Two years on from the peace deal with Ethiopia, Eritrea’s leadership has increased its regional and international diplomatic engagement, but without improving the plight of Eritreans through critical human rights reforms. Eritrea’s…

Although the March 2018 handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and main opposition leader, Raila Odinga, eased political tensions, authorities have not taken any significant steps to ensure electoral reforms. President Kenyatta and Odinga proposed a…

Somalia’s federal government received international praise for its planned economic reforms, including its national development plan, but it made little progress with security and judicial reforms while conflict-related abuses, insecurity, and the…

The year 2020 was marked by conflict, security forces’ violations, entrenched impunity, and a lack of respect for rule of law, all of which were enhanced by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. In February 2020, the parties to the 2018 peace deal…

Sudan’s first year of a three-year transition to democratic rule following the dramatic ouster of President Omar al-Bashir in 2019, was marked by a failing economy, political tensions and continuing popular protests for justice and reforms. These…

Authorities in Uganda stepped up restrictions on freedoms of expression and assembly ahead of general elections in February 2021. Authorities broke up opposition rallies, arrested government critics and opposition members, and placed restrictions on media…

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo announced the first Covid-19 cases in Indonesia on March 2, more than a month after China had imposed a lockdown in Wuhan. The virus has been devastating, killing 15,000 people, causing 2.6 million lost jobs, and…

Fundamental human rights protections in Sri Lanka came under serious jeopardy following Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s election as president in November 2019. In February 2020, Sri Lanka withdrew its commitments to truth seeking, accountability, and…

Upon taking office in 2018, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih vowed to restore the fundamental rights eroded by longstanding authoritarian rule. However, his administration has failed to confront deep-rooted corruption and the continuing influence of…

In 2020, the Pakistan government harassed and at times prosecuted human rights defenders, lawyers, and journalists for criticizing government officials and policies. Authorities used draconian sedition and counterterrorism laws to stifle dissent, and…

Malaysia’s faltering reform movement was halted in March when the Pakatan Harapan coalition collapsed and was replaced by a new coalition comprised of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the Malaysian Islamic Parti (PAS), and defectors…

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government increasingly harassed, arrested, and prosecuted rights defenders, activists, journalists, students, academics, and others critical of the government or its policies. The government continued to impose…

The human rights, security, and humanitarian situation in Burkina Faso was precarious amid ongoing violence and atrocities by Islamist armed groups, state security forces, and pro-government militias engaged in counterterrorism operations. In 2020,…

Mali’s human rights situation deteriorated in 2020 amid ongoing abuses by armed Islamist groups, ethnic militias, and government security forces.  A political crisis resulted in the August toppling of the government in a military coup. Armed…

Armed groups and government forces committed widespread human rights abuses, including extrajudicial or summary executions and mass killings across Cameroon’s Anglophone regions throughout 2020. The government continued restricting freedom of…

Guinea held presidential elections on October 18, the culmination of a year-long effort by incumbent President Alpha Condé to secure a third term in office. The post-election period was marred by violence, with the security forces killing at least…

Nationwide protests calling on authorities to end police brutality and abolish an abusive police unit known as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) received global attention and led to the dissolution of the unit. Authorities also took some action toward…

Although a resource-rich country, almost 40 percent of Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) population lives in poverty. The outbreak of Covid-19 in the country highlighted ongoing challenges with government corruption, economic mismanagement, and a…

Australia is a vibrant multicultural democracy with robust institutions, but in 2020 the global Black Lives Matter movement refocused attention on the severe disadvantage suffered by First Nations people in Australia, particularly the overrepresentation…

The government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, re-elected in October 2019, has made efforts to advance human rights in Canada, but serious and longstanding challenges remain. Many of these relate to the rights of Indigenous peoples, including violations…