Share this via Twitter More in The 99-page report, Kettling Protesters in the Bronx: Systemic Police Brutality and Its Costs in the United States, provides a detailed account of the police response to the June 4 peaceful protest in Mott Haven, a low-income, majority Black and brown community that has long experienced high levels of police brutality and systemic racism. They wereassaultedandsexually abusedby their abductors. The UN Human Rights Committee has a clear answer, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Malaysia: UN experts warn new bill restricts right to peaceful assembly, UN human rights report cites multiple root causes of deadly Chile protests, Iran protests: Live ammunition reportedly used, says UN human rights office, Human rights office decries disproportionate use of force in US protests, Zimbabwe: COVID-19 must not be used to stifle freedoms, says UN rights office. 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. In fact, 2020has brought human rights to the fore of public debate. Please try again. Please give now to support our work, Trapping, Beatings in June Crackdown Reveal Abusive, Unaccountable System, Share this via Facebook On September 18, Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) leaderTakudzwaNgadziore was attacked, assaulted,and abductedby unidentified menwhile addressinga press conference to protestthetorture of Muchehiwa. Back in 2019, youth-led climate strikes staged around the world in September of that year marked the ushering in of a new era of climate activism. AOC declares 'we were right. 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. Though a vaccine is in sight, a reduction in protest levels is not. New York City Has Agreed To Pay $21,500 Each To More Than 300 People Who Were Brutalized By Police During Black Lives Matter Protests (BuzzFeed) : Human Rights Watch said the NYPD's violent conduct during the June 4, 2020, protest in the Bronx amounted to "serious violations of international human rights law." At the very start of the year, protestersin Hong Kong rallied as part of an ongoing fight for democracy. The New York Police Department (NYPD) replied in part to Human Rights Watchs questions about the protest but did not respond to a request to interview senior police officials. like many not-for-profit organisations, our fundraising has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Want to shop from more small businesses? 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. Bialiatski and three other top . Share this via Printer. Share this via Reddit Activists of Amnesty International Austria demanded justice of George Floyd who was killed by police officers in Minneapolis, USA. First in Minnesota, then in every state in the U.S. and many places around the world, communities rallied to protest police violence against Black Americans, and systemic racism more broadly. With an abundance of mail-in ballots due to the pandemic, presidential election results dragged on, as many Americans stayed anxiously glued to their TVs and social media feeds, waiting to hear the winner. New York City police officers trapped, assaulted, and arrested over 250 people during a peaceful protest in Mott Haven on June 4, 2020. An error occurred while subscribing your email address. Watch what happened next. The Washington Post - A Belarusian court on Friday sentenced one of last year's Nobel Peace Prize winners, the human rights activist Ales Bialiatski, to 10 years in prison continuing a brutal crackdown on dissent that began in response to pro-democracy protests in 2020. Demonstrations for Ahmaud Arbery, in some cases, involved private runs, while others ran collectively. Human rights defenders say it appears the government is using restrictions imposed to combat COVID-19 to suppress political criticism. Help us continue to fight human rights abuses. 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. A post shared by Amnesty International UK (@amnestyuk). You'll likely tell your grandkids about the protests you attended in 2020. 1. At anti-lockdown protests, some protesters were heavily armed, but faced little police pushback. Though underpinned by years of organizing, the momentous wave of Black Lives Matter protests seen in 2020 started in Minneapolis. At aprotest against the legislation on July 1(Opens in a new tab), 300 people were arrested, nine due to violations of the national security law, according to the police. Credit: ISAAC LAWRENCE / AFP via Getty Images, Dominique "Rem'mie" Fells and Riah Milton, restrict or prohibit the discussion of LGBTQ issues, authorities significant leeway in interpretation, protest against the legislation on July 1. Too many remainedbehind bars to allow for social distancing. Unlike the massive crowds that gathered in September 2019, 2020's strikes met social distancing requirements to curb the spread of the virus. Cambodia: Opposition leader Kem Sokha sentenced to 27 years on fabricated treason charge, Iran: Chilling execution spree with escalating use of death penalty against persecuted ethnic minorities. the UN human rights office on Friday called for a transparent investigation into the attacks . As protests spread across the country, organizers worked to center the stories of Black women, specifically Black trans women. 