Amid a global surge in protests demanding change from those in power, we have witnessed excessive force used against peaceful protesters in numerous countries, including Sudan, Egypt, Bangladesh, Myanmar, the US, Georgia, and Venezuela. REDRESS is responding to this problem with projects that aim to bring attention to the issue, determine responsibility, and push for legal and policy reforms.

In Sudan, the years that have followed the end of Omar al-Bashir’s rule in 2019 have seen a continuation in the violent crackdowns on protesters, human rights activists, and others, with widespread violations that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. REDRESS has advocated for reforms to prevent, prosecute, and provide redress for serious human rights violations, as well as drawing attention to the structural factors that have historically facilitated the violence. Last year, we joined calls from Sudanese and international civil society organizations for the UN Human Rights Council to establish an independent mechanism to investigate the serious violations committed during the ongoing conflict. Following this advocacy, the UN Human Rights Council established an independent international fact-finding mission for Sudan.

In Egypt, REDRESS and partners have highlighted how Egyptian authorities have weaponized torture as a political tool to persecute minorities and suppress dissent for decades. Our report submitted to the UN Committee against Torture concluded that the use of torture is so widespread and systematic that it amounts to a crime against humanity. Subsequently, in its review of Egypt’s record on torture, the UN body found “numerous and consistent allegations of systematic use of torture and ill-treatment” by Egyptian authorities.

In Belarus, the International Accountability Platform for Belarus, of which REDRESS is part, has collected information and evidence from over 2,300 survivors and witnesses related to gross human rights violations allegedly committed by Belarusian authorities to silence dissent during the 2020 presidential election and its aftermath. By providing access to the collected evidence, the IAPB has been supporting investigations by national prosecutors and international accountability bodies, including from five states, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the OSCE Moscow Mechanism Rapporteur.