CIVICUS Monitor has published its July 2025 Watchlist, identifying six countries where civic freedoms are under serious and escalating threat, including two countries from the region – Serbia and Türkiye. This marks the second consecutive Watchlist in which Serbia has been included, reflecting deepening concerns over government-led smear campaigns, legal harassment of civil society actors, and shrinking space for dissent. In Türkiye, systematic repression continues unabated, with civil society and independent voices facing severe constraints. The Watchlist serves as an urgent alert to the international community, spotlighting countries where governments are intensifying restrictions on the freedoms of association, peaceful assembly, and expression. As a CIVICUS Monitor research partner, BCSDN contributes regular, on-the-ground assessments that inform these global alerts. The inclusion of Serbia and Türkiye underscores the need for sustained international scrutiny and support to defend civic space and democratic values in the region. Read more here.
Source: CIVICUS Monitor; BCSDN