Slovakia must “immediately” end the stigmatisation and persecution of NGOs, journalists, and civil society organisations, according to UN experts who lament the “erosion of fundamental freedoms” in the country.
“We are deeply worried by government actions that threaten the independence of key state institutions and freedoms of speech and assembly,” they said in a statement.
The six independent experts, including the special rapporteurs on freedom of peaceful assembly and association, on freedom of opinion and expression, and on human rights defenders, said there had been a significant deterioration.
“Over the past year,” Slovakia has faced “a decline in fundamental freedoms and suppression of civil society, with increasing pressure on NGOs, the media, and peaceful protesters,” they stated.
The rapporteurs, who are mandated by the UN Human Rights Council but do not speak on behalf of the UN, called for measures to protect the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.
Since the beginning of the year, tens of thousands of people have repeatedly protested in Bratislava and other Slovak cities against Prime Minister Robert Fico, criticised for his pro-Russia stance and accused of authoritarian tendencies.
Fico has sparked protests by proposing controversial changes, including a media law which, according to the UN experts, would undermine the impartiality of public broadcasting.
They also highlighted the fact that rights defenders, journalists, and protesters are increasingly becoming “targets,” in addition to condemning the government's “smear campaigns” against journalists and restrictions on journalists' access to official events.
They independent experts criticised Slovakia for labelling NGOs with international funding as “foreign agents” and condemned the Slovak government's rhetoric against civil society organisations.
“We are dismayed about the alleged surveillance of activists using spyware like Pegasus by the Slovak Information Service, excessive police force against peaceful protesters, arbitrary detentions, poor detention conditions, and the criminalisation of human rights defenders in the country,” they said.
