Josef Benedict
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Josef Benedict
@josefroy2.bsky.social
120 followers 96 following 60 posts
Asia-Pacific Researcher with the CIVICUS Monitor - https://monitor.civicus.org/
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josefroy2.bsky.social
As #Indonesia starts its presidency of the UN Human Rights Council, we call on the authorities to keep to their human rights commitments, and to release all activists including #humanrights defender Delpedro Marhaen who has spent 5 months in detention www.freedom-now.org/cases/delped...
February 4, 2026 at 12:53 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
#Myanmar: 5 years from the coup, #civicspace has been crushed by the junta. CIVICUS calls on #ASEAN & the int'l community to do more to end the repression against activists, release political prisoners & ensure accountability for crimes by the junta. civicus.org/index.php/me...
January 31, 2026 at 10:40 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
#Singapore: The state of #civicspace remain 'repressed'. In recent months the government has denied entry to an #activist, blocked a news outlet & targeted a comedian under the #POFMA law and questioned a filmmaker

More here: web.civicus.org/SingaporeJan...
Singapore: Activist blocked from entering country while critics and news outlets targeted - Civicus Monitor
web.civicus.org
January 27, 2026 at 3:17 AM
Reposted by Josef Benedict
civicusalliance.bsky.social
As 🇮🇳#India marks its 77th Republic Day on 26 January, CIVICUS highlights the ongoing detention of activists on politically motivated charges under anti-terror and national security laws for their human rights work.

#StandWithCivilSociety #RepublicDay
January 22, 2026 at 8:41 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
#Bangladesh: Despite reforms, concerns remain on the use of anti-terror laws against the #opposition & critics, mob attacks on the #media, cultural spaces and crackdown on #protests

Our new #civicspace update: web.civicus.org/BangladeshJa...
Bangladesh: Despite reforms, concerns remain on the use of anti-terror laws, attacks on the media, cultural spaces and crackdown on protests - Civicus Monitor
web.civicus.org
January 21, 2026 at 2:44 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
#Thailand: Ahead of #elections, the authorities have continued to prosecute #activists & critics for royal #defamation while #humanrights defenders face harassment and intimidation

Our latest #civicspace update: web.civicus.org/ThailandJan2...
Thailand: Harassment and prosecution of activists and critics persist as elections loom - Civicus Monitor
web.civicus.org
January 16, 2026 at 2:53 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
#India: The state of #civicspace remains rated as 'repressed'. In recent months, #protesters were targeted, #activists criminalised & systematically denied #bail. There were internet shutdowns & social media accounts were blocked.

New update here: web.civicus.org/IndiaJan2026
India: Civic freedoms remain at risk with crackdown on protests, internet restrictions and denial of bail to activists - Civicus Monitor
web.civicus.org
January 15, 2026 at 4:20 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
🚀 Join us on 9 December (12:00 GMT) as we launch new country ratings & global data on the state of civic freedoms 🔴🟡🟢

Researchers to discuss key countries of concern, top violations & 2025 trends.

Register: web.civicus.org/PPUA2025Launch
December 2, 2025 at 1:33 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
Second day of the #ICSW2025 begins with CIVICUS highlighting the upcoming sham elections being pushed by the junta in #Myanmar and a call for action
November 2, 2025 at 2:24 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
New brief on #SriLanka by CIVICUS reviewing the #civicspace record of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a year since he came to office. Concerns remain on the targeting of #activists & #journalists and restrictions on expression and peaceful assembly. web.civicus.org/SLBriefSept25
September 26, 2025 at 5:24 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
#Nepal: Youth-led anti-corruption #protests forced political change, despite a lethal crackdown by security forces that left scores dead. Protesters and civil society are now demanding for #accountability and #reforms

Our latest #civicspace update: web.civicus.org/NepalSept2025
Nepal: Anti-corruption protests force political change despite violent crackdown - Civicus Monitor
web.civicus.org
September 24, 2025 at 5:11 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
#China: The state of #civicspace remains 'closed'. In recent months, the regime has continued to criminalise #activists, increase digital restrictions and deploy transnational repression against #protesters

More here: web.civicus.org/ChinaSept2025
China: Regime continues to criminalise activists, increase digital restrictions and deploy transnational repression against protesters - Civicus Monitor
web.civicus.org
September 23, 2025 at 1:47 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
#Afghanistan’s #civicspace has collapsed, CIVICUS Calls for Urgent Action at the UN

