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Dear John,
Pakistani officials have long undermined human rights online, but digital controls and restrictions were tightened even further around last February’s election. Despite those controls and electoral manipulation, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s party did not secure an easy victory at the ballot box. In fact, no party won a simple majority.
The momentum of the voters was unprecedented, and the ability of the electorate to overcome institutional barriers was remarkable. February’s election illustrated that a mobilized electorate can successfully challenge the status quo, even when up against a powerful establishment.
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Freedom House Joins Call for Access to Saudi Detainees
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Freedom House joins other organizations in calling on Saudi authorities to grant independent international observers and NGOs access to prisoners and detainees in response to the treatment of Manahel al-Otaibi, who was arrested in November 2022 for her peaceful promotion of women’s rights. She is now held in solitary confinement and facing extreme abuse.
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As US Tech Firms Bow to China’s Censorship, Chinese Users Risk Everything to Defy It
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Apple’s removal of WhatsApp and Threads from its app store in China is just the latest of many known instances of the company’s willing compliance with the Chinese government’s censorship and surveillance demands.
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Election Watch For the Digital Age
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With more than 4 billion people heading to the polls in 2024, Freedom House’s Election Watch for the Digital Age is monitoring the growing digital threats to free and fair elections. Follow along for unique data and in-depth analysis on digital election interference, from the censorship of independent media to the use of generative AI in disinformation campaigns.
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Next Week:
Freedom House Annual Awards 2024
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Since 1943, our Annual Awards have recognized outstanding leaders who have championed freedom and democracy. We invite you to join us on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 in Washington, DC.
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Freedom House in the News
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Defend Democracy,
Champion Freedom.
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