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Against the tide: Defending human rights and civic freedoms in Southeast Asia
Governments across the region are employing increasingly sophisticated and repressive tactics to silence dissent, stifle opposition and suppress independent voices.
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Vital voices: Human rights activists and families of victims of atrocities gather on Oct.3 outside the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta for a rally to demand settlement of past human rights violations.. (Antara/Rivan Awal Lingga)
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cross Southeast Asia, civic space, the vital arena for civil society, independent media and ordinary citizens to voice their concerns and shape public life, is now shrinking at an alarming pace.
Governments across the region are employing increasingly sophisticated and repressive tactics to silence dissent, stifle opposition and suppress independent voices, eroding the democratic foundations upon which just societies are built. These actions strike at the very heart of democracy, eroding the foundations upon which just and equitable societies are built.
The weaponization of laws has become the cornerstone of repression. In Thailand, lèse-majesté laws have been wielded not only against activists, but also against parliamentarians like Chonthicha Jangrew, who was sentenced to two years in prison for peacefully criticizing legislation that expanded royal authority.
In Cambodia, opposition parties such as the Cambodia National Rescue Party have been dissolved, and independent media outlets, including Voice of Democracy, have been shuttered under the pretext of protecting national security. These legal tools do not protect the public, instead they entrench power and foster a climate of fear, eliminating avenues for dissent and public participation.
The Philippines offers another grim illustration. The practice of red-tagging, labeling activists and human rights defenders as communists or terrorists, has facilitated harassment, arbitrary arrests and even assassinations.
Zara Alvarez, a human rights worker, was murdered in 2020 after being placed on a government watchlist, a stark reminder that the Philippine Government needs to do more to protect human rights defenders (HRDs).
Meanwhile, the prolonged detention of former Senator Leila de Lima on politically motivated charges reflects the state’s systematic targeting of dissenters.
