Although the outside world had predicted that Bialiacki would receive a heavy sentence, the verdict is still likely to draw strong condemnation from Western human rights organizations. In anticipation of potential civil unrest, storefronts across the country(Opens in a new tab) were boarded up, a sight that had already become familiar in many cities during the Black Lives Matter protests that swept the country in the summer of 2020. A Belarusian court has sentenced Ales Bialiatski, Belarus' top human rights advocate and one of the winners of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, to 10 years in prison. Human Rights Watch documented at least 61 cases of protesters, legal observers, and bystanders who sustained injuries during the crackdown, including lacerations, a broken nose, lost tooth, sprained shoulder, broken finger, black eyes, and potential nerve damage due to overly tight zip ties. UPDATE: Dec. 7, 2020, 3:11 p.m. The harsh punishment of . On June 30, the national security law took effect(Opens in a new tab). Even before COVID-19 fully gripped the world, 2020 was shaping up to be a year of activism. International Women's Day, celebrated annually on March 8, often includes celebrations and protests about critical issues, like gender inequality and gender-based violence. Anti-lockdown protests emerged in at least twenty-six countries, and the perception that political leaders were using restrictions to quash domestic dissent drove protests in Bolivia, Israel, Serbia, and Uganda. Over2millionpeople in the capital, Harare,and the greater metropolitan area incorporating Chitungwiza, Epworth, Ruwa and Norton have no access to safe drinking water or adequate waste and wastewater disposal services. Women's suffrage (The UK and the United States) "Suffrage" refers to the right to vote, and for centuries, women were not given equal rights to men. The provision of safe water isan importantmeasure to combat Covid-19. From the Black Lives Matter protests in the United States, to the End SARS protest in Nigeria, and protests in France over a police security bill, ending police abuse and systemic discriminationissues that have fueled protests in many countries for yearsbecame a more transnational cause. It led to(Opens in a new tab) thwarted rallies and increased fears of surveillance and arrest, while people continued to take to the streets. At anti-lockdown protests, some protesters were heavily armed, but faced little police pushback. A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (01735872). New York Police Commissioner Dermot Shea confirmed the premeditated nature of the operation, stating at a news conference the next day: We had a plan which was executed nearly flawlessly in the Bronx. Shea described the protest as an attempt by outside agitators to cause mayhem, tear down society, and injure cops. Human Rights Watch found that the protest, organized by activists from the Bronx, was peaceful until the police responded with violence. Credit: Robert Nickelsberg / Getty Images. Which language would you like to use this site in? Some fervent Trump supporters disputed the election results with baseless fraud allegations, and protested in opposition to the results. It is particularly relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic, when so many peaceful gatherings have moved online., By focusing extensively on the intersection of digital technologies and the right to peaceful assembly, General Comment 37 sets out a clear framework to protect this fundamental right in the digital era, said MR. Voule. And,we mustoffer our solidarity and support to the human rights activists around the world who are stepping up to fill the gaps left by their governments. Then they dragged me on the ground and beat me with batons. Warehouse workers and climate groups protested Amazon's policies on Black Friday, a major shopping day. Emboldened by the soon-to-be former president's inflammatory remarks and baseless fraud accusations(Opens in a new tab), hundreds of right-wing activists, including members of the hate group Proud Boys, took to Washington, D.C., a week after the election was called for Biden. The security agents allegedlytorturedMuchehiwa. In a significant step for disability rights, the lawmandates everyschoolto providesuitable infrastructure for students with disabilities and requires authorities to ensure thatschoolsprotect the rights of students with disabilities. The legal advice is from theUN Human Rights Committee, whose 18 experts monitor how countries implement the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The coronavirus pandemic should not be used as an excuse to clamp down on fundamental freedoms, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) reminded authorities in Zimbabwe on Friday. People believe that gender equality is improving, but the rest of the data tells a different story. On the eve of theJuly 30,anti-corruption protests, security forcesraidedtheBulawayohomeof Mduduzi Mathuthu. On every continent, civic space is being crushed and dissent ruthlessly silenced. Typically, LGBTQ students and allies vow not to speak for the entirety of a school day to demonstrate the erasure of LGBTQ students in school curricula. Driving the news: Three other prominent. Bialiatski was arrested during widespread protests against Belarus' 2020 election, which kept authoritarian President Aleksandr Lukashenko in power. These facilitiesremainedunsanitary, overcrowded,andwithno running water in cells for detainees to comply withrecommendedhygiene practices to stem thevirusspread. As an 8 p.m. curfew neared, New York Police Department The resilience of thesemovementsis extraordinary. Protests in support of the U.S. Black Lives Matter movement spread swiftly around the world, with people taking to the streets in Sydney(Opens in a new tab), Rio de Janeiro(Opens in a new tab), London(Opens in a new tab), and