#AmnestyInternational Condemns Trump Threat of 'Very Heavy Force' Against #MilitaryParade #Protesters

The #FarRight Republican president, warned the #HumanRights group, "is continuing to send a clear and chilling message: #dissent will be punished."

Jon Queally
Jun 12, 2025

"The human rights advocacy group Amnesty International USA has issued a strong rebuke and warning in response to President Donald Trump's public threat to aim 'very heavy force' at law-abiding protesters voicing their constitutionally-protected #FreeSpeech during organized '#NoKings' protests scheduled for Saturday nationwide.

"In Tuesday remarks to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he didn't know of any planned protests timed to coincide with his $134-million parade, taking place on his birthday, but said if there are, 'these are people that hate our country.'

" 'For those people who want to protest, they're going to be met with very big force,' Trump said, making no distinction between peaceful demonstrators and those who might be more confrontational or even violent.

" 'Now is a good moment to remind President Trump that protesting is a human right and that his administration is obligated to respect, protect, and fulfill the human rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly–not suppress them,' said Paul O'Brien, executive director of Amnesty International USA, in a statement on Wednesday.

"Trump's threat arrived after he overrode California Gov. Gavin Newsom to call up 4,000 National Guard troops in that state last weekend—and subsequently U.S. Marine forces—to confront large protests in Los Angeles that erupted in response to raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (#ICE) agents and the violent arrest of union leader #DavidHuerta, president of #SEIUCalifornia.

" 'The militarized response to protests, including the deployment of the #NationalGuard and the #Marines in #LosAngeles, further escalates tensions and is a chilling preview of even more human rights violations that could be coming,' warned O'Brien. 'The U.S. military is not trained or equipped to police civilians. It increases the risk of excessive force, arbitrary arrests, and other violations of free expression and peaceful assembly. The Trump administration has already shown us that it will use any tool of the state, including ICE, police, and military forces to target #immigrants, #AsylumSeekers, #protesters, and anyone who dares to defend their rights.'

"Over 1,800 coordinated '#NoKings' protests are being organized for [#June14] to counter Trump's growing #authoritarianism and to coincide with the military parade Trump is throwing for himself in #WashingtonDC, at an estimated cost of $134 million.

"A new poll released Thursday shows a majority of Americans believe the parade is a waste of taxpayer money.

"Approximately 6 in 10 Americans also say Trump's parade is 'not a good use' of taxpayer funds, according to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That number of disapproving voters includes a number of people surveyed who have no particular criticism of the parade itself.

"Beyond the wasted cost, critics of the president warn that the more dangerous aspect of the parade is how the spectacle dovetails with Trump's broader authoritarianism, including his militarized response to dissent and weaponizing state power against his perceived political enemies.

" 'Make no mistake,' said Amnesty's O'Brien. 'President Trump’s response to protests has nothing to do with public safety. This is his administration’s way of stoking fear and suppressing opposition. By sending police, ICE, or the military into neighborhoods to silence voices calling for justice and human rights, President Trump is continuing to send a clear and chilling message: dissent will be punished.'

"Amnesty called for an immediate halt to Trump's 'militarized response' to public protest."

Listen / read more:
https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-heavy-force-military-parade-protesters

#Resistance #NoKingsEvents #TrumpIsAFascist #Resist #ImmigrantRights #CriminalizingDissent #PunishingDissent #AuthoritarianRule

#LawFirms, #universities and now #CivilSociety groups are in #Trump’s sights for #punitive action

By LISA MASCARO
Updated 12:04 AM EDT, April 18, 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — "First the nation’s top law firms. Then its premier universities. Now, President Donald Trump is leaning on the #advocacy groups that underpin U.S. civil society.

"Trump said Thursday that the administration is looking at the tax-exempt status not just of Harvard, but environmental groups and specifically the ethics watchdog organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or #CREW. It could be a devastating financial blow to the #nonprofit organizations — and his perceived #PoliticalFoes.

"The president’s remarks, during an event at the White House, began to confirm what advocacy groups have been quietly warning: Trump’s campaign of retribution is coming next for them.

