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General update| Civicus Monitor
The state of civic space in the Philippines is rated as ‘repressed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor. Concerns documented in recent years include the arrest and detention of activists, often on fabricated charges. Human rights defenders have also been ‘red-tagged’, putting them at risk of arrest or even being killed. Civil society has also documented the harassment and attacks against journalists.| Civicus Monitor
The state of civic space in the Philippines is rated as ‘repressed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor. Concerns documented in recent years include the arrest and detention of activists, often on fabricated charges. Human rights defenders have also been ‘red-tagged’, putting them at risk of arrest or even being killed. Civil society has also documented the harassment and attacks against journalists.| Civicus Monitor
The state of civic space in the Philippines is rated as ‘repressed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor. Concerns documented in recent years include the arrest and detention of activists, often on fabricated charges. Human rights defenders have also been ‘red-tagged’, putting them at risk of arrest or even being killed. Civil society has also documented the harassment and attacks against journalists.| Civicus Monitor
The state of civic space in the Philippines is rated as ‘repressed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor. Concerns documented in recent years include the arrest and detention of activists, often on fabricated charges. Human rights defenders have been ‘red-tagged’, putting them at risk of arrest or even being killed. Civil society has also documented the harassment and attacks against journalists.| Civicus Monitor
The state of civic space in the Philippines remains ‘repressed’ in ratings published by the CIVICUS Monitor in March 2023. Over the last year, the CIVICUS Monitor documented the red-tagging, arbitrary arrest and prosecution of human rights defenders and activists on fabricated charges while journalists faced threats and attacks. Protests were also stifled.| Civicus Monitor
The state of civic space in New Zealand is rated as ‘open’ by the CIVICUS Monitor. Civil society groups are able to form and operate without restrictions, freedom of expression is respected and protected and there are rarely restrictions on protests. However, there have been some incidents of arrest and prosecution of protesters.| Civicus Monitor
Civic space in Bhutan is rated as ‘obstructed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor. There continue to be concerns about media independence, access to information and the chilling effect of defamation laws on journalists and critics. Further, there are political prisoners from the 1990s convicted under the draconian and vaguely-worded 1992 National Security Act (NSA) who are serving life sentences.| Civicus Monitor
The state of civic space in Brunei is rated as ‘repressed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor and there has been no documented progress on improvements to fundamental freedoms. Brunei is an absolute monarchy in which the Sultan, the head of state, exercises executive power and in which there are no elected representatives at national level. The Sultan continues to wield power under a long-standing state of emergency imposed in 1984.| Civicus Monitor
Photo by Michel Stoupak/NurPhoto via Getty Images| Civicus Monitor
The state of civic space in the Philippines remains rated as ‘repressed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor in its People Power under Attack report published in December 2024. Concerns documented in recent years include the arrest and detention of activists, often on fabricated charges. Human rights defenders have also been ‘red-tagged’, putting them at risk of arrest or even being killed. Civil society has also documented the harassment and attacks against journalists.| Civicus Monitor
Tonga’s civic space is rated as ‘narrowed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor. Ongoing concerns documented include the existence of criminal defamation laws, restrictions on the media and risks faced by the LGBTQI+ community.| Civicus Monitor
Media freedom in Tonga continues to be hampered following recent moves by the government to introduce regulations that appear to target media freedom, whistle blowers and those not supportive of the government’s views. It was reported in August 2020 that Tonga’s Ministry of Information and Communications secretly passed a total of eight regulations in May 2020, without seeking input from the Media Association of Tonga or others in the sector.| Civicus Monitor
India’s civic space is rated as ‘repressed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor. In recent years, the government has misused the draconian anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other laws to keep activists behind bars and fabricate cases against activists and journalists for undertaking their work. The authorities have blocked access to foreign funding for NGOs, using the restrictive Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), and human rights defenders and journalists in Ind...| Civicus Monitor
Tonga’s civic space is rated as ‘narrowed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor. Ongoing concerns documented include the existence of criminal defamation laws, restrictions on the media and risks faced by the LGBTQI+ community.| Civicus Monitor
Malaysia’s civic space is rated as ‘obstructed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor. Among ongoing concerns are the array of restrictive laws, especially the Communication and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA) and the Sedition Act, that have been used to silence online dissent and to harass human rights defenders. Critical news websites and blogs have been blocked. Peaceful protesters continue to be hauled in by the police for questioning under the Peaceful Assembly Act. Malaysia has also yet to ratify the ...| Civicus Monitor
Malaysia’s civic space is still rated as ‘obstructed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor. Despite its membership of the Human Rights Council, the government continues to fall short on its human rights protections at home. Among ongoing concerns are the array of restrictive laws especially the Communication and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA), often used to silence dissent online and the harassment of human rights defenders. Peaceful protesters continue to be hauled in by the police for questioning under ...| Civicus Monitor