Peaceful Assembly Under Attack Across Europe: Amnesty Report
Why are Peaceful Protesters Facing Increased Repression?
- Repressive laws, excessive force, arbitrary arrests
- Unjustified restrictions and invasive surveillance
What Does Amnesty International’s Secretary General Say?
Agnès Callamard emphasized the terrifying continent-wide onslaught against peaceful protests in Europe.
What is Happening with Policing, Impunity, and Surveillance?
- Widespread use of excessive force by police
- Incidents resulted in serious injuries and torture in some countries
- Facial recognition technology poses privacy concerns
How Are Protesters Being Demonized?
Governments across 21 countries framing protesters as “terrorists” or “anarchists”, leading to restrictive laws.
Anti-Protest Legislation and Criminalization in Europe
- States failing to uphold the right to peaceful assembly
- Increasing restrictions under the guise of “public safety” and “national security”
- Discriminatory practices targeting marginalized groups
What is the Impact of Restrictions on Civil Disobedience?
States are increasingly responding to civil disobedience with harsh policing and preventive provisions.
In Conclusion: Europe is witnessing a concerning trend of stifling peaceful protests through repressive measures. Governments must reform laws to uphold international human rights obligations and protect the right to protest.
Source: www.amnesty.org