" 'It’s supposed to be a charitable organization,' Trump said about CREW, in particular. 'The only charity they had is going after Donald Trump. So we’re looking at that. We’re looking at a lot of things.' "

Read more:
https://apnews.com/article/trump-tax-exempt-crew-environmental-groups-harvard-5e1e0ffacfa040ccdeaf4e43fb72b5fe

#CharacteristicsOfFascism
#SilencingDissent #USPol #Authoritarianism #AuthoritarianRule #CriminalizingDissent #EnvironmentalGroups #WaterIsLife #AirIsLife #LandIsLife #FightForTheFuture #DefendMotherEarth

HT @w7voa

"DHS threatening to arrest several House Democrats."

https://www.axios.com/2025/05/10/trump-ice-arrest-house-democrats-new-jersey

Archived link:
https://archive.ph/TtWzh

#Fascism #Authoritarianism #ResistICE #PeacefulProtest #CriminalizingDissent

3 ways #Trump's #immigration #crackdown could hit #USCitizens

Brittany Gibson, Apr 23, 2025

"#Trump administration officials are suggesting their immigration crackdown could expand to include deporting convicted U.S. citizens and charging anyone — not just immigrants — who criticizes Trump's policies.

"Why it matters: Such moves — described by officials in recent days — would show how U.S. citizens could be impacted by the growing number of tactics President Trump is using to, in his view, improve national security.

"They'd also be certain to ignite new legal battles over how far Trump's team can go in fighting illegal immigration and responding to #dissenters.

"Zoom in: Here are three tactics the administration has teased that legal analysts say would challenge Americans' rights:

1. Sending convicted U.S. citizens to prisons abroad.

This has been floated as a spinoff of Trump's deal with El Salvador, where a high-security prison is holding about 300 U.S. immigration detainees that the administration says are suspected criminals and gang members.
"Homegrowns are next," Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele last week, referring to sending Americans convicted of crimes to serve time in foreign prisons.
"We always have to obey the laws," Trump said, "but we also have homegrown criminals that push people into subways, that hit elderly ladies over the head ... I'd like to include them in the group of people to get them out of the country."
Trump's suggestion — echoing a similar proposal Bukele made to Secretary of State Marco Rubio in February — drew a storm of criticism from legal advocates, who called it unconstitutional.

2. Putting critics of the administration's policies in jeopardy.

Some officials say U.S. citizens who #criticize administration policies could be charged with crimes, based on the notion that they're aiding terrorists and criminals.
"You have to ask yourself, are they technically aiding and abetting them, because aiding and abetting criminals and terrorists is a crime," White House senior director for counterterrorism Seb Gorka said in an interview with Newsmax.
Trump's team also has questioned the legality of civic groups providing #immigrants with "#KnowYourRights" trainings on how to respond to federal agents. Border czar Tom Homan suggested that such seminars help people evade law enforcement.
"They're trying to use terrorism laws to attack people for their speech and for their political activism, and that's an authoritarian effort," said Kerri Talbot, co-executive director of the Immigration Hub, an immigration advocacy group.

3. Questioning the authority of court orders.

The administration's resistance to returning Kilmar Abrego Garcia — who was legally in the U.S. with an order not to be deported back to El Salvador, but deported to the prison there anyway — has raised questions about how far Trump's team can go in trying to skirt court orders.
The White House says the decision to return #AbregoGarcia rests with El Salvador because the U.S. Supreme Court told the administration only to "facilitate" his return, not "effectuate" it.

Advocates worry the resulting confusion has laid the groundwork for Trump's team to send a #USCitizen to a foreign prison, then claim that person couldn't be returned.

A federal judge raised this concern in Abrego Garcia's case.
"If today the Executive claims the right to deport without due process and in disregard of court orders, what assurance will there be tomorrow that it will not deport American citizens and then disclaim responsibility to bring them home?" wrote Judge Harvie Wilkinson III.
"And what assurance shall there be that the Executive will not train its broad discretionary powers upon its political enemies?"

What they're saying: Michelle Brané, former executive director of the Biden administration's Family Reunification Task Force, echoed Wilkinson.

"If they can send a noncitizen to a prison in El Salvador without due process ... why would a U.S. citizen be safer?"

The White House didn't respond to a request for comment. But officials have argued that they have an electoral mandate for stricter immigration enforcement, and that opposition to their policies is against the will of voters.

Trump's handling of immigration polls well in public surveys.
But sending immigrants to El Salvador's prison without criminal convictions or due process does not — about 60% were opposed in a recent YouGov survey.

Between the lines: U.S. citizens have been mistakenly detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) before, including cases this month in Arizona and Florida.

