Fines are already acting a deterrent against further demonstrations says human rights grou
The report concludes that “abusive use” of administrative and penal sanctions against protesters has already begun to put off citizens from taking to the streets.
“We have found clear evidence that the sanctions imposed on people for participating in acts of protest maybe deterring others from joining public demonstrations,” said the authors of “El derecho a protestar, amenazado” (or, The right to protest, under threat).
“Some people who have been especially active in these protests have been targeted on several occasions, to such an extent that they have run up debts or their own lawyers have recommended that they reduce their visibility in public activities,” reads the report.
The study also underscores “abusive use of force” by law enforcement officers, “degrading treatment” and attacks against journalists, as well as a lack of transparency in internal investigations. “Violations of human rights have been committed by members of law enforcement,” says the report.
Critics say that the legislation seems tailor-made for the Popular Party (PP) government to quell public displays of citizen discontent over its handling of the economic crisis and the corruption cases that have been surfacing regularly in the news.
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