Living in a country with declining democracy

The respect for civil and political rights in Turkey is low. The power is concentrated to the president, and human rights defenders constantly face widespread persecution for criticising the government in any way. Lawyer Özüm Vurgun from the Association of Lawyers for Freedom – Diyarbakır Branch, believes that even though impunity prevails, the country will eventually dissipate from the darkness.

The civil society in Belarus keeps fighting for democracy and human rights despite Lukashenka´s attempt to shut them down and silence critical voices. Oleg Ageev from the Belarusian Association of Journalists, which was liquidated by the regime along with more than 270 other organisations earlier this summer, believes civil society will prevail under these repressions and overcome this draconian totalitarian power.