The United States now stands alongside Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chile, Slovakia, and 37 other nations on CIVICUS’s monitor list, signalling potential human rights threats. This alarming inclusion stems from a series of actions taken by President Donald Trump since reclaiming the White House in January. CIVICUS, a global nonprofit dedicated to civil rights advocacy, highlighted these developments as troubling.
Mandeep Tiwana, interim co-Secretary General of CIVICUS, attributed the US’s watchlist status to Trump’s “restrictive executive orders, unjustifiable institutional cutbacks, and intimidation tactics through threatening pronouncements by senior officials”. He warned that such actions have created a chilling environment for democratic dissent, a foundational principle in the American ethos.
Tiwana lamented, “The Trump administration seems hellbent on dismantling the system of checks and balances which are the pillars of a democratic society.” The White House has yet to address these serious allegations. CIVICUS has raised concerns over abuses of executive power, citing these as jeopardising essential freedoms of peaceful assembly, expression, and association that are pivotal to democracy.
Pakistan’s addition to this watchlist was due to a stark decline in civil liberties and a harsher crackdown on dissent. CIVICUS referenced the recent cases involving Baloch Yakjehti Committee leader Maharang Baloch and human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, who are both facing charges perceived as governmental attempts to suppress opposition and dissent movements.
The United States has joined a watchlist by CIVICUS, alongside multiple other nations, due to human rights concerns linked to President Trump’s policies. This includes restrictive orders and actions undermining democratic dissent. CIVICUS’s remarks highlight fears of a chilling atmosphere for civil rights in the US and the risky trajectory observed in Pakistan regarding civil liberties.
The inclusion of the United States on CIVICUS’s human rights watchlist alongside nations like Pakistan serves as a stark warning regarding the current political climate. With President Trump’s executive actions stirring significant concern about the erosion of democratic freedoms, the implications are widespread. The ongoing crackdown on dissent and expression further underscores the need for vigilance and advocacy in protecting civil liberties.
Original Source: www.timesnownews.com