Seoul(Opens in a new tab), among other cities. An interview this week between Iran's foreign minister and CNN's Christiane Amanpour went off the rails as Amanpour tried desperately to hold Iran accountable for its mistreatment of women. To give just a few examples, thisyear Amnesty Internationalwasforced tocloseits officesin India,Hong Kong protest leadersweresentenced to prison, Russian opposition leaderAlexei Navalnywas poisoned, and theleadershipof the Egyptian Initiative on Personal Rights were arrested. Share this via WhatsApp It also stressed the right of journalists and human rights observers to monitor and document any assembly, including violent and unlawful ones. Credit: Richard Tsong-Taatarii / Star Tribune via Getty Images. You are leaving the website for the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy and entering a website for another of Carnegie's global centers. It follows a pattern of a government voicing support for protest around the world but cracking down on the right to speak up here at home.. protesting againstthe pillaging of their lands by corporations these movements are our best hope for turning the tide on the repression and discrimination that have been the status quo for too long. ET This story was updated to include protests that took place following the story's initial publication in July 2020. Share this via Facebook A Belarusian court sentenced 2022 Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski to 10 years in prison on Wednesday for funding protests and tax evasion, Russian state news agency TASS reported. Bialiatski and three other top figures of the Viasna human rights center he founded were convicted of financing anti-government protests. The NYPDs highest-ranking uniformed officer, Chief of Department Terence Monahan, was present during the action, along with at least 24 other uniformed supervisory officers chiefs, lieutenants, captains, or inspectors in white shirts. Biden and Harris supporters flocked to the streets, like the revelers pictured here in New York City, to celebrate their victory. Since then, Beijing announced intentions to push through significant national security laws in Hong Kong, one of its most assertive attempts to exercise control over the special administrative region. As protests spread across the country, organizers worked to center the stories of Black women, specifically Black trans women. In Russia, people convicted of protest-related offences are not allowed to organise protests. Join our movement today. The closureaffectedabout4millionchildrenacross the country. . Both long-standing and new grievances will continue to inflame public debates, fueling an increase in all confrontational political dynamics (not just protests but also polarization and populism). Protests against racial injustice have increasingly focused on the specific threat of violence faced by Black trans women. President Donald Trump speaks to the media before departing on Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on November 9, 2018 in Washington, DC. This year protesters of all ages have taken to the streets of the USA, Belarus, Poland, Nigeria, Thailand, Chile, Lebanon, and Hong Kong to stand up against injustice. As Nov. 3 loomed, the country held its breath for the results of the 2020 presidential election and then had to keep holding its breath for days. Summer 2020 saw a paradigm shift in America's ongoing struggle for racial justice. The protests marked the end of a tense week that saw two major police violence cases just as the law was being reviewed by France's lower chamber, the National Assembly. Share on Facebook (opens in a new window), Share on Flipboard (opens in a new window). Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people in close to 100 countries worldwide, spotlighting abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice, Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3)nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808, Bidens Challenge: Redeeming a US Role for Human Rights, Addressing the Climate Crisis in Times of Pandemic, From Flight Logs to Homeschooling, Human Rights Watch Grapples with Covids Challenges, As Online Gender-Based Violence Booms, Governments Drag Their Feet, The Other Pandemic: Fighting Inequality as We Beat Back Covid, Poverty, Pandemic, Police Violence: Ongoing Crises Demand the US Address Pervasive Racism. Westminster has repackaged the worst parts of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act into a new Public Order Bill. Authorities demanded organizers call off the march, though large crowds stayed, leading to hundreds of arrests. Around 50,000 people took part in an anti-racism demonstration in Vienna on Thursday, 4th of July 2020. Countless rights and freedoms enjoyed today, like women being able to vote and workers able to enjoy weekends, have all been won by protesting against injustice. The World Unpacked is a monthly foreign policy podcast that breaks down the hottest global issues of today with experts, journalists, and policymakers who can explain what is happening, why it matters, and where we go from here. Future historians, too, will toil over the twists that emerged on what felt like a daily basis throughout the coronavirus pandemic. End SARS protests, which started in 2016, reached a fever pitch in October of 2020. Credit: Olukayode Jaiyeola / NurPhoto via Getty Images. Everyone, including children, foreign nationals, women, migrant workers, asylum seekers and refugees, can exercise the right of peaceful assembly, he added. In Georgia, where Arbery lived, protests were staged at courthouses(Opens in a new tab) on May 8, which would have been his 26th birthday. Bialiatski and three other top. In the last year, over 70governmentcriticswereabducted andlater releasedby unidentified men suspected to be state security agents. New York state and city officials should make structural