freedom of assembly and association

Democracy is dying in digital darkness
Democracy is dying in digital darkness 03 April 2023 Vasundhara Sirnate and Gaurav Jain

Last year saw the highest number of internet shutdowns ever recorded. Such enforced digital darkness is a slippery slope of easy authoritarianism that we see spreading globally, one that countries like India, with the world's highest number of shutdowns, are using to gain undemocratic compliance from their citizens.

APC calls for Iran to immediately stop violence against citizens and blocking of internet access during the latest protests
APC calls for Iran to immediately stop violence against citizens and blocking of internet access during the latest protests 05 October 2022 APC

The Association for Progressive Communications is outraged by the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in Iran as well as deeply alarmed by the ensuing violent crackdown on protests, violations of women’s rights, and widespread internet shutdowns across the country. 

Iranian women’s fight for right to life and freedom faces surveillance, internet shutdowns, violence and murders
Iranian women’s fight for right to life and freedom faces surveillance, internet shutdowns, violence and murders 03 October 2022 Hija Kamran for GenderIT.org

In Iran, women are protesting to demand bodily autonomy and their right to live, in the wake of the state-backed murder of a 22-year-old Mahsa Amini by the morality police. The government is responding by killing more women, attacking protestors and censoring the internet to contain the information.

Advocating for human rights online and offline in 2020
Advocating for human rights online and offline in 2020 01 November 2021 APCNews

We want people, especially those facing discrimination and oppression, to have greater power and autonomy through digital technologies to exercise their full range of human rights online and offline. Check out our achievements in this area in 2020.

HRC47: Joint oral statement on internet shutdowns in the context of protests
HRC47: Joint oral statement on internet shutdowns in the context of protests 01 July 2021 ARTICLE 19, Access Now and APC

In recognition of the 250 organisations in the #KeepItOn Coalition against internet shutdowns, we urge all states to immediately and unconditionally cease shutting down, throttling, or blocking the internet.

HRC47: Joint oral statement on Colombia
HRC47: Joint oral statement on Colombia 28 June 2021 Various

Karisma, FLIP, ILEX, CEJIL, IFEX, Derechos Digitales and APC urge the Human Rights Council to call on the Colombian state to guarantee, respect and protect the exercise of human rights online and offline in the country.

CIPESA: Tanzania entrenches digital rights repression amidst COVID-19 denialism and a looming election
CIPESA: Tanzania entrenches digital rights repression amidst COVID-19 denialism and a looming election 24 August 2020 Edrine Wanyama for CIPESA

On 17 July, the Tanzania government issued new Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations. These new regulations repress online speech, privacy and access to information.

Internet rights at the Human Rights Council 43rd session
Internet rights at the Human Rights Council 43rd session 03 March 2020 APCNews

APC’s priorities at this HRC session include gender and privacy online, freedom of religion or belief, and the criminalisation of human rights defenders, journalists and digital security and tech expertise, as well as highlighting violations of internet rights in countries like India and Myanmar.

APC submission on the Revised Draft General Comment No. 37 on Article 21 (right of peaceful assembly) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
APC submission on the Revised Draft General Comment No. 37 on Article 21 (right of peaceful assembly) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 28 February 2020 APC

APC produced this written submission on the Revised Draft of General Comment No. 37 on Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in response to the United Nations Human Rights Committee’s invitation for civil society and other stakeholders to provide comments.

The promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests: APC submission to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
The promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests: APC submission to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights 21 October 2019 APC

As an organisation that has worked at the intersections of human rights and technology for nearly three decades and fully recognises the critical importance of ICTs for the fundamental right to protest, APC welcomes the focus of the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights on this topic.

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