Human Rights Watch

Since Rugurika’s arrest in January, there has been a huge public mobilization campaign by Burundian journalists and independent groups.

“For too long Thai authorities have stood by while activists like Chai Bunthonglek have been murdered in cold blood for standing up for their communities,” said HRW.

The Uzbek authorities’ amnesty of a prominent journalist and independent religious figure should open the path to the release of other activists and religious believers imprisoned for the peaceful exercise of their fundamental rights, Human Rights Watch said.

Venezuela has granted powers to the military to use force to control peaceful demonstrations, Human Rights Watch said today. On January 23, 2015, the Defense Ministry issued a resolution authorizing the Armed Forces to maintain “public order” and “social peace” during “public meetings and demonstrations.”

Authorities are cracking down on people fleeing the country, and on those who share information with the outside world.

“This is a very dangerous time to be a journalist in Libya,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “Too many journalists in post-Gaddafi Libya face a situation where saying what you think can get you killed.”

“The violent attack on a defense lawyer right outside the courthouse strongly indicates that the assailants were confident they would get away with it,” said Rachel Denber, deputy Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

The draft law on public peace and order for the Bosnian Serb entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina would extend the scope of existing public order laws to include social media.