Philosopher-activist Violet Coco has been jailed for at least eight months under draconian laws that restrain people who dare to speak up about the climate and ecological crisis. Increasingly we’re seeing intimidatory tactics aimed at discouraging dissent, and now it seems that the only people getting punished for government wrongdoing are those who courageously reveal it, says a representative of the civil society alliance CIVICUS.

The UN Secretary General recently observed: “Climate activists are sometimes depicted as dangerous radicals. But the truly dangerous radicals are the countries that are increasing the production of fossil fuels.”