During the 25th UN Climate Conference (COP 25), taking place in Madrid, Spain, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), including ISPN, launched a manifesto calling for respect for democratic principles in Brazil and an end to the persecution of CSOs. COP 25 began on December 02nd and continues until the 10th. Representatives from more than 200 countries are gathered to continue discussions on how to implement the guidelines of the Paris Agreement, signed in 2015. Learn more about COP 25, click here.
Read the manifesto in full:
There is no democracy without a free civil society. It is through active and vigilant citizens that policies are improved, abuses are denounced, and rulers are held accountable. It was through the actions of civil society organizations that Brazil managed to drastically reduce infant mortality, extreme poverty, and the wasteful deforestation of its forests, and to take crucial measures against corruption and for transparency in public power.
Any regime in which society cannot freely express itself without fear of retaliation for its legitimate actions is an authoritarian regime.
Thirty-five years ago, fueled by a massive popular movement, Brazil ended a long military dictatorship. It imagined that, with this, it had definitively left behind the use of the State for political persecution and arbitrary arrests of activists carried out without evidence or any kind of trial. It imagined that, finally, freedom had come to stay.
However, the direction Brazil is currently taking is extremely worrying. For the first time in over three decades, we are seeing signs of regression in some fundamental freedoms that were hard-won. For example, members of the Federal Government are declaring their support for instruments that restricted freedom and political and civil rights during the dictatorial period; the government is sending a bill to Parliament that prevents the punishment of police forces that kill protesters; environmental activists are being arrested and having their homes raided, and civil society organizations are having their offices searched by police based on accusations and judicial warrants lacking factual basis.
It is high time that all of Brazilian society clearly states: we will not tolerate affronts to our democratic principles! It is unacceptable to live daily with attacks by the President of the Republic, his ministers and aides against the free press, independent organizations, and fundamental individual and collective rights. It is unacceptable to live daily with massacres of the predominantly Black population in our favelas and peripheries, carried out or tolerated by the public security forces that should be protecting them. It is unacceptable to see maneuvers by public authorities to close civic spaces. Censorship of culture and research is unacceptable.
For this reason, we express our solidarity and support for the institutions and individuals who have been victims of abuses by the authorities and who are fulfilling their role in confronting these abuses and preserving our democracy and constitutional order: civil society organizations; the press; the National Congress; the Public Prosecutor's Office; indigenous peoples and traditional populations; public servants in the scientific, cultural, and socio-environmental fields; teachers and public universities.
Our democracy was hard-won just 35 years ago. We will not allow it to be destroyed again.
The following institutions have signed this manifesto:
- ABONG – Brazilian Association of NGOs
- Abraji – Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism
- Educational Action
- Friends of the Earth Brazilian Amazon
- AMPID – National Association of Members of the Public Prosecutor's Office for the Defense of Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly
- APIB – Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil
- Apoinme – Articulation of Indigenous Peoples and Organizations of the Northeast, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo
- Apremavi – Association for the Preservation of the Environment and Life
- Arpinsul – Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of the Southern Region
- Ashoka Brazil
- Terrazul Alternative Association
- City School Apprentice Association
- Pau Brasil Cultural and Ecological Association
- Kanindé Ethnoenvironmental Defense Association
- Association of Defenders of the Earth
- Pet Fraternity Association
- Picolino Association of Circus Arts
- Aty Guasu Kaiowá Guarani
- Ben & Jerry's Brazil
- Bioflora
- National Campaign for the Right to Education
- Working Women's House
- Fluminense House
- CEAP – Education and Communication for Popular Autonomy
- CENPEC – Center for Studies and Research in Education, Culture and Community Action
- Indigenous Work Center
- 5 Elements – Institute for Education for Sustainability
- CIVIC
- Coapima – Coordination of Organizations and Networks of Indigenous Peoples of Maranhão
- Coiab – Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon
- Pro-Indian Commission of Acre
- Chico Mendes Committee
- National Committee in Defense of Territories against Mining
- Brazil Community – SP
- CONDEPE – State Council for the Defense of Human Rights
- Conectas Human Rights
- Congress in Focus
- CONIC – National Council of Christian Churches of Brazil
- Terena Council
- Defenders of the Planet
- State Link Network for Sustainability in Ceará
- Engajamundo
- Between us
- FBOMS – Brazilian Forum of NGOs and Social Movements for the Environment
- FONASC-CBH – National Forum of Civil Society in River Basin Committees
- Forum of Environmental NGOs of the Federal District
- National Front of Mayors
- Avina Foundation
- Esquel Group Foundation Brazil
- SOS Mata Atlântica Foundation
- FVA – Vitória Amazônica Foundation
- GEEMA – Multidisciplinary Study Group on Affirmative Action
- Greenpeace
- Environmental Group of Bahia
- Horizon Education & Communication
- iCS – Climate and Society Institute
- ICV – Instituto Centro de Vida
- IDDD – Institute for the Defense of the Right to Defense
- IDDH – Institute for Development and Human Rights
- IDS – Institute for Democracy and Sustainability
- IEB – Institute of Brazilian Studies
- Iepé – Institute for Indigenous Research and Training
- imaflora
- Image
- imazon
- INA – Associated Indigenous Rights Advocates
- INESC – Institute of Socioeconomic Studies
- Green Initiative
- InPACTO – Institute of the National Pact for the Eradication of Slave Labor
- Alter do Chão Aquifer Institute (Alter Brigade)
- Brazilian Institute of Public Advocacy
- ClimaInfo Institute
- Ethos Institute of Business and Social Responsibility
- IDhES Institute
- Luisa Mell Institute
- Nation of Value Institute
- Physis Institute
- Socio-environmental Institute
- SOS Pantanal Institute
- Vladimir Herzog Institute
- International Rivers – Brazil
- Ipam (Amazon Environmental Research Institute)
- Ipê (Institute for Ecological Research)
- Ipedd – Piracicaba Institute for Studies and Defense of Democracy
- ISPN – Institute for Society, Population and Nature
- Jeduca – Association of Education Journalists
- World March for Climate Justice / Global Climate March
- Natural Mother
- MNCCD – National Movement Against Corruption and for Democracy
- Move Now!
- MSTC – Homeless Movement of the Center
- Support Center for the Riverside Population of the Amazon
- Marcos Sobrinho Dance and Performance Center
- Water Governance Observatory
- Observatório do Clima (Climate Observatory)
- Occupy Politics
- Oxfam Brazil
- PAD – Process of Articulation and International Dialogue
- Politilaje Favelas – Political and Cultural Action Collective of Favelas
- ProAnima – Animal Protection Association of the Federal District
- Health and Joy Project
- RBDC – Brazilian Network of Councils
- RCA – Amazon Cooperation Network
- RCA – Amazon Cooperation Network
- REARN – Environmental Education Network of Rio Grande do Norte
- Red SEAL
- Brazilian Network for Environmental Education
- Social Knowledge Network
- Environmental Education Network of Rio de Janeiro
- Environmental Education and Information Network of the State of Goiás
- Jacarepaguá Environmental Educators Network
- Network of Environmentalist Women of Latin America – Elo RJ
- GTA Network – Amazon Working Group
- Pará State Network for Environmental Education
- Paraná Sustainability Network
- Brazil Reporter
- RMA – Atlantic Forest NGO Network
- Rubens Naves and Santos Junior Lawyers
- org
- A Drop in the Ocean
- UNE – National Union of Students
- URBEM – Institute of Urbanism and Studies for the Metropolis
- Vote for Them – Collective for More Women in Politics
- WWF-Brazil – World Wide Fund for Nature
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