Civic freedoms under attack globally as repression intensifies: CIVICUS report

A shocking 72.4% of the world’s population now lives in countries classified as having ‘Repressed‘ or ‘Closed civic spaces, according to the People Power Under Attack 2024 report released by the CIVICUS Monitor on 4 December 2024.

This annual global assessment, which evaluates the status of civic freedoms in 198 countries, underscores an intensifying crisis as governments worldwide escalate their crackdowns on dissent, protests, and independent media.

Majority under repression

The report reveals that 81 countries fall into the most repressive categories—“repressed” or “closed”—marking an increase in restrictions compared to last year.

Alarmingly, nearly 30% of the world’s population resides in countries where civic space is entirely closed. Only 40 countries are classified as “Open,” reflecting widespread deterioration in fundamental freedoms.

Nine countries experienced significant declines in civic space conditions in 2024, including Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, and Kenya.

Military coups, state-imposed emergencies, and violent repression of protests were among the factors driving these downgrades. Conversely, nine countries saw improvements, with Japan, Fiji, and Jamaica entering the “open” category, driven by civil society-led advocacy and government reforms.

Freedom of expression under attack

Violations of freedom of expression accounted for 45% of the over 2,500 civic space violations documented globally in 2024, making it the most common type of repression. Attacks on journalists remain a key tactic, with incidents reported in at least 49 countries.

In Afghanistan, the Taliban’s ongoing persecution of media workers led to at least 89 reported incidents of threats, arrests, and violence in the first half of 2024 alone.

In Myanmar, Bangladesh, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, journalists were killed for reporting on corruption and human rights abuses. Cases of violence against reporters also surfaced in Peru, Spain, and the USA, where authorities used excessive force to suppress press coverage of protests.

“Targeting journalists has become a deliberate strategy to silence dissent and suppress critical reporting,” the report states, noting a rise in harassment, censorship, and internet shutdowns in countries like India, Nigeria, and Cameroon.

Protests met with violence

The right to peaceful assembly continues to face severe restrictions, with over 1,100 cases of protest suppression documented this year. Detention of protesters emerged as a key tactic in at least 76 countries, while violent dispersals were reported in at least 41 nations.

In Europe, climate change protesters faced harsh reprisals, with over 1,300 Extinction Rebellion activists arrested in the Netherlands in February 2024. Australia and Indonesia also witnessed large-scale detentions of climate and Indigenous rights activists.

Economic protests in Africa, including Kenya’s #RejectFinanceBill2024 demonstrations, saw the use of live ammunition and mass arrests, leading to at least 60 deaths and over 1,000 detentions. Solidarity protests for Palestine were similarly repressed worldwide, with bans, arrests, and violent dispersals documented in France, the USA, and Singapore.

Rising censorship

Censorship remains a pervasive tool for authoritarian regimes. Governments across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa continue to block media outlets, restrict online platforms, and monitor digital communications to suppress dissent.

In China and Pakistan, authorities expanded internet blackouts ahead of elections, while in Egypt, journalists faced detention for their coverage of economic protests.

“Authoritarian regimes are perfecting their ability to control information,” said Josef Benedict, Asia-Pacific researcher for the CIVICUS Monitor. “Digital repression is becoming a cornerstone of global censorship strategies.”

Bright spots amidst repression

Despite the bleak outlook, the report highlights notable victories in civic freedoms.

Civil society pressure led to landmark legal reforms in Ecuador, where Indigenous communities regained control over ancestral lands, and in Thailand, which passed Southeast Asia’s first same-sex marriage law in May 2024.

In Europe, the UK repealed restrictive anti-protest laws targeting climate activists.

The release of high-profile detainees, including WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in the UK and political prisoners in Bahrain, demonstrates the power of sustained civil society advocacy.

Global recommendations

The CIVICUS Monitor calls for urgent action from international organisations and governments to protect civic freedoms.

Recommendations include increased funding for human rights defenders, sanctions against regimes that target activists, and legal reforms to safeguard digital freedoms and press independence.

“The world is at a critical juncture for civic space,” the report concludes. “Without immediate intervention, millions more could lose their ability to speak, assemble, and associate freely.”

As global repression intensifies, the report serves as a sobering reminder of the need to protect the freedoms that underpin democratic societies.