election year. Yet an overall lack of in-person protests changed drastically following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, resulting in thousands taking to the streets. 2020 saw a wave of protests, demonstrations, and marches. Zimbabwes long-standing severe water and sanitation crisis was worsened by thecoronavirus pandemic and the governments imposition, on March 30, of a nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the virus. Security forces brutally suppressed the October 24 protest - against corruption, massive unemployment, rising costs of living, and loss of political freedoms. Then they dragged me on the ground and beat me with batons. Mr Bialiatski and three other top figures of the Viasna human rights centre he founded were convicted of financing actions violating public order and smuggling, Viasna . Anna was the joint winner of the 2016 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Outstanding Achievement Award which was awarded to the Garden Court Team that represented families in the historic Hillsborough Inquests. To give just a few examples, thisyear Amnesty Internationalwasforced to, weresentenced to prison, Russian opposition leader. Local governments should finally do what it takes to end the structural racism and systemic police abuse that people in Mott Haven and communities like it have long experienced., Digital Targeting and Its Offline Consequences for LGBT People in the Middle East and North Africa, UK and US Forced Displacement of the Chagossians and Ongoing Colonial Crimes, Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people in close to 100 countries worldwide, spotlighting abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice. The farmer protests. There are countless examples of governments failingto protect their populations -the UK government sendingthousands of patients untested from hospitals into care homes;Russian and Egyptianauthoritiesarresting doctors who raised safety concerns;PresidentTrumpdownplayingthe pandemics seriousness for months. They were given summonses or desk appearance tickets with court dates in early October. In August 2020,South AfricanPresident Cyril Ramaphosa appointedtwospecial envoys to help resolve the Zimbabwe crisisby identifying ways in which South Africa could assist. In Washington, D.C., protesters gathered at iconic American landmarks like the Lincoln Memorial, Freedom Plaza, and the White House. The delegation was senttohelpfind a solution to the countrys escalating economic and political crisis. "The first authorised protest since the emergence of Covid-19 three years ago is a significant moment for Hong Kong, but Sunday's planned march will take place as the Government intensifies its wider crackdown on human rights in the city. A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (03139939) and a charity registered in England and Wales (1051681) and Scotland (SC039534). Hong Kong police arrested about 400 people in New Year's Day protests after what started as a peaceful pro-democracy march of tens of thousands spiraled into chaotic scenes with police firing tear gas to disperse the crowds. "Since mass protests in 2019, the Hong Kong authorities have repeatedly and aggressively curtailed . Other leaders have used the crisis as a pretext for further repressing human rights,arresting journalistsand activistsorintroducing draconian laws onfake news. A Belarusian court has sentenced Ales Bialiatski, Belarus' top human rights advocate and one of the winners of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, to 10 years in prison. The resilience of thesemovementsis extraordinary. In Kyrgyzstan's capital, Bishek, police detained around 50 protesters, primarily women, after a group of masked men attacked them, tearing apart banners, during the protest, according to Reuters(Opens in a new tab). Share this via WhatsApp Back in 2019, youth-led climate strikes staged around the world in September of that year marked the ushering in of a new era of climate activism. One protester described how an officer punched him in the face while another twisted his finger and broke it. HRC's 2019 report(Opens in a new tab) found that all but one of the 22 trans or gender non-conforming people killed in the U.S. that year were Black. With much of the world implementing some form of social distancing, more routine protests, such as climate strikes and the LGBTQ Day of Silence, were moved online. Although the outside world had predicted that Bialiacki would receive a heavy sentence, the verdict is still likely to draw strong condemnation from Western human rights organizations. They also became global, with wider issues of race and racism spurring demonstrations in cities around the world. The UN Human Rights Committee has a clear answer, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Malaysia: UN experts warn new bill restricts right to peaceful assembly, UN human rights report cites multiple root causes of deadly Chile protests, Iran protests: Live ammunition reportedly used, says UN human rights office, Human rights office decries disproportionate use of force in US protests, Zimbabwe: COVID-19 must not be used to stifle freedoms, says UN rights office. Protesters in Brazil condemned President Jair Bolsonaros failure to adequately respond to the virus, while in Malawi, street vendors complained that virus-related restrictions would put them out of business. Among other changes, the proposed law(Opens in a new tab) aimed to permit mainland Chinese security services to operate in Hong Kong, and to grant Beijing power to override local laws. A student and human rights activist holds a banner during a peaceful protest in Harare, Monday, Sept. 14, 2020. During 2020, the Zimbabwe government failed to provide continuous and affordable access to sufficient safe water to people across the country. They were arrested and jailed after massive protests over a 2020 election that gave authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko a new term in office. Share on Facebook (opens in a new window), Share on Flipboard (opens in a new window). The state is supposed to be the ultimate protector of human rights, but in too many cases states are the biggest abusers. On every continent, civic space is being crushed and dissent ruthlessly silenced. Amnesty International UK depends on the generosity of our supporters to fund our ongoing fight for human rights. The World Unpacked is a monthly foreign policy podcast that breaks down the hottest global issues of today with experts, journalists, and policymakers who can explain what is happening, why it matters, and where we go from here. Information Politics, Protests, and Human Rights in the Digital Age. In response to killings of Black trans women like Dominique "Rem'mie" Fells and Riah Milton(Opens in a new tab), a visually striking(Opens in a new tab) protest arose in Brooklyn, New York, as a sea of protesters dressed in white converged on the Brooklyn Museum on June 14. Focusing on Egyptian protests as well as peaceful protests in Syria, the book offers rich and unique