Cuba's Violent Response to Protesters: Daily Brief

Cuba's government responds with violence against protesters; Belarus cracks down on human rights defenders; Japanese businesses should reconsider deals with Myanmar's military; Iranians allegedly plotted to kidnap dissident journalist in New York; North Korea acknowledges crisis, blames others; Poland and EU clash over rule of law and LGBT rights.

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Since July 11, thousands of Cubans have taken to the streets in landmark demonstrations protesting longstanding restrictions on rights, scarcity of food and medicines, and the government’s poor response to the Covid-19 pandemic. President Miguel Díaz-Canel on Sunday urged government supporters and security forces to respond to the protests violently.

In Belarus, the police detained at least 12 human rights defenders and journalists for interrogation, and at least nine remain in custody. The July 14 raids and detentions specifically targeted human rights groups documenting the year-long crackdown.

Japanese businesses should stop their participation in a commercial real estate project involving Myanmar’s abusive military. The proposed Y-Complex in Yangon is being constructed on land leased from the country’s armed forces, the Tatmadaw, whose long record of abuses has worsened since the February 1, 2021, military coup.

The United States Justice Department’s indictment of four Iranian nationals allegedly plotting to kidnap an Iranian dissident journalist living in New York City heightens concerns about Iranian efforts to target Iranian activists abroad.

At a High Level Political Forum on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, North Korea's government acknowledged the country’s increasingly poor economic situation but blamed it entirely on “continued sanctions” and “natural disaster and a world health crisis,” as well as last year’s typhoons and floods.

Finally, clashes between Poland and the EU continue over rule of law and LGBT rights. Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal stands in confrontation with the Court of Justice of the EU. Meanwhile, the European Commission started legal action against Poland for violating the rights of LGBTIQ people.