Tracking cases that protect freedom of expression, association, and assembly
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.
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…
Wilfredo Moncada was murdered during a peaceful protest on April 10, 2019. There has been little progress on the criminal proceedings against the police agents responsible for his death.
On August 15, 2014, a police operation was deployed in the context of a peaceful demonstration taking place in Samococh, Chisec, Alta Verapaz. As a result of the excessive use of force, three indigenous community members were killed, five were detained and 60 were injured. More than eight years later, only three police agents have…
On October 5, 2017, in the rural area of Puerto Rico-Majate, municipality of Tumaco, Nariño, a protest took place against the forced eradication of coca crops. As a result of the violent repression of the protest by the police, seven protesters were killed, some of them indigenous. The police forces stated that the deaths had…
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.
Elmer Campos was shot while participating in a protest against a gold mine in Cajamarca, Peru. There are currently two proceedings still pending: a criminal one against the police agents responsible for his injuries, and another one to hold a private company accountable as a civilly responsible third party. His case is also under review…
Jhony Andrés Salgado Fuentes was arbitrarily and illegally detained inside his home in the context of the 2017 post-election protest. The case against him was dismissed in March 2022. Even though there was a criminal proceeding against the police officers responsible for the detention, they were cleared of criminal responsibility.
Tafadzwa Muguti, a local authority in the Harare province, issued a directive in June 2021 with the goal of limiting the operations of civil society organizations in the region, banning those that did not comply with the new regulation.
Anastasía Mejía Tiriquiz, an indigenous journalist, and Petrona Siy Castro, an indigenous community leader, were arrested in the context of a protest that took place on August 24, 2020 in Joyabaj, against the local mayor. After facing a criminal proceeding for the crimes of sedition, arson and aggravated assault, they were released on September 3,…