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Inside Expression: June 2023

This month: Victory for climate protesters in Europe, and China's attempts
to censor dissident art.

Plus: Abortion rights a year on from _Roe v. Wade_

[3]

THE EUROPEAN COURT’S VICTORY FOR PROTEST 

On 27 June, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Russian
authorities violated the rights of 28 Greenpeace activists [3]and 2
journalists when they arrested them following a protest on board the
_Arctic Sunrise _vessel against oil drilling in 2013. ARTICLE 19, together
with Media Defence, intervened in the ’Arctic 30’ case, and welcomes
the Court’s decision that the arrests amounted to interference with the
freedom to express opinion.

Read more

‘THE EUROPEAN COURT'S DECISION GIVES A STRONG SIGNAL TO RUSSIA THAT
VIOLATIONS OF THE RIGHT TO PROTEST IN THE FORM OF NON-VIOLENT DIRECT ACTION
CANNOT BE TOLERATED. NON-VIOLENT DIRECT ACTION IN RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUES ARE ACTS OF CONSCIENCE GROUNDED IN A DESIRE TO IMPROVE SOCIETY AND
RAISE AWARENESS OF THREATS TO HUMANITY.'

– Barbora Bukovská, Senior Director for Law and Policy at ARTICLE 19

[4]

BEIJING V. BADIUCAO

Chinese-Australian artist Badiucao’s work includes a painting of the
Chinese President Xi Jinping eating human flesh, a reference to Goya’s
_Saturn Devouring His Son_. So it’s no surprise that he’s angered the
Chinese government – or that Beijing has hit back by pressuring a Warsaw
museum and the Polish government to stop an exhibition of his work.

Read more [4] about Beijing’s latest efforts to extend its censorship
across national borders.

‘IT IS FITTING THAT AN EXHIBIT TITLED "TELL CHINA’S STORY WELL", MEANT
AS SATIRE OF ITS PROPAGANDA EFFORTS TO PRESENT ONE FACE TO THE WORLD, WOULD
PROVOKE THIS REPRESSIVE BACKLASH ONLY TO ONCE AGAIN REVEAL CHINA’S TRUE
FACE TO THE WORLD.'

– Michael Caster, Asia Digital Programme Manager, ARTICLE 19

[5]

COMING SOON: _THE GLOBAL EXPRESSION REPORT 2023_

The number of people living in countries that restrict freedom of
expression is at the highest point in two decades. What’s driving the
decline in freedom of expression? Why are our rights around the world under
threat, and what can we do about it?

_The Global Expression Report_ – which this year presents the data-driven
study as an interactive set of maps and visualisations – measures the
freedom of everyone, regardless of the nature of their work or role in
society, to express opinions and beliefs, to communicate, and to access
information. Each of the 161 countries and territories in the metric has a
score between 0 and 100, based on 25 indicators.

Find out more

[6]

STATES MUST NOT USE COUNTER-TERRORISM AS AN EXCUSE TO INCREASE
SURVEILLANCE

Under the justification of national security, governments around the world
are increasingly using counter-terrorism initiatives to narrow civic space.
Civil society has a key role to play in ensuring human rights are upheld.

During the UN’s high-level Counter-Terrorism Week, ARTICLE 19’s Anna
Oosterlinck spoke at a side event examining the misuse of information
communications technologies for states’ counter-terrorist activities, and
the significant and worrying trends that have emerged: an increase in the
monitoring of internet activity, especially on social media, and content
moderation.

Watch now

‘THE UN’S ANNUAL HIGH-LEVEL CONFERENCE ON COUNTER-TERRORISM OFFERED A
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE GROWING THREATS TO HUMAN RIGHTS, AND THE
NEED TO ENSURE THAT HUMAN RIGHTS SAFEGUARDS ARE AT THE HEART OF ANY AND ALL
INITIATIVES TO TACKLE TERRORISM. IN PARTICULAR, WE WELCOMED INVALUABLE
INSIGHTS FROM THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON COUNTERING TERRORISM WHILE
PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS, WHO HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS
DEBATE THROUGHOUT HER MANDATE.'

– Anna Oosterlinck, Head of ARTICLE 19’s UN team

[7]

_ROE V. WADE_

When the United States Supreme Court overturned _Roe v. Wade_ in June 2022,
reversing women’s constitutional right [8] to have an abortion, rights
activists warned the repercussions would be globally devastating [9].

A year on from the Supreme Court’s decision, listen to the Boundaries of
Expression and #FreeToProtest podcasts, and Jo Glanville’s conversations
with activists, journalists, and lawyers about the increasing assaults on
the right to abortion, freedom of expression, and privacy – and the
remarkable protest movements to counter them.

‘ONE YEAR ON, THE DIVISIVE BATTLE CONTINUES, WITH NEARLY EQUAL AMOUNTS OF
USA STATES HAVING EITHER A NEAR-TOTAL BAN ON ABORTION OR SHIELD LAWS IN
PLACE TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO ABORTION. 

IRRESPECTIVE OF STATE LINES, THE SPREAD OF DISINFORMATION, CENSORSHIP, AND
THE CHILLING EFFECT ON DISCUSSIONS AROUND ABORTION IS WIDESPREAD THROUGHOUT
THE COUNTRY AND DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTS PEOPLE FROM SYSTEMICALLY
MARGINALISED GROUPS. IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, IT IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL FOR
STAKEHOLDERS, ESPECIALLY SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE
ADEQUATE, SAFE SPACES FOR PEOPLE TO DISCUSS AND ACCESS SCIENTIFIC
INFORMATION ON ABORTION.’

