United Nations Official Says State Repression of Environmental Defenders Threatens Democracy and Human Rights | Citing rising criminalization of environmental activism in Europe, a new paper calls on states to reinstate protections for protest enshrined in binding international law.
by silence7
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Greetings from Australia 🇦🇺
Criminalisation of protest is also becoming worse here. About three or four of our eight jurisdictions have introduced harsher laws in recent years.
Last year in WA there was a case where a handful of demonstrators outside the home of the CEO of Woodside mining company were charged with disproportionately severe charges; something akin to terrorism.
Fortunately in that case the judge put paid to the overreach by police and the public prosecutor, but the rhetoric from certain politicians was ridiculous enough to draw condemnation from several legal scholars on a [national media criticism show](https://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/episodes/woodside/102811196), ABC’s Media Watch.
Unfortunately in that case, our national broadcaster, when requested by police, handed over raw footage taken at an activist meeting which identified activists unrelated to the demo at the CEO’s house who had been assured of anonymity. The police request was not legally binding, yet the ABC caved instantly with not a peep about the importance of protecting their sources.
There are many other stories.