Comment by UN Human Rights spokesperson Liz Throssell on shrinking civic space in Guinea-Bissau

We are worried about the numerous allegations of intimidation, harassment and, in some cases, arbitrary arrests and detentions of human rights and environmental defenders, journalists and trade union members in Guinea-Bissau. Women’s organisations and environmental advocates appear to have been specifically targeted.

It is crucial that independent voices be protected. All human rights and environmental defenders and civil society representatives, including those critical of the authorities, must be able to express their views and undertake their legitimate activities without fear of retaliation or reprisal on that account. Those arbitrarily detained for exercising their rights or freedoms should be released, while others facing charges should have their rights to due process and a fair trial respected.

We call on the authorities to seize the opportunity of this week's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Guinea-Bissau at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva to engage more constructively with civil society, take steps to protect human rights and environmental defenders, journalists, and unionists, and  commit to implement fully the recommendations made to Guinea-Bissau through the UPR process.