Civil society, human rights and religious freedom in the People’s Republic of China: analysis of CSOs’ Universal Periodic Review discourse

Human rights and social welfare pathologies: civil society perspectives on contemporary practice across UK jurisdictions – critical analysis of third cycle UPR data

“…184 Such a worry has also been expressed in terms of 'performativity and legitimation'; meaning states engage with the UPR as a means of shaping public perceptions of their seemingly bona fide standpoint on promoting human rights, when in fact it conceals or dissimulates poor practice and/or ongoing rights violations. 185 Such concerns are a particular worry in the context of states that seek to weaken the extent to which human rights principles are embedded in domestic law. This is a particular fear in the UK, given the Westminster government's proposal to reform the Human Rights Act.…”

Civil society and the contemporary threat to religious freedom in Bangladesh

“…'Restrictions on civil society' was the second-most prominent pathology in the discourse (17.1% of quasi-sentences). It can be seen as part of a wider international trend as governments have used legal and coercive means to undermine the independence of civil society (e.g., Chaney, 2018aChaney, , 2018bJefferson & Jensen, 2009;Thornton, 2013). One of the key instruments in the current government clamp down on civil society is Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology Act (2006), which has been frequently used to detain and silence dissidents on flimsy grounds.…”

Civil Society Organisations and LGBT+ Rights in Bangladesh: A Critical Analysis

“…These include politically-motivated detentions, including the jailing of members of the main opposition parties, as well as the suppression of media and civil society organisations critical of government abuses. Analysis of children's rights also paints a bleak picture of continuing widespread malnutrition, denial of access to healthcare and education, as well as child labour, trafficking and sexual abuse (Chaney, 2018). In terms of gender equality and women's rights, profound challenges remain.…”

“…Allied to these issues, in recent years Bangladesh has seen the rise of restrictive laws limiting individual and group freedoms (Islam, 2011;Mohajan, 2013;Suykens, 2016). This is part of a wider international trend as governments have used legal measures to suppress criticism and undermine the independence of civil society (e.g., Thornton, 2013;Chaney 2018Chaney , 2019. This clamp-down has been criticised by the United Nations in the following terms: If any person deliberately publishes or transmits or causes to be published or transmitted in the website or in electronic form any material which is fake and obscene or its effect is such as to tend to deprave and corrupt persons who are likely, having regard to all relevant circumstances, to read, see or hear the matter contained or embodied in it, or causes to deteriorate or creates possibility to deteriorate law and order, prejudice the image of the State or person or causes to hurt or may hurt religious belief or instigate against any person or organization, then this activity of his will be regarded as an offence.…”

“…It can be seen as part of a wider international trend as governments have used legal and coercive means to undermine the independence of civil society (e.g. Chaney 2018Chaney , 2019Jefferson & Jensen, 2009;Thornton, 2013;Husain, 2016) In particular, HRDs working for LGBT + rights. Labour rights, and those who use blogs to raise awareness of violations reported significantly decreasing or entirely ending their communications with fellow HRDs.…”