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. Check your email for details on your request. 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. Movements for change stood firm and courageous in the face of repression like police brutality, imprisonment or worse. Current Chief of Department Terence Monahan was also a key player during those operations. 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. During 2020,authorities still failed to do justice for cases of abductionsand torture committed in 2019. Actual actions varied: In Germany, thousands of warehouse workers went on strike, while some locales staged protests outside of Amazon's headquarters. 24 July 2020 Human Rights. Positive change for human rights would not happen without the right to protest. Welcome March with discounts on gadgets for your home. NASA smacked an asteroid with a spacecraft. Human Rights Watch associate director Letta Tayler and advocacy director Jo Becker have welcomed statements by Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne that TT is open to offers of collaboration to repatriate the families of local men who went to fight for ISIS in Syria. Indeed, the interview began with her asking the pointed question, "Do you accept that women can have peaceful demonstrations for change and for their own rights. Here's how to do it. Police arrested and took to jail at least 263 people, more than at any other protest in New York since Floyds killing. Share this via Facebook On June 30, the national security law took effect(Opens in a new tab). 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. Press Release December 14, 2020 Uganda: Stop killings and human rights violations ahead of election day. Future historians, too, will toil over the twists that emerged on what felt like a daily basis throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Protests against racial injustice have increasingly focused on the specific threat of violence faced by Black trans women. This is the us vs them style of leadership that hasalsoled toviolence againstMuslims in Delhi, and the continued persecution ofUighurs in China. Read 10 famous protests that shook the UK. Washington, DC 20036-2103. A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (03139939) and a charity registered in England and Wales (1051681) and Scotland (SC039534). Receive daily updates directly in your inbox -, How do you define lawful peaceful protest? 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. Our new briefing on Protect the Protest highlights how protest is being threatened by governments across the world. The Committees interpretation will be important guidance for judges in national and regional courts around the world, as it now forms part of what is known as soft law, he added. . In 1948, theUniversal Declaration of Human Rightsbrought human rights . 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. Amnesty UK has urged MPs across divides to oppose this new Anti-Protest Bill in its entirety. Credit: Pacific Press / LightRocket via Getty images. 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. If the Public Order Bill passes, people convicted for protesting would not even be allowed to participate. Fans look to new event models that feed good, not greed. The year 2020 highlighted the resilience of protests around the globe. At the subsequent meeting of the Inter-Allied Council . Share this via WhatsApp Human Rights Watch said the NYPD's violent conduct during the June 4, 2020, protest in the Bronx amounted to "serious violations of international human rights law." Clarissa-Jan Lim. Biden and Harris supporters flocked to the streets, like the revelers pictured here in New York City, to celebrate their victory. Hong Kong police have since made their first arrests under the new rules. To continue the momentum, we must demandthat COVID-19 vaccines are available to everyone regardless of where they live, who they are, or what they can afford. To give just a few examples, thisyear Amnesty Internationalwasforced to, weresentenced to prison, Russian opposition leader. Then, of course, the virus disrupted that for a time. Driving the news: Three other prominent. 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 United Arab Emirates (UAE; Arabic: al-Imrt al-Arabyah al-Muttaidah), or simply the Emirates (Arabic: al-Imrt), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East).It is located at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula and shares borders with Oman and Saudi Arabia, while . Youth climate activists like Greta Thunberg called for school climate strikes, which have gained momentum and widespread exposure in the last few years, to be moved online amid the pandemic starting in early March. Those September strikes vaulted climate activist Greta Thunberg(Opens in a new tab), who was 16 at the time, to an even larger stage, inspiring countless other young people to get involved in protesting for climate action. Small protests also emerged during the earlier months of the pandemic in states like Michigan and Virginia as conservative activists demonstrated their opposition to the science-backed stay-at-home orders meant to slow the coronavirus' spread. Dr. Magombeti wasthen-leader ofthe