US, UK among Western democracies slammed for harsh measures to quell climate activists' protests

By Dilara Karatas

ISTANBUL (AA) - A climate protection organization in a report has blamed Western democracies, including the US and UK, for harsh and punitive measures to suppress climate activists' protests under "vague criminal laws."

Climate Rights International (CRI) released the report "On Thin Ice: Disproportionate Responses to Climate Change Protesters in Democratic Countries" on Monday, which found that governments are imposing lengthy prison sentences, engaging in preventive detention, and filing criminal charges for minor crimes against climate activists.

The report details the harsh measures imposed on climate protesters and activists in Australia, Germany, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, the UK, and US.

The 70-page report demonstrates how governments violate their legal obligations to protect basic freedoms of expression, assembly, and association by cracking down on climate activists.

The report stated that climate protesters in these countries have faced detention and imprisonment and that many countries, including the UK, US, and Germany, have imposed harsh prison sentences for nonviolent protests.

These countries have also passed new laws outlawing the vast majority of peaceful protests, the report said, accusing the media and politicians of portraying climate activists as “eco-terrorists or hooligans.”

The report noted that the Global North responded harshly to demonstrations organized to draw attention to this issue rather than mitigating the effects of the climate crisis by reducing the use of fossil fuels.

On the contrary, it pointed out that rich countries criticize developing countries' reactions to these demonstrations.

CRI Director Brad Adams emphasized that governments should take urgent action to address the crisis rather than imprisoning climate protesters.

*Writing by Efe Ozkan