IFEX Statements

UN Submission: Promoting Environmental Democracy: Countering Attacks on Access to Information and Reinforcing Civic Space

IFEX’s submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment builds on an emerging area of IFEX work by drawing on illustrative contexts and initiatives from our network. The submission shows how civil society has been stepping in to resist the targeting of journalists and defenders by States and companies and to address the resulting vacuum of information critical for environmental democracy and action where States have failed.

Appeal to the Government of Kyrgyzstan

IFEX calls on Kyrgyz authorities to uphold their international human rights obligations by ceasing the wider use of criminal prosecution and abuse of legislation to systematically target independent media outlets, journalists, and other media professionals.

Solidarity with ARTICLE 19 Mexico and Central America following threats by President Obrador

IFEX and IFEX-ALC are expressing their solidarity with ARTICLE 19 Mexico and Central America after an escalation in threats against the organisation by Mexico’s president.

Appeal to Mongolian Legislators: Uphold the veto on restrictive social media bill

IFEX urges the Parliament of Mongolia to uphold the decision of Mongolia’s president to veto the proposed Law on the Protection of Human Rights in Social Media.

UN Submission: Addressing online threats to the safety of women journalists

IFEX’s submission to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights highlights how growing trends of online gender-based violence facing women journalists threatens their safety and undermines their rights to free expression and public participation, as well as civil society’s role in addressing these threats.

Access to resources : A new report by the Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association

Clément Nyaletsossi Voule has released a report that integrates many of the issues IFEX raised in its submission, included below, related to protecting the ability of civil society to do its important work.

IFEX stands in solidarity with Ukrainian member IMI, urges respect for Safety of Journalists & Right to Protest

“Following this morning’s invasion, the work of IMI, their partners and allies, and independent journalists across Ukraine and Russia is needed now more than ever. The safety of journalists, as well as the right to protest needs to be assured.” – IFEX Executive Director Annie Game.

IFEX urges international community to pressure Myanmar junta to end crackdown and free protestors and journalists

“Amidst this violent crackdown, the international community urgently needs to show solidarity with the people of Myanmar as they struggle for their basic human rights. The muted response we’ve seen so far from the UN and ASEAN is simply not good enough” – IFEX Executive Director Annie Game.

IFEX hails Nobel Peace Prize award as underlining why press freedom is essential for democracy & human rights

As a global network committed to promoting the right to freedom of expression and working to make the link between that right and all others, IFEX is pleased to see the Nobel Committee making this same connection, particularly regarding the work of both Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov.

A riot police officer guards State Flag Square, with the Supreme Court building in the background, during mass protests against the presidential election results, in Minsk, Belarus, 20 September 2020, Valery Sharifulin/TASS via Getty Images

IFEX stands with Belarusian Association of Journalists following court-ordered dissolution, calls on global community to support Belarusian rights defenders

IFEX expresses solidarity with its member the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), following today’s politically-motivated decision by the Belarus Supreme Court to liquidate the organisation. We call on the international community to support all Belarusian journalists and rights defenders whose lives and livelihoods are under threat.

Human rights defender Gamal Eid (second from left) and other award winners and dignitaries at a ceremony for the 'Roland Berger Human Dignity Award', in Berlin, Germany, 22 November 2011, Stephan Schraps/Getty Images

IFEX calls on authorities in Egypt to drop their prosecution of prominent human rights defender Gamal Eid

“Gamal is one of the strongest independent voices still fighting for human rights in a country that has been dismantling civil society and closing the space for freedom of expression and information for far too long. The trumped-up charges against him should be dropped immediately, along with the travel ban and assets freeze.’

Women holding banners, emergency flares and torches take part in a a demonstration against the military coup, in Yangon, Myanmar, 14 July 2021, Yan Naing Aung/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

IFEX calls on Myanmar junta to drop all charges under new censorship legislation, free all protestors and journalists, and restore media licenses

IFEX is calling for the restoration of media licenses to IFEX member Mizzima News and other media outlets who have played an essential role in shedding light on the violence inflicted by the junta against their own people. 897 people have been killed and over 6500 arrested, charged or sentenced since the coup in February.

A group of inidividuals are pictures in lab coasts. Most are holding up there hands with three fingers up, signifying the civil disobedience movement in Myanmar

IFEX expresses solidarity with Mizzima, condemns violent crackdown in Myanmar

IFEX, the global network of over 100 organisations dedicated to promoting and defending the right to freedom of expression and information, expresses its solidarity and support for its Myanmar member Mizzima, and condemns the violent crackdown against protestors, journalists, rights defenders, and civil society organisations perpetrated by the military junta which seized power in Myanmar on February 1st.

Jineth Bedoya Lima as petitioner in the 157th Regular Period of Sessions of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, 5 April 2016, Photo: Daniel Cima, Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

IFEX calls on Colombian state to return to Inter-American Court hearing on the Jineth Bedoya case

“We see the withdrawal of the state as another obstacle to achieving justice for Jineth Bedoya. IFEX will continue to stand with her. After 20 years, this will not deter her in her fight. The misogynistic culture that allows women to be treated in this way must come to an end,” said IFEX Executive Director Annie Game.

Open letter to the members of the Chamber of Senators of the Congress of the Union in Mexico

The Senate of the Republic has an opportunity to reverse a decision that if fully approved would aggravate the situation of risk in which thousands of individuals live in Mexico. As such, we call on you to reconsider the 6 October decision taken by the Chamber of Deputies regarding the elimination of 109 public funds and trusts.

IFEX condemns politically-motivated 15-year prison sentence for its member Bahey eldin Hassan, a renowned Egyptian human rights defender

“The entire IFEX network stands united in calling for Bahey’s profoundly unjust sentence to be quashed, and for Egyptian authorities to immediately end their crackdown against human rights defenders and all those exercising their right to freedom of expression.”