Responding to the World Movement for Democracy’s 2015 Call for Democratic Renewal, the formation of a dynamic coalition of democratic leaders was announced in a statement entitled the “Prague Appeal for Democratic Renewal.” The statement comes ahead of the annual Forum 2000 Conference scheduled for October 8-10, 2017, which members of the coalition and other…
On June 6, 2017, the office of the UNSR for freedom peaceful assembly and association launched FOAA Online – an online portal of user-friendly legal arguments for civil society activists who are fighting to defend those rights. The legal strategies have been aggregated from existing international human rights law, international treaty bodies, and regional courts…
On May 13, 2017, Iraqi Parliamentarians delayed the passage of a draft of the Law on Freedom of Expression, Assembly, and Peaceful Demonstration after citizens, civil society organizations, and trade and labor unions protested the proposed legislation. Through constructive dialogue, the coalition persuaded Members of Parliament to indefinitely postpone a vote on the bill, which…
On May 9, 2017, Hassan Shire, the Executive Director of the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project (DefendDefenders), addressed the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and encouraged them to play a stronger role in protecting human rights on the continent. Shire drew attention to a number of recent human rights…