In the first month of the third government led by SDS and Janez Janša, the Government Communication Office took a central role in targeting the usual suspects of the ruling party: Non-governmental organisations, the media and journalists.

Antigone has released its sixteenth annual report, which explores the situation in Italian correctional facilities during 2019 and the first months of 2020.

Catalan independence campaigners are suspected to have been targeted by government services using spyware, which is allegedly only sold to governments for the purpose of surveilling criminals and terrorists.

The ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party is desperate to have its presidential candidate re-elected. They've weighted the game in their favour and now want to force Poles to vote in the middle of a pandemic. But the EU could step in and offer voters hope.

The new government has restricted access to public participation and justice for environmental non-governmental organisations.

The Belgium League of Human Rights (LDH), Liga voor Mensenrechten and the International federation for Human Rights (FIDH) have raised concerns about the contact tracking system being implemented by the federal government in the context of the pandemic.

As human rights NGOs forewarned, the Authorisation Act has further exacerbated the deterioration of the rule of law and the state of democracy in Hungary.

​On 11th and 25th October 2020, Lithuania held parliamentary elections that ultimately led to the creation of a new conservative government.

Knowledge Hub: COVID-19 Contact Tracing Apps In The EU

Smear campaigns are an attempt by powerful figures to undermine someone's credibility and reputation - with the goal of distracting public attention from something they are trying to keep quiet. Recovering from a smear campaign is tough, but possible.