"People are realizing that this is going to impact all communities," Talbot said, "and that if one citizen can be picked up, then any of us can be picked up and put into proceedings, or labeled a #terrorist, or removed to a foreign prison."

Original article:
https://www.axios.com/2025/04/23/trump-immigration-crackdown-us-citizens

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/wUUdG

#SilencingDissent #CriminalizingProtest #CriminalizingDissent #USPol #DontQuestionBigBrother #Fascism #Authoritarianism #MemoryHoled #Orwellian #ThoughtCrime #WaterDefenders #LandDefenders #Resisters #HumanRightsDefenders #IhrePapiereBitte #Fascism #Authoritarianism #Nazis #SecretPolice
#Disappeared #USCitizens #ICEDetention
#IllegalDeportations#CharacteristicsOfFascism #Deportations #Disappeared #MemoryHoled #NineteenEightyFour #DoublePlusUngood

Pas sûr que je trouve ça drôle...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1v1xtRrOI4

#CriminalizingDissent #TheOnion

It looks like #HandsOff was successful in that now the #TrumpRegime is going to try and silence the organizers!

Core Democratic groups are preparing to be targeted by the #Trump administration

By STEVE PEOPLES
Updated 12:14 PM EDT, April 15, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — "As President Donald Trump pushes the historical boundaries of executive power, some of the Democratic Party’s core political institutions are preparing for the possibility that the federal government may soon launch criminal investigations against them.

"The Democrats’ dominant national fundraising platform, #ActBlue, and the party’s largest #protest group, #Indivisible, are working with their attorneys for just such a scenario, according to officials within both organizations. Trump’s top political allies have suggested both groups should face prosecution.

"Other Democratic allies are planning for Trump-backed legal crackdowns as well. Wary of antagonizing the Republican president, most prefer to stay anonymous for now.

" 'Every one of our clients is concerned about being arbitrarily targeted by the Trump administration. We are going to great lengths to help clients prepare for or defend themselves,' said Ezra Reese, political law chair at Elias Law Group, which represents Democratic groups and candidates and is chaired by Marc Elias, the lawyer who has himself been a Trump target.

"An FBI spokesperson declined to comment when asked about potential investigations into ActBlue and Indivisible. But White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not downplay the threat of a potential criminal probe when asked specifically whether Trump wants the FBI, the Treasury Department or any other federal agency to investigate Democratic groups."

Source:
https://apnews.com/article/democrats-trump-actblue-indivisible-legal-threat-fbi-42f502bcb5888b12628629710c6eb21b

#SilencingDissent #CriminalizingProtest #USPol #CriminalizingDissent #Authoritarianism #Fascism #Clampdown #CharacteristicsOfFascism #TrafficInterference #Crackdown #SLAPPs #VagueLaws #ProtestOrganizers #ProtestSponsors #ProtestSupporters #FirstAmendment

#RepublicOfGeorgia: First year of #Georgia’s ‘foreign agent’ law shows how #autocracies are replicating #Russian model − and speeding up the time frame

Published: March 28, 2025 6:25am EDT

"#Autocracy is on the move worldwide and becoming more resilient.

"One of the driving forces behind this phenomenon is something scholars call '#AuthoritarianLearning,' a process by which autocratic leaders study each other and adapt tactics based on what appears to work, and how to proceed when they encounter #resistance.

"Take Georgia. The ruling Georgian Dream party has steered the Caucasus nation from a path toward democracy back to autocracy – and it has done so by learning from Russia. In particular, it adopted a '#ForeignAgent' law in May 2024 – legislation that came straight from #VladimirPutin’s playbook.

"Sold to the public as increasing #transparency, the legislation has been utilized to persecute Georgia’s #opposition and arrest #dissidents with impunity.

"As researchers examining the structure and effects of autocratic regimes, we view Georgia’s first year of its foreign agent law as an example of how politicians are not only learning the tactics of Russian authoritarianism but improving on them in a shorter time frame."

Read more:
https://theconversation.com/first-year-of-georgias-foreign-agent-law-shows-how-autocracies-are-replicating-russian-model-and-speeding-up-the-time-frame-250878

#RightToProtest #AntiProtestLaws
#GeorgianLaws #CriminalizingDissent #CriminalizingProtest #HumanRights #RepublicOfGeorgia #GeorgianDream #ProtestSponsors #ExpandedPolicePowers #PoliceState #Authoritarianism #Fascism #Autocracy

#HongKong: #Article23 law used to ‘normalize’ #repression one year since enactment

Just one year after its passage, Hong Kong’s Article 23 law has further squeezed people’s freedoms and enabled authorities to intensify their #crackdown on peaceful #activism in the city and beyond, #AmnestyInternational said.

