Civil Rights Defenders (CRD) interviewed Belarusian activists for its new report, “Dictatorship No More? EU Sanctions Lifted at the Expense of Civil and Political Rights in Belarus.” The report highlights testimonies of activists who say the government remains deeply repressive despite the European Union’s (EU) claim that Belarus has improved its human rights record. It…
On January 31, 2017, Freedom House released its “Freedom in the World 2017” report, an annual report that rates political and civil rights around the world. For the 11th consecutive year, Freedom House found that every region in the world experienced a decline in freedom, stating that: “a total of 67 countries suffered net declines…
On January 16, 2017, leading members of Azerbaijani civil society issued a letter to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to conduct an independent investigation into corruption allegations against several of its Members. The letter is in response to an investigation by a Milan public prosecutor of former Vice President of PACE,…
A new interactive “Democracy Resource Hub” was recently launched to introduce today’s different forms of digital democracy. The Resource Hub posits that digital democracy is “the future of democratic governance” and an effective asset for traditional structures to utilize. Chronicling theoretical developments of digital democracy, the Hub highlights prominent men and women that have engineered…