Highlighting 3 Stories of Human Rights Abuses

Individual liberty is something which is unduly restricted, encroached upon, and outright beaten down every day. Billions go without the protections of human rights, and even those with such protections will often find themselves under the hammer of state abuse. It is impossible to recite every instance and to raise awareness of the true scale of this issue.

However, I have chosen to highlight a few stories of human rights abuses currently occurring across the globe:

Eduardo Peres Alberto

Starting in Africa, Eduardo is the general secretary of the National Union of Higher Education Teachers in Angola. Earlier this year, the union began a strike to demand better working conditions and to try to enforce promises which were earlier made by the government of Angola due to the governments reneging on this.

Unfortunately, due to this strike action, and due to Eduardo being the figurehead of the union, both he and his family have been receiving countless death threats and his daughter has been victim of a chemical attack openly in the public streets.

The right to strike and protests is something which is very repressed in Angola, taking such action regularly leads to arrest without cause, threats, intimidation, and even the torture of those who engage in these actions.

Amnesty International is seeking public action against these abuses and is currently running a call to action in respect of the abuse of Eduardo Peres Alberto and his family – You can see the action and sign the expression of concern HERE.

Guillermo Zárraga

Moving to South America, Guillermo Zárraga is an engineer and unionist from Venezuela. He has been detained by the state since 2020 on false charges of espionage and claims of supplying information to a CIA officer, without any evidence being laid against him. Guillermo now lays in prison, suffering severely due to inhumane detention and receiving inadequate healthcare, food, nutrition and basic standards of living within his prison.

Guillermo is unsupported within prison, his family is unable to provide any financial aid and there is little support from outside agencies or third parties. He is without even the most basic level of drinking water and, unfortunately, in recent months, Guillermo’s health has deteriorated substantially – Unsurprisingly, the number of Venezuelans fleeing the country is nearing 10 million this year alone.

The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has found hundreds of cases of executions, disappearances, detention, and torture without any grounds, cause, or trial… Guillermo has likely suffered similar treatment. You can sign the call to action HERE.

1,461 Belarusian Citizens

Finally heading to Eastern Europe and not with a person, but thousands of people currently suffering at the hands of Belarus. Thousands of citizens have taken to the streets, internet, and private conversation to call out the government and provide critical opposition. This has resulted in arbitrary detention and restriction of fundamental freedoms within the country.

Thousands of protesters who peacefully took to the street have suffered serious physical abuses at the approval of the government, torture is increasingly common, and detainees are being victim to sexual and gender violence within prison – Currently, 1,461 individuals are being detained on political grounds.

Since 2021, Belarus has introduced numerous laws to target those who are promoting opposition to the politics of the government, making easier to try people in absentia, revoke citizenship, and even confiscate the private property and possessions of those merely suspected of supporting this cause. The carrying out of legitimate human rights work is now a very serious crime with almost 1000 NGOs being shut down by the government and hundreds more closing to avoid prosecution.

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