" 'Over the past year, Article 23 has been used to entrench a ‘new normal’ of systematic repression of dissent, criminalizing peaceful acts in increasingly absurd ways,' said Amnesty International’s China Director Sarah Brooks.

" 'People have been targeted and harshly punished for the clothes they wear as well as the things they #say and #write, or for minor acts of #protest, intensifying the #ClimateIOfFear that already pervaded Hong Kong. #FreedomOfExpression has never been under greater attack.'

People convicted and jailed for peaceful expression

"The Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (known as Article 23) took effect on 23 March 2024. Amnesty International’s analysis shows that 16 people have since been arrested for sedition under Article 23. Five of them were officially charged under the law, and the other 11 were released without charge. None of those arrested is accused of engaging in violence, while the authorities have accused two of them of #inciting violence without yet disclosing any details.

"Three of the charged individuals – after facing around three months’ pre-trial detention – were convicted for, respectively, wearing a T-shirt and #mask printed with protest slogans; #criticizing the government #online; and writing protest #slogans on bus seats. They were sentenced to between 10 and 14 months in prison.

"The remaining two charged people have been held in detention awaiting trial since November 2024 and January 2025, respectively. They are accused of publishing '#seditious' posts on social media platforms.

Article 23 entrenches denial of bail

"The presumption against bail in national security cases, originally imposed by the #Beijing-enacted #NationalSecurityLaw (#NSL), has now been extended to offences under Article 23. Among the five individuals charged under Article 23, the two who applied for bail had their applications denied because the magistrate believed they may 'continue to commit acts endangering national security' – the same reasoning used to deny bail to others prosecuted under the NSL, including newspaper founder #JimmyLai and opposition politicians.

"The remaining 11 individuals arrested under Article 23 are variously accused of publishing 'seditious' posts, commemorating the 1989 #Tiananmen crackdown and spreading 'disinformation'. Despite having been released by the police without official charge, they remain at risk of prosecution at any time because Article 23 does not impose a time limit on bringing criminal charges.

" 'Article 23 has been wielded by the Hong Kong government as a tool to suppress critical voices with the ultimate aim of eradicating them. Alongside the #NSL, it has handed the authorities virtually unchecked power to arrest and jail anybody criticizing the government. The result is a Hong Kong where people are forced to second-guess what they say and write, and even what they wear,' Sarah Brooks said.

" 'The now default use of pre-trial #detention and refusal of bail are alarming examples of how Article 23 has been used to reinforce the repressive tools first introduced under the NSL.”
‘#NationalSecurity’ as a trump card overriding established laws

"Article 23 has also been weaponized to impose additional punitive measures against dissidents already serving sentences. Under the existing Prison Rules, last amended in 2014, prisoners with good conduct were eligible for early release after serving two-thirds of their sentences. However, according to new rules set by Article 23, the prison authorities can waive this practice if the release would be 'contrary to the interests of national security'.

"Notably, at least two jailed activists have been denied early release, despite the fact that they were not convicted under Article 23 and had already begun serving their sentences before its enactment.

"One of the activists – who was convicted of incitement to wound, a charge unrelated to any national security legislation – was barred from early release despite Article 23 expressly stating that the new rules apply only to prisoners convicted of offences endangering national security.

" '#Retroactively denying early release based on vague national security justifications undermines legal certainty and due process. The government’s failure to comply with the very text that it drafted further raises serious concerns about the arbitrary application of Article 23,' Sarah Brooks said.

Extraterritorial application against #overseas #activists

"The worrying impact of Article 23 on human rights is not restricted to Hong Kong. Authorities have invoked Article 23’s extraterritorial scope to penalize a total of 13 Hong Kong activists residing overseas, including in the #UK, the #US, #Canada and #Australia. These penalties have included the cancellation of passports, suspension of lawyer licenses, removal from company directorships and prohibition of financial transactions, restricting a range of #HumanRights such as their freedom of movement, right to privacy and right to work.

"These measures have been imposed alongside arrest warrants issued under the NSL, each carrying a HK$1 million (US$128,700) bounty, for these 13 individuals and six other overseas activists.

