“The Global Epidemic Unveiled: Mapping State-Sanctioned Repression on Protesters”

The Global Rise in Repression of Protesters: A Terrifying Reality

Authorities Resorting to Unlawful Force and Repressive Legislation

According to Amnesty International, authorities across the world are increasingly turning to unlawful use of force and repressive legislation to crush protests. In response to this alarming trend, the organization has launched an interactive digital map that exposes the widespread repression of protesters by states across the globe. The map is part of Amnesty International’s flagship global campaign, “Protect the Protest,” and sheds light on the numerous human rights violations perpetrated against protesters.

The map reveals that governments treat protests as a threat rather than a right, and law enforcement officials view their role as being to suppress and subdue protesters rather than to facilitate their rights. This has resulted in thousands of people being unlawfully dispersed, arrested, beaten, and even killed during demonstrations. Furthermore, participants in protests often face devastating consequences afterwards, simply for exercising their right to protest.

The Right to Protest: A Right, Not a Privilege

Amnesty International emphasizes that peaceful protest is a fundamental right, not a privilege, and one that states have a duty to respect, protect, and facilitate. However, this right is increasingly under threat, with authorities using unlawful force against people in over 85 countries.

The organization highlights the dire situation in Iran, where authorities have unlawfully killed hundreds and arbitrarily detained tens of thousands of people, including children, in order to crush successive waves of nationwide protests. Countless protesters in Iran have also been subjected to torture and other forms of ill-treatment, including sexual violence, in detention. Similar repression is observed in China, where peaceful protest is near impossible without facing harassment, prosecution, and imprisonment.

It is alarming to note that the list of threatened activists and countries continues to grow, indicating that this repression must be stopped now. Amnesty International calls on governments across the world to overhaul their approach, put an end to this abhorrent violence, and ensure the protection and facilitation of peaceful protests.

The First of Its Kind: Interactive Digital Map Exposes Repression

The interactive digital map launched by Amnesty International is the first of its kind and provides a chilling picture of the daily reality for protesters around the world. It exposes how many countries misuse less lethal weapons, such as tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper spray, and batons, to harass, intimidate, punish, or disperse protesters, thereby shutting down their right to peaceful assembly.

Amnesty International notes that despite the widespread misuse of less lethal weapons, there is currently no global control over their production, trade, and use. This is a shocking revelation that highlights the urgent need for an international treaty to regulate the trade in policing equipment to prevent these weapons from falling into the hands of abusive police forces.

In addition to pinpointing countries where protesters suffer abuse and the threats they face, the map also provides information on current legislation on protests, relevant UN publications, international court judgments, and ways for individuals to take action.

The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic significantly curtailed the right to protest, as gatherings were generally prohibited on public health grounds in most countries. However, some states used the pandemic as a pretext to further restrict gatherings or introduce disproportionate restrictions. The Human Rights Measurement Initiative reports that many countries struggled to bounce back, as seen in its annual rights tracker.

For example, Angola scores low on the right to assembly and association in its 2023 Rights Tracker. Activist Elizabeth Campos from Angola’s Movement for Women in Politics shares the reality of protesting in her country, describing it as an experience of near-death. She emphasizes that democracy exists only on paper in Angola, where protests can quickly turn violent, making every return home a cause for celebration. Institutional violence is a constant presence in Angola, highlighting the urgent need for change.

Widespread Violations and Urgent Action needed

Amnesty International’s monitoring reveals credible allegations of state forces using unlawful force against peaceful protesters in at least 86 of the 156 countries covered in its annual report. Disturbingly, security forces in 37 countries have used lethal weapons against protesters, despite firearms being unsuitable for crowd control.

Countries like India have resorted to using guns, tear gas, baton charges, internet shutdowns, and even forced evictions against protesters. In China, those who dare to protest risk losing their right to education and housing. Recently, in Peru, the unlawful use of lethal force by security forces resulted in 49 deaths during protests.

Amnesty International’s global map clearly highlights the widespread scale of repression and restrictions faced by protesters worldwide. It serves as a tool to visualize and track the global extent of the issue, exposing governments failing to protect the right to protest. The map aims to hold law enforcement authorities accountable for their shocking abuses committed in efforts to crush demonstrations.

To address this dire situation, Amnesty International calls on governments to urgently overhaul their approach, put a stop to this abhorrent violence, and ensure the protection and facilitation of peaceful protests.

Patrick Wilcken, Amnesty International’s Researcher on Military, Security and Policing issues, stated:

“Marking human rights violations on a map allows us to visualize and track the global scale of the issue. It also exposes the governments that are failing to protect the right to protest and helps to hold law enforcement authorities to account for shocking abuses they commit amid efforts to crush demonstrations.”

Conclusion: Urgent Need for Change

The rise in repression against protesters is a deeply troubling global epidemic. Individuals exercising their fundamental right to peaceful protest often find themselves unlawfully dispersed, arrested, beaten, and even killed. The abuse does not end with the demonstrations; participants face devastating consequences long after the protests have ended.

Amnesty International’s interactive map serves as a powerful tool to visualize the widespread patterns of repression and hold governments accountable for their failures to protect the right to protest. It is imperative that governments urgently overhaul their approach, cease the abhorrent violence, and ensure the protection and facilitation of peaceful protests.

In addition, there is an urgent need for international cooperation and the establishment of treaties to regulate the trade in policing equipment, preventing less lethal weapons from being used by abusive police forces. Without such measures, the repression of protesters will continue unchecked.

Ultimately, the right to protest is a core tenet of democracy and must be protected and respected by all governments. The voices of protesters must be heard, and their rights must be safeguarded in order to foster societal progress and the realization of a just and inclusive world.

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