changes to reduce the police role in addressing societal problems, including through significant decreases to the police force size and budget, Human Rights Watch said. In late April and early May, after cities across the U.S. adopted social distancing measures, small protests emerged in Wisconsin(Opens in a new tab), Minnesota(Opens in a new tab), Virginia(Opens in a new tab), and Michigan(Opens in a new tab). In fact, 2020 has brought human rights to the fore of public debate. In Venezuela, systemic corruption and state capture continue to drive protests against President Nicols Maduro, which have been occurring intermittently since 2014. Amongthe Mnangagwa governmentsfew positive stepsonhuman rights in 2020 was theamendment of the Education Act. Understanding the relationship between the two can help therapists and other medical professionals provide their clients with the most effective tools for overcoming addiction.. In early 2020, when little was known about the virus and it seemed like a localized problem, the protest surge that had marked the second half of 2019 continued. The protests eventually escalated to violence as counterprotesters got involved, with 20 people arrested, according to the mayor's office in D.C. International Women's Day protesters in Istanbul were fired at with tear gas by riot police. Amnesty International UK Section Charitable Trust. On Feb. 23, Arbery, who was Black, was stalked and fatally shot by white men in a truckwhile on a run in Georgia. Many incorporated their country's specific needs for progress, particularly in the context of colonial legacies. Other ways to share Bialiatski, alongside three other human rights activists, was tried on charges of financing protests in Belarus after the 2020 presidential election, which was widely considered fraudulent, as well . 2020 saw more widespread support for Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day. Though much of the youth-led climate movement moved online in response to the coronavirus pandemic (more on that in a bit), on the one-year anniversary of the September strikes, at least 3,500 strikes were scheduled around the world. Read 10 famous protests that shook the UK. like many not-for-profit organisations, our fundraising has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. This year, as usual, the protests took place all over the world: In Chile(Opens in a new tab), Mexico(Opens in a new tab), Pakistan(Opens in a new tab), Paris(Opens in a new tab), Turkey(Opens in a new tab), and the Philippines(Opens in a new tab), among other cities. This year, though, awareness of the holiday was especially high, as people across the countryparticipated in protests and rallieson Juneteenth in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. In anticipation of Black Friday, the day-after-Thanksgiving shopping event that was largely moved online this year, a coalition of Amazon warehouse workers and climate activists organized a day of action called #MakeAmazonPay(Opens in a new tab). Meanwhile, in Belarus, the blatant electoral manipulation propping up the decades-old dictatorship of Alexander Lukashenko spurred a massive, sustained Slipper Uprising after the countrys August elections. They are the Voices of the Movement. In Madison, Wisconsin, for instance, some of the (primarily white) protesters were armed as they stormed Wisconsin's capitol building. In a complex, changing, and increasingly contested world, the Carnegie Endowment generates strategic ideas and independent analysis, supports diplomacy, and trains the next generation of international scholar-practitioners to help countries and institutions take on the most difficult global problems and safeguard peace. The policeviolently dispersedprotests in July,wherein16 protesters were injured and a further60 were arrested. All rights reserved. Protest actions were organized(Opens in a new tab) in Brazil, Germany, India, Mexico, the U.S., France, and other countries. It was a year unlike any other, and it was also an election year. The state is supposed to be the ultimate protector of human rights, but in too many cases states are the biggest abusers. Similarly, protesters in Bristol, England, toppled a statue of Edward Colston(Opens in a new tab), a 17th-century slave trader, and threw it in the harbor. Share this via Reddit Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Published 25 June 2020 presented to Human Rights Council at its 40th session Report Issued by Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Subjects Law enforcement, Human Rights Council Symbol Number A/HRC/44/24 Version See available official languages View full document record Background To give just a few examples, thisyear Amnesty Internationalwasforced to, weresentenced to prison, Russian opposition leader. Emergency and search-and-rescue teams have deployed to assess and prioritize urgent needs and to provide life-saving assistance following the devastating earthquake near the Trkiye-Syria border. Commissioner Mijatovi published today a letter she addressed to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, Mr Vilayat Eyvazov, in which she raises concerns in relation to the dispersal of demonstrators in recent protests in Baku and limitations imposed on freedom of assembly in that context. But by standing together, we have the power to fight back. The NYPD did not respond to questions about the violence it inflicted on protesters and observers or address why officers trapped the protesters before the curfew, blocking all paths to disperse. Amnesty International UK 2019. Frustrations with the sluggish transition to democracy in Sudan fueled a Million Man March movement, which began in mid-2019 and flared up throughout 2020. At the crux of the protest actions were Amazon's working conditions(Opens in a new tab) and climate impact(Opens in a new tab), both of which, depending on who you ask, range from