data as it brings together the experiences and voices of the key figures involved in the protests, both on the ground and online. The virtual protests are an effort to keep their longstanding demands(Opens in a new tab) in the spotlight. However, the rapid globalization of the coronavirus in February and March drastically reduced the number and size of protests. This year protesters of all ages have taken to the streets of the USA, Belarus, Poland, Nigeria, Thailand, Chile, Lebanon, and Hong Kong to stand up against injustice. On August 3,the chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, Solomon Dersso,responding to the arrests of protesters, warnedin a Twitterpost, As we follow [the] situation in Zimbabwe, critical to reiterate the African Commission on Human Rights view that actions of states even in fighting Covid-19 should comply with principles of legality, necessity, and proportionality, thus no basis for arbitrary deprivation of liberty or life, inhumane treatment or torture.. Welcome March with discounts on gadgets for your home. Prominent celebrities and politicians, including Beyonc(Opens in a new tab) and John Boyega(Opens in a new tab), voiced support for protesters on social media. Somewhere in the process of being cuffed, I had a knee on my neck.. In fact, 2020has brought human rights to the fore of public debate. The protests were partly co-ordinated by the Black Lives Matter movement. This is the us vs them style of leadership that hasalsoled toviolence against, It is clearer than ever that isolationism and inequality do not keep us safe, and that borders offer no protection against the virus. Despite the unit's well-established pattern of violence and abuse, SARS officers received virtually no accountability. Understanding the relationship between the two can help therapists and other medical professionals provide their clients with the most effective tools for overcoming addiction.. Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, protests against President Nicols Maduro, led to the downfall of President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, increase in all confrontational political dynamics, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program. Black Lives Matter demonstration in Vienna Christopher Glanzl/Amnesty International Austria. International Women's Day protesters in Istanbul were fired at with tear gas by riot police. He says it is particularly relevant during #COVID19, when so many peaceful gatherings have moved online https://t.co/K9Hj6rh2Aw pic.twitter.com/nkI7iYEoF5. Share this via Email Peaceful protest is one of the most effective ways for the majority of us to have their voices heard. We have some thoughts. Bialiatski was arrested during widespread protests against Belarus' 2020 election, which kept authoritarian President Aleksandr Lukashenko in power. Other ways to share In March, the National Human Rights Institute reported that investigations into over 3,000 cases of human rights violations committed during the 2019-2020 mass protests had been halted. Chairperson of theAfrican Union Commission (AUC) Moussa Faki Mahamatraised concerns about reports of disproportionate use of force by government security forces in enforcing Covid-19 emergency measures. Whats more, the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act already criminalises Roma, Travellers and nomadic communities. Share this via Telegram If you are talented and passionate about human rights then Amnesty International wants to hear from you. After Hong KongactivistJoshua Wong was sentenced to jail last week, he shouted we will hang in there! This is a message for our times at the end of an extraordinary painful year, it is more important than ever to stand firm and defend the principles of human rights. Activists of Amnesty International Austria demanded justice of George Floyd who was killed by police officers in Minneapolis, USA. To give just a few examples, thisyear Amnesty Internationalwasforced tocloseits officesin India,Hong Kong protest leadersweresentenced to prison, Russian opposition leaderAlexei Navalnywas poisoned, and theleadershipof the Egyptian Initiative on Personal Rights were arrested. Just after 8 p.m., the police, unprovoked and without warning, moved in on the protesters, wielding batons, beating people from car tops, shoving them to the ground, and firing pepper spray into their faces before rounding up more than 250 people for arrest, The New York City police blocked people from leaving before the curfew and then used the curfew as an excuse to beat, abuse, and arrest people who were protesting peacefully, said Ida Sawyer, acting crisis and conflict director at Human Rights Watch and co-author of the report. Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3)nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808, Witness: Police Kettle, Beat Protesters in New York City. On June 30, the national security law took effect(Opens in a new tab). Youth climate activists like Greta Thunberg called for school climate strikes, which have gained momentum and widespread exposure in the last few years, to be moved online amid the pandemic starting in early March. Demonstrations for Ahmaud Arbery, in some cases, involved private runs, while others ran collectively. Despite the greatest public health challenge in over a centuryand the viral threat, lockdowns, and increasingly repressive environment it triggeredprotests remained an integral part of the global political landscape. The suffrage battle - which was most intense in the UK and the United States - kicked off in the 19th century. Theamendment prohibits corporal punishmentand the exclusion of pregnant girls from school in accordance with theZimbabwe Constitution, whichguarantees the right to education. Anna is the Human Rights Editor of Stones' Justices' Manual (Lexis Nexis) and the Author of "The Protest Handbook" (2nd Ed 2020 . Following the police crackdown on anti-corruption protests in July, South Africas governing African National Congress (ANC)dispatcheda high-level delegation led by the partys Secretary-General Ace Magashule to Zimbabwe. Many of these new protests centered around the core issues that have driven the global protest wave of recent years, such as corruption, electoral manipulation, and police brutality. Amnesty International United Kingdom Section. This year protesters of all ages have taken to the streets of the USA, Belarus, Poland, Nigeria, Thailand, Chile, Lebanon, and Hong Kong to stand up against injustice. The Washington Post - The hundreds of people who marched through the Bronx on June 4, 2020, to protest the police killing of George Floyd had no idea they would face what a watchdog group described as one of the "most aggressive police responses" in the country. Some fervent Trump supporters disputed the election results with baseless fraud allegations, and protested in opposition to the results. International Women's Day, celebrated annually on March 8, often includes celebrations and protests about critical issues, like gender inequality and gender-based violence.