Escalating Suppression of Civil Demonstrations and Fundamental Liberties

Beyond the physical encounters on the streets, a massive campaign of arbitrary detentions is currently underway. Since the final days of December, thousands of individuals—ranging from student activists and journalists to ordinary citizens—have been taken into custody. Many of these detainees are being held in undisclosed locations without access to legal representation or communication with their families. Advocacy groups have raised urgent alarms regarding the treatment of those held, noting that high-ranking judicial officials have publicly called for "decisive" punishments without leniency. This surge in arrests appears aimed at dismantling the leadership and resolve of the movement through systemic intimidation.