UN: Renew Russia Special Rapporteur
“Given the severity of the repression, the closure of civic space, and the continued targeting of human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists and peaceful protesters, the role of the Special Rapporteur remains critical.”
Ivorian LGBTQI+ community seeking legal protection
Although homosexuality is not a criminal offense in the Ivory Coast, the LGBTQ+ community remain on the periphery, grappling with a society that does not fully accept them.
MENA’s Summer of repression: Journalists, activists, and free expression under siege
August 2024 in MENA: A free expression and civic space round-up produced by IFEX’s Regional Editor Naseem Tarawnah, based on IFEX member reports and news from the region.
Irangabiye released, protests expose fissures and spark new tactics and an online war exposes misogyny and xenophobia
August 2024 in Africa: A free expression and civic space round-up produced by IFEX’s Regional Editor Reyhana Masters, based on IFEX member reports and news from the region.
South Asia in focus: Youth-led uprising, women’s rights crisis, and internet disruption
August 2024 in South Asia: A free expression and civic space round-up produced by IFEX’s regional editor Mong Palatino, based on IFEX member reports and news from the region.
Ultra-conservative advocacy group pushing right-wing ideologies in Kenya
Spanish based organisation, CitizenGO, lends its support to politically motivated anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric in Kenya.
Political prisoners, censorship in libraries, and four years of repression
August 2024 in Europe and Central Asia: A free expression round-up produced by IFEX’s Regional Editor Cathal Sheerin, based on IFEX member reports and news from the region.
Repression and resistance in Belarus: A monthly chronology
A monthly chronology of repression and resistance in Belarus, based on the work of IFEX members and other international and domestic actors.
Russia: Life for queer people after ban on LGBTQI+ “movement”
“Ayan believes the ban on LGBTQI+ people is intended to ‘remove people from the information field, to make them completely invisible.’ And you can do whatever you want to the invisible.”
Iran: Alarming surge in executions
87 executions reported after June’s presidential elections, including 29 in one day.
Afghanistan: Report on the state of media after three years of Taliban rule
The Afghanistan Journalists Center recorded 181 incidents of press freedom violations over the past year.
HRW: International Olympic Committee right to stand against “sex testing”
“Sex testing has often relied on racist gender stereotypes. There is no scientific consensus that higher than typical endogenous testosterone in women confers an athletic advantage. There have never been sex tests for men, meaning sex testing is intrinsically discriminatory against women” – HRW
New HRW report examines Russia’s legislative assault on civic space
“The Russian government’s dismantling of civic freedoms since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 is a dramatic escalation of its sustained assault on fundamental rights spanning more than a decade” – HRW
Student protests, post-election reforms, impunity, and journalists on strike in Asia-Pacific
July 2024 in Asia-Pacific: A free expression round-up produced by IFEX’s regional editor Mong Palatino, based on IFEX member reports and news from the region.