– Judy Taing, ARTICLE 19’s Head of Gender and Sexuality

LISTEN TO THE #FREETOPROTEST PODCASTS [10]

[11]

IRAN: ATTACK ON DIASPORA ACTIVIST’S FAMILY A NEW LOW 

Iranian authorities have arrested Mohammad Amer Dadafarin and Mohammad
Mollazehi, the son and brother of exiled Baluchi activist Fariba Balouch
[11] – the latest example of just how far the regime is willing to go to
silence people who defend the rights of their communities.

Balouch herself has received threats from security forces, but she is
devastated that they have now resorted to targeting her family, who stay
away from any kind of political or civil society activism.

ARTICLE 19 calls on Islamic Republic authorities to immediately release
them, and for countries with diplomatic ties with Iran to echo this call.

READ MORE

[12]

BELARUS: KEEP DEMANDING THE RELEASE OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS 

Recently we’ve read about the role Belarus has played in forging a deal
to end the mutiny against Putin in Russia. But after the news cycle moves
on, it’s vital we keep our attention on the country, and on the plight of
brave, resilient human rights activists and political prisoners there.

This month we highlight the cases of human rights defender Nasta Loika
[13], recently sentenced to 7 years in prison in a trial closed to the
public, and protest movement and opposition figure Maria Kalesnikava [14],
serving 11 years on trumped-up extremism charges.

Both have faced brutal treatment while incarcerated, and have been denied
medical attention despite deteriorating health.

Join ARTICLE 19 and partner organisations in calling for the immediate and
unconditional release of human rights defenders in Belarus and find out
more [15] about ARTICLE 19’s work in Europe.

DID A FRIEND OR COLLEAGUE FORWARD THIS TO YOU?

SUBSCRIBE [16] TO ARTICLE 19'S MONTHLY INSIDE EXPRESSION UPDATE. 

[17]

News and campaigns

* ‘During Pride Month, we are grateful for our partners throughout the
region who are working tirelessly to promote equality and freedom of
expression’, says Joanna Szymanska, Senior Programme Officer for ARTICLE
19 Europe and Central Asia. As PRIDE 2023 comes to a close, learn more
about ARTICLE 19's work on gender and sexuality [18].

*

As people in SENEGAL took to the streets [19]to express anger following the
conviction of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, authorities responded with
violence, resulting in at least 16 deaths and hundreds of injuries. And not
long after protests began, internet providers restricted access to social
media, preventing people from sharing information or communicating with
each other.ARTICLE 19 calls on the Senegalese government to uphold
people’s right to protest and protect their right to freedom of
expression – so vital in times of turmoil.

*

_Gomorrah_ earned ROBERTO SAVIANO wide international recognition and a top
spot on the mafia bosses’ hit list. Now, living under police protection,
Saviano is facing a defamation lawsuit brought by Prime Minister Giorgia
Meloni. [20]

Saviano explains [21] why it's so important to hold the powerful to account
– especially at a time when SLAPPs [22] (strategic lawsuits against
public participation) are being used more and more to silence the truth.
Read more [23] about SLAPPs in Europe.
* EQUALLY SAFE: Towards a Feminist Approach to the Safety of Journalists
[24] presents new research [25], case studies from 6 countries, practical
guidelines [26], and advocacy tools [27] designed to guide civil society,
journalists, researchers, and policy makers to their work to apply an
intersectional feminist approach.

CONVERSATIONS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

ROBERTA TAVERI explains to _Context [28]_ why it’s so important local
people and organisations have a say in content moderation.

ARTICLE 19 EASTERN AFRICA [29] tells _The Star_ why social media can be a
tool for protection during protests.

Talking to _Perspectivas_ [30], Leopoldo Maldonado describes how the
Mexican President has fostered a climate of hostility toward the media (in
Spanish).

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: THE MENA RIGHTS GROUP, DEFENDING AND PROMOTING HUMAN
RIGHTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

Algerian journalist Ihsane El Kadi, Saudi dissident Yusuf Al-Manasif, and
Syrian refugee Uday Ibrahim are just a few of the cases the group works on.
In collaboration with local people and groups, the MENA Rights Group
monitors and documents human rights violations; assists individuals facing
litigation, including through international and regional bodies; and
advocates for human rights.

Find out more

[31]

JOIN THE MOVEMENT FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION 

You can advance freedom of expression around the world by supporting
ARTICLE 19!

Invest in freedom of expression today

BOOKMARK

[32]

The Paradox of Democracy: Free Speech, Open Media, and Perilous Persuasion

‘_The Paradox of Democracy_ captures the deep connection between
communication and political culture, from the ancient art of rhetoric and
the revolutionary role of newspapers to liberal broadcast media and the
toxic misinformation of the digital public sphere.’ – The University of
Chicago Press

Purchase The Paradox of Democracy

ARTICLE 19 opportunities

Working in human rights is a challenging but rewarding career choice. With
ARTICLE 19 you will find an international community of activists, legal
specialists, and experts working together to protect basic freedoms.

Work with us

Must-listen podcast:

WOMEN PEACEBUILDERS IN A CONFLICTED WORLD ORDER [33]

Neema Jayasinghe speaks to Eva Tabbasam from Gender Action for Peace and
Security (GAPS UK) and Andrea Filippi from PeaceWomen Across the Globe
about protecting civil society networks in times of peace and war.
Afghanistan, Nepal and the Philippines are among the countries they
discuss.

PART OF THE DECLARATIONS [34] PODCAST SERIES 

Coming soon from ARTICLE 19

_THE GLOBAL EXPRESSION REPORT_ AND BUILDING SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH FREEDOM
OF EXPRESSION 

[35] [36] [37] [38]

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