博客

The United States has experienced a significant decline in civic freedoms, according to the latest annual assessment by the Civicus Monitor. The Johannesburg-based research organization downgraded the nation’s rating to “obstructed” status, placing it alongside countries like Gabon, Mauritania, and Senegal in terms of civil liberties protection.

The comprehensive People Power Under Attack report evaluates civic space conditions worldwide based on data gathered from civil society organizations and human rights groups. This year’s findings reveal a concerning trend of deteriorating democratic institutions in the US, particularly following the return of President Donald Trump to office.

Key factors contributing to the downgrade include the suppression of Palestine solidarity activism, aggressive Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations targeting immigrant communities, and increasing press censorship. The report documents a pattern of militarized responses to large-scale protests and systematic efforts to undermine democratic norms through executive actions.

Notably, the assessment highlights widespread censorship measures, including the cancellation of major talk shows, funding reductions for independent media outlets, and restricted White House press access. Judicial harassment and political interference have created a challenging environment for free expression and assembly.

Globally, fourteen other countries faced similar downgrades, with Argentina, France, Germany, Italy, and Israel among those moved to either “obstructed” or “repressed” categories. Switzerland declined from “open” to “narrowed,” while Burundi, Oman, and Sudan received the lowest possible classification as “closed” societies.

The crackdown on Palestine solidarity efforts emerged as a particularly significant factor in the global rankings. The report details disproportionate measures against academic institutions, including disciplinary actions against students and faculty, funding freezes, and suspension of student organizations.

Additionally, the assessment criticizes US sanctions against International Criminal Court officials, Palestinian human rights organizations, and UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese. The report concludes with recommendations for governments worldwide to create enabling environments for civil society, recognize minority group needs, and investigate law enforcement excesses.

The Trump administration has issued a stark ultimatum to the International Criminal Court, demanding fundamental changes to its founding treaty and the termination of specific investigations under threat of additional sanctions, according to multiple diplomatic sources.

Recent reports indicate that U.S. officials have pressured the ICC to amend the Rome Statute to prevent investigations against President Donald Trump, senior administration members, and Israeli politicians. These demands specifically target ongoing probes into the Gaza conflict—recognized as genocide by UN experts and scholars—and potential war crimes by U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

The pressure campaign has intensified through diplomatic channels, with the U.S. allegedly conditioning the lifting of existing sanctions on the ICC’s compliance with these demands. Additionally, Washington has called upon member states to support treaty amendments that would grant immunity to citizens of non-signatory nations, a move that would effectively shield American and Israeli officials from prosecution.

This development occurs amidst unprecedented challenges to the ICC’s authority. The court currently faces multiple pressures, including Israeli legal challenges to its jurisdiction in Palestine and a separate complaint questioning the prosecutor’s impartiality. Meanwhile, ICC judges already face sanctions for their work on the Afghanistan investigation, which has notably shifted focus away from U.S. nationals since 2021.

The Assembly of States Parties meeting last week became a focal point for these tensions, with diplomats confirming that U.S. representatives attempted to leverage sanctions relief to influence the court’s investigative priorities. The proposed treaty changes would also impact other investigations, including those concerning alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine, as Russia is also a non-member state.

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, currently on voluntary leave pending a UN investigation into impartiality allegations, has been a specific target of U.S. sanctions since February, alongside deputy prosecutors, judges, and Palestinian organizations.

A prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist residing in the United Kingdom has become the victim of an extensive harassment operation involving fabricated explicit materials. Carmen Lau, a 30-year-old exile who sought political asylum in Britain four years ago, reported that her neighbors in Maidenhead, Kent received malicious letters containing artificially generated pornographic imagery bearing her likeness.

The correspondence, which originated from Macau according to postal markings, featured digitally manipulated photographs that superimposed Ms. Lau’s facial features onto explicit content, accompanied by text falsely presenting her as offering sexual services. The activist characterized the materials as ‘deeply unpleasant’ and expressed particular concern about the weaponization of artificial intelligence technology for gendered harassment campaigns.

This incident represents an escalation of previous intimidation attempts against Ms. Lau. Last year, multiple neighbors received bounty letters purportedly from Hong Kong police authorities offering £95,000 for her capture and delivery to Chinese diplomatic facilities in London.

Local Member of Parliament Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat) has formally escalated the matter to both the Home Office and Foreign Office, demanding governmental action and accountability from Chinese authorities. Mr. Reynolds emphasized that targeting UK residents through such methods constitutes unacceptable behavior that requires diplomatic confrontation.

The UK government has reiterated its stance against transnational repression, with officials previously condemning Hong Kong’s issuance of arrest warrants and bounties targeting political exiles. A government spokesperson affirmed that the security of Hong Kongers in Britain remains a priority, while law enforcement agencies have initiated investigations into the malicious correspondence.