Zimbabwe HospitalDoctorsAssociation(ZADHR)whohadorganizeda series of protests to demand better salaries forpublichealth workers. These strikes have continued regularly throughout the period of social distancing, however, with youth around the world posting pictures of their protest signs on social media on designated days. The rate at which Black trans women are killed in the U.S. has been dubbed an "epidemic"(Opens in a new tab) by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Campaigns like WeThe15, launched during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic games, aim to give disability rights more international visibility and protest against discrimination and social exclusion. Thanks for signing up. Spontaneous celebrations for the Biden and Harris win weren't the only gatherings spurred by the election results. Some were released later that night; others the next afternoon. The protest wasover the governments failure to support vulnerable communities undertheCovid-19pandemiclockdown. Groups of conservative activists gathered at their respective state capitols to protest stay-at-home orders, and called for businesses to re-open. Protesters around the country ran 2.23 miles, marking the date of Arbery's killing. Some were met with pushback from authorities and regular citizens. In March, the governmentacknowledgedthat Zimbabwes prisons, with a capacityof17,000, had a population of 22,000. Throughout the election and afterward, Trump routinely claimed that the election was seeped with fraud, despite election officials finding no evidence to back his claims. It is clearer than ever that isolationism and inequality do not keep us safe, and that borders offer no protection against the virus. In the police departments response to Human Rights Watchs questions, the department said that, upon 8 p.m., the demonstration was unlawful under the Mayors Executive Order establishing the curfew, and that the detention of nonessential workers was lawful. The department also said that legal observers did not enjoy an exemption as essential workers, even though the Mayors office had clarified that legal observers were exempt from the curfew. Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, protests against President Nicols Maduro, led to the downfall of President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, increase in all confrontational political dynamics, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program. 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,. Thousands of people took to the streets of Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, Thursday to participate in a peaceful March for Life in honor of International Human Rights Day. 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. Activism, Black Lives Matter, Social Good. 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. Protest is a key tactic for humanity to win. Following the police crackdown on anti-corruption protests in July, South Africas governing African National Congress (ANC)dispatcheda high-level delegation led by the partys Secretary-General Ace Magashule to Zimbabwe. Theamendment prohibits corporal punishmentand the exclusion of pregnant girls from school in accordance with theZimbabwe Constitution, whichguarantees the right to education. They were arrested and jailed after massive protests over a 2020 election that gave authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko a new term in office. "Since mass protests in 2019, the Hong Kong authorities have repeatedly and aggressively curtailed . Share on Facebook (opens in a new window), Share on Flipboard (opens in a new window). The resilience of thesemovementsis extraordinary. #1. Credit: Richard Tsong-Taatarii / Star Tribune via Getty Images. Join our movement today. Protesters in Brazil condemned President Jair Bolsonaros failure to adequately respond to the virus, while in Malawi, street vendors complained that virus-related restrictions would put them out of business. 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 If you are able to help, please chip in today and help the fight for humanity and human rights to continue. (Some states, such as Texas and Alabama, restrict or prohibit the discussion of LGBTQ issues(Opens in a new tab) in the classroom.). People taking part in peaceful demonstrations across the United States, and journalists covering these protests, should not be subjected to disproportionate use of force or other violations, the UN human rights officesaid on Friday. Together, we can keep this fundamental freedom safe. MahamaturgedZimbabweanauthorities to exercise restraint in their response to peaceful protests. Registered office 17-25 New Inn Yard London EC2A 3EA. People have the right to demonstrate peacefully and Governments should respect international law and let them do so, senior UN-appointed independent rights experts said on Wednesday. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 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. 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. Amnesty International UK 2019. ET This story was updated to include protests that took place following the story's initial publication in July 2020. 