notably subpar to dismal. One was held for a week. Though difficult to replicate online,GLSEN(Opens in a new tab), the LGBTQ advocacy organization that has organized the demonstration since the 1990s, encouraged supporters to post on social media using graphics and templates that outline statistics about LGBTQ erasure in schools, in order to continue to raise awareness even while socially distant. Thetortureresultedin serious injuries,includingextensive bruisesand anacute kidney injury. Of course, January 1 feels like a lifetime ago. Some were met with pushback from authorities and regular citizens. On September 3, the Bronx District Attorney filed to dismiss the summonses, and on September 25 the Bronx District Attorneys office informed Human Rights Watch that the desk appearance tickets will also be dismissed. New York City Said It Will Pay $21,500 Each To Protesters Who Were Kettled And Beaten By Police During Black Lives Matter Demonstrations. The Human Rights Act Article 11: Freedom of assembly and association Article 11 protects your right to protest by holding meetings and demonstrations with other people You also have the right to form and be part of a trade union, a political party or any another association or voluntary group. (Some states, such as Texas and Alabama, restrict or prohibit the discussion of LGBTQ issues(Opens in a new tab) in the classroom.). Belarusian human rights advocate and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by a Minsk court on Friday. The January 1 protest carried the movement into 2020. Briere was detained in May 2020, and later sentenced to eight years in prison for espionage. New York City police planned the assault and mass arrests of peaceful protesters in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the South Bronx on June 4, 2020, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. NASA smacked an asteroid with a spacecraft. Bialiatski and three other top figures of the Viasna human rights centre he founded were convicted of financing actions violating public order and smuggling, Viasna reported on Friday. Though underpinned by years of organizing, the momentous wave of Black Lives Matter protests seen in 2020 started in Minneapolis. He says it is particularly relevant during #COVID19, when so many peaceful gatherings have moved online https://t.co/K9Hj6rh2Aw pic.twitter.com/nkI7iYEoF5. Peaceful assemblies can in some cases be inherently or deliberately disruptive and require a significant degree of toleration.. Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees. Some observers wondered if the global protest wave had met its match. The Washington Post - The hundreds of people who marched through the Bronx on June 4, 2020, to protest the police killing of George Floyd had no idea they would face what a watchdog group described as one of the "most aggressive police responses" in the country. The panelsGeneral Comment, notes that protesters have the right to wear masks or hoods to cover their face and that Governments should not collect personal data to harass or intimidate participants. Anna is the Human Rights Editor of Stones' Justices' Manual (Lexis Nexis) and the Author of "The Protest Handbook" (2nd Ed 2020 . MOSCOW (Reuters) -A court in Belarus on Friday sentenced Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski to 10 years in prison, Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported, a verdict likely to be strongly condemned by Western human rights groups. Move over, "Armageddon." At Black Lives Matter protests in Los Angeles and Atlanta in late May and early June, for instance, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters, using extreme force on protests(Opens in a new tab) which were primarily peaceful. It was a planned operation with no justification that could cost New York taxpayers millions of dollars.. Despite the unit's well-established pattern of violence and abuse, SARS officers received virtually no accountability. Somewhere in the process of being cuffed, I had a knee on my neck.. This is the us vs them style of leadership that hasalsoled toviolence againstMuslims in Delhi, and the continued persecution ofUighurs in China. Here are some tips and tricks to help you find the answer to "Wordle" #623. HRC's 2019 report(Opens in a new tab) found that all but one of the 22 trans or gender non-conforming people killed in the U.S. that year were Black. Bialiatski, a pro-democracy activist and founder of the Viasna human rights group which provided legal and financial help to protesters during a 2020 wave . Bialiatski and three other top figures of the Viasna human rights centre he founded were convicted of financing anti-government protests. In Brussels, Belgium(Opens in a new tab), for instance, protesters defaced and set fire to a statue of King Leopold II, who oversaw the violentcolonizationof the Congo. The spread ofCovid-19 in Zimbabweposedmajor risks to the countrys prisons and detention centers. Hewasleft with a brokenleft legandfingerby men whoaccused him of organizing anti-government protests. For example, the government proposed Serious Disruption Prevention Orders go even further than Russian Law on Assemblies. As the chart below shows, the rapid proliferation of new protests continued for the rest of the year. Share this via Email From the, in the US, to Nigerian security forces murderous attacks on. In August 2020,South AfricanPresident Cyril Ramaphosa appointedtwospecial envoys to help resolve the Zimbabwe crisisby identifying ways in which South Africa could assist. They should also empower independent accountability systems to provide a genuine check on police misconduct. Credit: Pacific Press / LightRocket via Getty images. 24 July 2020 Human Rights. Theamendment prohibits corporal punishmentand the exclusion of pregnant girls from school in accordance with theZimbabwe Constitution, whichguarantees the right to education.