Statement at the UN Human Rights Council's 60th Session, Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on Afghanistan with the Special Rapporteur

www.civicus.org/index.php/me...
September 11, 2025 at 6:02 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
#India: The state of #civicspace is rated as 'repressed'. In recent months, the govt has continued to deny bail to #activists detained under the UAPA, ban books in #Kashmir, block social media and crackdown on protests. More here: web.civicus.org/IndiaSept2025
India: Ongoing detention of activists without bail, criminalisation of dissent and ban on books - Civicus Monitor
web.civicus.org
September 10, 2025 at 5:36 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
#Myanmar: Repression including #torture and death of political prisoners and targeting of #journalists continue, as junta announces sham elections

Our new #civicspace update: web.civicus.org/MyanmarAug2025
Myanmar: Repression including torture and death of political prisoners continues as junta announces sham elections - Civicus Monitor
web.civicus.org
August 21, 2025 at 6:53 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
#Bangladesh: A year after the fall of the regime, positive steps have been taken to improve #civicspace. However, our new brief shows that more must be done to protect #activists & #journalists, repeal restrictive laws & strengthen #accountability

More here: web.civicus.org/BDbriefAug24
August 14, 2025 at 1:19 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
#Thailand: 5 years ago, activist Arnon Nampa was arrested for participating in a protest. He now faces 29 years in prison on multiple charges, primarily for royal defamation. We call on Thai authorities to release him & drop all charges.

See chronology here : web.civicus.org/Timeline-Arnon
August 7, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Reposted by Josef Benedict
thecfhk.bsky.social
📰NEWSLETTER: #HK diaspora media mergers, #TransnationalRepression of #HongKongers in the spotlight and World Justice Project comes under fire for helping #HongKong authorities whitewash repression.

Read it in full: thecfhk.org/transnationa...
August 1, 2025 at 12:57 PM
josefroy2.bsky.social
The CIVICUS Monitor has added #Indonesia to its watchlist. It assesses that within Indonesia, instances of state intimidation, legal manipulation, and the violent suppression of dissenting opinions are rampant, placing the nation's civil space in a concerning state.

en.tempo.co/read/2034134...
Indonesian Civil Liberties on CIVICUS Watchlist
CIVICUS Monitor includes Indonesia in its watchlist. Prabowo Subianto's government is deemed to suppress civil liberties.
en.tempo.co
July 31, 2025 at 2:22 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
The new CIVICUS Monitor #civicspace Watchlist, launched today, highlights serious concerns regarding the exercise of civic freedoms in El Salvador, Indonesia, Kenya, Serbia, Turkey and the United States of America .

More here: web.civicus.org/WatchlistJul...
July 30, 2025 at 3:14 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
A joint UPR submission by CIVICUS and the Melbourne Activist Legal Support (MALS) where we assess #Australia’s compliance with its international human rights obligations to ensure a safe and enabling environment for civil society and civic space

Submission here: www.civicus.org/documents/up...
July 28, 2025 at 4:10 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
#Indonesia: The state of #civicspace is rated as 'obstructed'

In recent months, the #Prabowo government has targeted #humanrights defenders & journalists, cracked down on #protests & pushed problematic law revisions

More here: web.civicus.org/IndonesiaJul...
Indonesia: Civic space regresses with targeting of activists, brutal crackdown on protests and problematic law revisions - Civicus Monitor
web.civicus.org
July 24, 2025 at 1:58 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
An op-ed I co-wrote, on the increasing use of restrictive laws to jail #humanrights defenders across the Asia region

thediplomat.com/2025/07/repr...
Repressive Laws Are Increasingly Being Used to Silence Activists Across Asia
From Hong Kong to India, governments are passing and weaponizing new laws to pursue and jail whoever speaks up for human rights.
thediplomat.com
July 21, 2025 at 4:12 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
#SriLanka's #civicspace is rated as 'repressed'. Since early 2025, President Dissanayake's government has silenced critical voices & disrupted student #protests. The government has also retained the restrictive Online Safety Act.

More here web.civicus.org/SriLankaJune...
Sri Lanka: New government silences dissent and disrupts protests while impunity for past crimes persists - Civicus Monitor
web.civicus.org
July 14, 2025 at 2:21 AM
josefroy2.bsky.social
#India: The state of #civicspace is rated as 'repressed'. In recent months, critical online commentary on the conflict with Pakistan was #censored, #journalists targeted, while communities in Chhattisgarh face military operations.

Our latest update: web.civicus.org/IndiaJune2025
June 27, 2025 at 7:17 AM