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. In June, UN human rights experts called on Zimbabwe to immediately end a reported pattern ofenforceddisappearances and torture that appear aimed at suppressing protests and dissent. They are the only wayto inoculateagainst injustice and climate disaster, to buildinclusivesocieties that offer equal protection to all. Sign up to receive emails from Carnegies Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program! 03 Mar 2023 08:26:29 By RajatKhosla,Senior Director of Research, Advocacy and Policy at Amnesty International. From thekilling of George Floydin the US, to Nigerian security forces murderous attacks onpeaceful protesters, the abuse of police powers has been a global talking point in 2020. In response to the protests, President Muhammadu Buhari agreed to disband SARS. It's worded in a way that grantsauthorities significant leeway in interpretation(Opens in a new tab), according to activists. The delegation was senttohelpfind a solution to the countrys escalating economic and political crisis. He was laterarrested bypolice on charges of inciting public violence. 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. Everyone, including children, foreign nationals, women, migrant workers, asylum seekers and refugees, can exercise the right of peaceful assembly, he added. Zimbabwes human rights situation continued to decline in 2020 under Emmerson Mnangagwas presidency. With schools closed due to the coronavirus, theDay of Silence,an annual student-led demonstration for LGBTQ representation, had to move online. Move over, "Armageddon." As the chart below shows, the rapid proliferation of new protests continued for the rest of the year. 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.. In July,aspokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rightsexpressed concernaboutallegations thatZimbabweanauthorities may be using the Covid-19 pandemic as a pretext to clamp down on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and association. Failing to find him, they arrested his family members,includinghisnephew,Tawanda Muchehiwa. On Feb. 23, Arbery, who was Black, was stalked and fatally shot by white men in a truckwhile on a run in Georgia. 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. Schools were closedat the end of March 2020,for at least six monthsas a public health measure during thepandemic. Of course, January 1 feels like a lifetime ago. Which language would you like to use this site in? People taking part in peaceful demonstrations across the United States, and journalists covering these protests, should not be subjected to disproportionate use of force or other violations, the UN human rights office said on Friday. It created new protest triggers as public health measures became objects of political contestation, whether in the form of anger over lockdowns, economic displacement, or government mismanagement of the public health crisis. Video footage captures an official from the NYPDs Legal Bureau instructing other officers: Legal Observers can be arrested. They are good to go! For example, rampant corruption in Bulgaria has sparked months of demonstrations against the government of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. Juneteenth, an annual holiday marking the day in 1865 when news that slavery had been abolished finally reached enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, has been marked with celebrations for over a century. Yet Wisconsin Capitol Police(Opens in a new tab) said no arrests or citations were issued. There are countless examples of governments failingto protect their populations -the UK government sending. Zimbabwes long-standing severe water and sanitation crisis was worsened by thecoronavirus pandemic and the governments imposition, on March 30, of a nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the virus. About 100 protesters and observers have filed notice of their intent to sue the city. The crackdown, led by the departments highest-ranking uniformed officer, was among the most aggressive police responses to protests across the United States following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and could cost New York City taxpayers several million dollars in misconduct complaints and lawsuits. All Rights Reserved. Demonstrations in opposition to SARS in October were held in Lagos and throughout the country. UN expert @cvoule welcomes as groundbreaking an authoritative new interpretation that the right to #PeacefulAssembly extends to digital activities. RT @eevahele: 2020 protests for HumanRights in Helsinki Finland: Finnish Police did arrest hundreds of Protest Marchers violently. Police violence has also been a defining feature of this year. Cities across the country were staging similar protests soon after Floyd's death. 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. It also stressed the right of journalists and human rights observers to monitor and document any assembly, including violent and unlawful ones. The January 1 protest carried the movement into 2020. Transgressions cut across a range of human rights including the right to life, right to freedom from torture, right to a fair trial, right to privacy, and freedom of assembly, all of which are rights protected by the Nigerian constitution.