Tracking cases that protect freedom of expression, association, and assembly
Topic: Criminalization / Judicial harassment
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The criminalization of Ugandans protesting the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP)
These cases concern violations of the freedom of assembly and the freedom of expression in Uganda, where environmental defenders protesting the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) have faced criminal charges for peacefully demonstrating against the project.
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Carlos Choc Case
Carlos Choc is a Mayan community journalist who has faced constant criminalization since 2017, as a result of his work documenting and investigating environmental rights violations. There is one on-going criminal proceeding against Mr. Choc.
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Milena Quiroz Jiménez Case
Milena Quiroz is an Afro-descendant leader and human rights defender. She is a legal representative of the Comisión de Interlocución del Sur de Bolívar, Centro y Sur del Cesar (CISBCSC) (Interlocution Commission of Sure de Bolívar, Centro, and Sur del Cesar), a member of the Cooperativa Multiactiva de Arenal (Comuarenal) (Arenal Multiactive Cooperative) and the…
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Norma Sancir Case
Indigenous journalist Norma Sancir was detained and beaten when she was covering a demonstration in September 2014. More than eight years later, the criminal procedure against the four police agents responsible for the attack is still on-going, as a result of intentional delays caused by the agents’ defense.
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Zongo Communities
The Zongo communities have been greatly affected by a scheelita’s mine for the past decades. Even though the Tribunal Constitucional Plurinacional has acknowledged the indigenous jurisdiction and backed its decisions to expel the mining company, they have not been complied with. Additionally, many community members have been criminalized.
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Guapinol Case
Guapinol defenders have faced criminalization and attacks against them for years, in retaliation for their work as community leaders and human rights defenders. This case discusses the arbitrary detention of eight Guapinol defenders who were released in 2022, after a legal procedure full of human rights violations.
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Communities reclaiming ancestral lands in China Kichá, Salitre, Cabagra, and Térraba
In China Kichá, in the south of Costa Rica, several indigenous communities have been evicted and judicially harassed for trying to recover their ancestral territories, occupied by non-indigenous settlers. Due to the lack of recognition and protection by the Costa Rican State, the indigenous communities are being evicted, have eviction orders pending and face criminal…
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Virginia Laparra Case
Virginia Laparra, former anti-corruption prosecutor, was arrested on February 23, 2022. She is currently facing two criminal proceedings, in retaliation for several administrative complaints she filed against a judge. She is currently deprived of her liberty in inhumane conditions.
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Furukawa Case
The Japanese company Furukawa Plantaciones S.A. has been operating on the Ecuadorian coast to exploit abaca fiber since 1963. More than 1,240 people, mostly Afro-Ecuadorian, have lived on the company’s plantations. They work in unworthy and miserable living, housing and work conditions, without access to drinking water, adequate food, health care, electricity or sanitation, in…
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Sonny Figueroa and Marvin del Cid Case
Sonny Figueroa and Marvin del Cid are two renowned Guatemalan journalists, who founded the media outlets Artículo 35 and Vox Populi, which play an important role in the oversight of the Guatemalan government’s use of public resources. In this role, they have exposed major corruption scandals, which has resulted in constant attacks, threats, criminalization and…