" 'By sanctioning activists overseas, the Hong Kong government is attempting to extend its #DraconianLaws beyond its borders to target potentially anyone, anywhere. The situation has resulted in a chilling effect on individuals who persist in exercising their freedom of expression, even after departing from the city. The international community cannot afford to ignore Article 23’s intended extraterritorial reach,' Sarah Brooks said.

" 'We urge the Hong Kong and Chinese governments to immediately repeal Article 23, the NSL and any other legislation which violates international human rights laws and standards. We also call on other governments to safeguard the fundamental rights and freedoms of #Hongkongers, in particular those actively defending human rights, within their jurisdictions.

" 'The rising risk of transnational repression, which Amnesty has documented and which is explicitly tied to Hong Kong’s national security legislation, demands a response by governments worldwide. As a start, that means denouncing incidents of transnational repression and pursuing accountability for criminal acts targeting activists and others in the country of residence.'

Background

"On 19 March 2024, Hong Kong’s Legislative Council unanimously voted to pass the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance based on Article 23 of the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s mini-constitution.

"The law, which took effect on 23 March 2024, introduced China’s definition of 'national security' and 'state secrets', together with other broadly defined offences which further restricted freedom of expression and the right to protest. It also replaced a widely used #colonial-era #sedition law with its own provisions on sedition which now expressly cover acts or speech which do not incite violence. The maximum prison sentence for sedition was increased from two to seven years, or up to 10 years if involving 'collusion with an external force'.

"Amnesty International submitted an analysis of its proposals to the government during the consultation period, concluding that the offences and changes to investigatory powers are contrary to Hong Kong’s human rights obligations. After the law was passed, Amnesty International issued a briefing paper providing an in-depth analysis of the effects of the law on both Chinese and non-Chinese individuals, in particular via its purported extraterritorial application."

Source:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/03/hong-kong-article-23-law-used-to-normalize-repression-one-year-since-enactment/

#AntiProtestLaws #AntiProtestLaws #CriminalizingDissent #CriminalizingProtest #HumanRightsViolations #BigBrother #NeverForgetTiananmen

#RepublicOfGeorgia: New legislation directly threatens people's right to #protest and #FreeExpression

In a troubling shift toward #authoritarian governance, Georgia’s ruling party has enacted legislative reforms that drastically restrict freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and proposed changes to restrict #media, public participation.

February 10, 2025

"The key changes obstructing people’s right to protest include:

- Expanded organisers' liability;
- Restrictions on spontaneous protests;
- Limitations on protests in enclosed spaces: Protests in closed spaces or buildings now require written consent from the property owner, significantly restricting #student and #workplace #demonstrations. This provision appears to be a direct response to recent protests on #UniversityCampuses;
- Expanded penalties for protest-related offenses: Petty #hooliganism fines have risen from GEL 500-1,000 to GEL 500-2,000 (from maximum approximately 350-700 EUR) , with imprisonment now up to 20 days instead of 15. Verbal insults towards #PoliceOfficers now carry fines of GEL 2,000 5,000 (approx. 700-1750 EUR) or up to 60 days’ imprisonment. Repeat offenses can result in a GEL 3,500-6,000 ( 1200–2100 EUR) fine and extended jail terms. Additionally, individuals accused of "disrupting public order" face severe criminal penalties, including up to 3 years in prison;
- New restrictions on symbolic protest actions: Covering one's face, possessing a laser or light-emitting device, or wearing clothing resembling police or military uniforms during assemblies are now punishable by fines of GEL 2,000 ( 700 EUR) or imprisonment up to 7 days. Such measures are expected to disproportionately impact younger protesters and student-led movements;
- #Broadened law enforcement powers: The Ministry of Internal Affairs now holds increased authority over protest regulation, including the power to block protests that allegedly threaten public order or constitutional stability. Authorities can now use '#EmergencyMeasures' to disperse gatherings, including mass #arrests and prolonged #detentions;
- Increased state control over protest logistics: Protesters are now required to ensure that demonstrations do not obstruct transportation routes. Organisers must take action within 15 minutes of a warning to remove roadblocks or temporary structures, failing which they will face criminal liability;
- Participation in protests previously dispersed by law enforcement is now classified as an offense, subjecting #demonstrators to legal consequences.

"Given that the median salary in Georgia in 2023 was GEL 1,238 (approximately 400 EUR), these fines represent a disproportionate financial burden on protesters, effectively discouraging civic engagement and public demonstrations."

