US added to international watchlist over declining civic freedoms  | World News

Mandeep Tiwana, co-secretary general of Civicus, explained that the list highlights nations where “civic space conditions are worsening, particularly regarding freedoms of peaceful assembly, association, and expression”, according to a report by The Guardian. 

Concerns over Trump administration’s actions

The decision to add the US to the list comes in response to what Civicus describes as the Trump administration’s “attack on democratic norms and global cooperation.”

In its report, the group warned that recent government actions could “severely impact constitutional freedoms of peaceful assembly, expression, and association.”

It pointed to mass dismissals of federal employees, the appointment of Trump loyalists in key positions, the withdrawal from international organisations such as the World Health Organization and the UN Human Rights Council, and cuts to federal and foreign aid.

Civicus also criticised the Trump administration’s handling of media access and its crackdown on pro-Palestinian protesters, calling these measures part of an “unparalleled attack on the rule of law not seen since the days of McCarthyism in the twentieth century.”

“Restrictive executive orders, unjustifiable institutional cutbacks, and intimidation tactics by senior officials are creating an atmosphere that chills democratic dissent, a core American value,” Tiwana said.

US civic freedoms under threat

Civicus categorises civic space in countries using five ratings: open, narrowed, obstructed, repressed, and closed.

Currently, the US holds a “narrowed” rating, which means people can still exercise their rights to protest and free speech, but violations do happen. This rating remained unchanged under Joe Biden’s administration.

However, Tiwana warned that the US is moving towards an “obstructed” status, which it previously held during Trump’s first term. Back then, this was due to the government’s response to the Black Lives Matter protests and state laws restricting environmental activism.

Tiwana expressed concerns that the US, once seen as a leader in defending democracy and freedoms, is now setting a dangerous example.

“Historically, the US has been considered a beacon of democracy, despite its flaws both at home and abroad,” he said. “But this administration’s actions could embolden authoritarian governments and undermine constitutional principles,” reported The Guardian. 

He warned that the government appears to be engaging in “zero-sum politics,” eroding democratic values. “We urge the United States to uphold the rule of law and respect constitutional and international human rights norms,” Tiwana added.

(with inputs from The Guardian)