Authorities across the world are increasingly resorting to unlawful use of force and repressive legislation to crush protests, Amnesty International said today, as it launched an interactive digital map that exposes the shocking rise in the repression of protesters by states across the globe.

IM added that global map, which is part of Amnesty International’s flagship global campaign protect the protest, charts the numerous human rights violations perpetrated against protesters around the world.

It shows how governments treat protests as a threat rather than a right and how law enforcement officials view their role as being to suppress and subdue protesters rather than to facilitate their rights. As a result, thousands of people are being unlawfully dispersed, arrested, beaten and even killed during demonstrations,

IM also said and They also face devastating consequences afterwards, just for participating in protests.

“Peaceful protest is a right, not a privilege, and one that states have a duty to respect, protect and facilitate. However, the right to protest is increasingly under threat, with authorities using unlawful force against people in over 85 countries. From abusive use of force, arbitrary arrest and detention, to torture and other ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and state-sanctioned killings, this map sheds light on the heavy repression suffered by protesters around the world – and it is terrifying,” said Patrick Wilcken, Amnesty International’s Researcher on Military, Security and Policing issues.