Read more:
https://csometer.info/updates/georgia-new-legislation-directly-threatens-peoples-right-protest-and-free-expression

#RightToProtest #AntiProtestLaws
#GeorgianLaws #CriminalizingDissent #CriminalizingProtest #HumanRights #RepublicOfGeorgia #GeorgianDream #FaceMasks #AntiMaskLaws #ProtestSponsors #ACAB #ExpandedPolicePowers #PoliceState #Authoritarianism #Fascism

From 2024: #HumanRightsWatch - #Venezuela: Brutal #Crackdown on #Protesters, Voters

Killings, #MassArrests Following Elections

(Bogota) – "Venezuelan authorities are committing widespread #HumanRights violations against #protesters, #bystanders, #opposition leaders, and critics following the July 28, 2024, presidential election, Human Rights Watch said today. Concerned governments should push for independent verification of the electoral results and support international efforts to ensure accountability.

"International observers have raised serious concerns about the July 29 announcement by Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE) that #NicolásMaduro had been re-elected president. Following the announcement, thousands of protesters have taken to the streets, in largely peaceful protests, to demand a fair counting of the votes. Human Rights Watch has documented that Venezuelan authorities and #ProGovernment armed groups known as '#colectivos' have committed widespread abuses, including killings, arbitrary detention and prosecution, and harassment of critics. On September 2, a judge issued an arrest warrant against opposition candidate #EdmundoGonzález for '#conspiracy,' 'incitement to #disobedience' and other crimes.

" 'The repression we are seeing in Venezuela is shockingly brutal,' said Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. 'Concerned governments need to take urgent steps to ensure that people are able to peacefully protest and that their vote is respected.'

"Venezuelans voted in the presidential election in large numbers, despite irregular government actions and human rights violations in the lead-up to the election, including arrests of opposition members, arbitrary disqualifications of opposition candidates, and restrictions on Venezuelans #voting abroad. Several hours after polls closed, Venezuela’s electoral council declared that Maduro had won the election with over 51 percent of the vote. The Electoral Council has not released the tally sheets from the election, nor conducted the audits and citizen verification processes required by law.

"The United Nations Electoral Technical Team and the #CarterCenter, which observed the elections, said the process lacked transparency and integrity, and questioned the declared result. They indicated that, instead, the precinct-level tally sheets that the opposition made public were reliable. The Carter Center noted that the tally sheets showed, with 81 percent of the votes counted, that #González had won the election by a significant margin.

"Venezuelans have taken to the streets across the country, particularly in low-income areas traditionally supportive of the Chavismo movement, where many incidents of #repression have taken place.

"Human Rights Watch received credible reports of 24 killings in the context of #protests from independent local groups, including Foro Penal, Justicia Encuentro y Perdón, Monitor de Víctimas, and Provea, or discovered them on social media. Human Rights Watch independently documented 11 of these cases, including by reviewing death certificates, verifying videos and photographs, and interviewing 20 people, including witnesses and other local sources. Many relatives, witnesses, and others were not willing to be interviewed because they feared #GovernmentRetaliation.

"Human Rights Watch analyzed and verified 39 videos and 2 photographs of protests found on social media platforms or sent directly to researchers by people close to the victims, and by local organizations and journalists.

"Researchers confirmed the exact locations where these videos were filmed; used information such as shadows, weather patterns, and upload dates to determine the time of day; and consulted with forensic pathologists and arms experts, who analyzed the injuries and weapons that were seen and heard.

"According to Venezuelan authorities, they arrested over 2,400 people in connection with protests. The local pro bono group #ForoPenal recorded over 1,580 '#PoliticalPrisoners' who have been arrested since July 29, including 114 children. Prosecutors have charged hundreds with sometimes broadly defined crimes carrying harsh sentences, such as '#incitement to hatred,' '#resistance to #authority,' and 'terrorism.'

"The government has also intensified its broader repressive tactics, cancelling passports of critics to prevent them from leaving the country, encouraging citizens to report on #demonstrators, and conducting abusive #raids, especially in low-income communities. On August 15, Maduro’s supporters in the National Assembly passed a law that grants the government #BroadPowers to control and shut down nongovernmental organizations [#NGOs]."

Read more:
https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/09/04/venezuela-brutal-crackdown-protesters-voters

#ElectionFraud #CharacteristicsOfFascism #Fascism #Authoritarianism #Crackdown #CriminalizingDissent #protesters #Protesting #BogusCharges #Murder