The final report from our COVID-19 Disorder Tracker reviews ACLED’s special coverage of the pandemic’s impact on political violence and protest trends around the world over the past 12 months. Download Report Introduction March 2021 marks the first anniversary of the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). One year on,…
Last week, new information about the government’s abusive treatment of prisoners in Jaw Prison was revealed in Bahrain. In Iran, the repression of minorities continued, although a significant drop in events was recorded for the second consecutive week amid national holidays for the Iranian New Year. In Egypt, an increase in coronavirus cases led to…
Last week in Southeast Asia, the military junta in Myanmar continued its lethal crackdown on the anti-coup movement. In addition to suppressing demonstrations with excessive force, security forces have also been stepping up neighborhood raids that have resulted in more fatalities. In response to the indiscriminate use of force by security forces, anti-coup demonstrators have…
Last week in Central Asia and the Caucasus, clashes continued in Afghanistan between Afghan forces and the Taliban. Afghan forces also conducted operations against a local militia in Wardak province. In addition, tensions between the Taliban and US forces increased as the US administration signaled that the withdrawal of its troops may be delayed. In…
Last week in the Middle East, fighting between pro-Hadi and Houthi forces continued in Yemen, but at a lower level compared to the week prior. The Houthis continue to target Saudi Arabia with ballistic missiles and drones, despite Saudi’s proposal for a peace deal. Elsewhere, Syrian regime forces and their Russian allies intensified their attacks…
In the aftermath of the mass shootings in Atlanta, Georgia and Boulder, Colorado, demonstration events in the United States surged last week, continuing an upward trend for the third consecutive week. Vigils and demonstrations against gun violence were held across the country in the wake of both shootings and a thwarted shooting at a grocery…
Last week in South America, environmental protests were held in Argentina on World Water Day on 22 March. Anti-government demonstrations continue to take place in Paraguay. Bolivians also continue to take to the streets to protest against the arrest of former interim President Jeanine Áñez and other former government members, sparking counter-protests in favor of…
Last week, in Belarus, the regime of Alexander Lukashenko continued to respond to anti-government demonstrations with arrests and repression. In Russia, the opposition called for a new mass demonstration in support of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny. In the United Kingdom, demonstrations against a controversial bill that limits rights to protest grew and became violent…
Last week in East Asia, two ballistic missiles were fired by North Korea into the Sea of Japan. This marks the first time such a test has been conducted by the North Korean government since US President Joe Biden has assumed office. Meanwhile, in South Korea, protests were held last week related to the upcoming…