In June, the Constitutional Court declared as unconstitutional the parts of the 1. Slovenia: Recognition that sex without consent is rape is a “historic Communicable Diseases Act that the victory for women”, 4 June government had used as a basis for imposing restrictive measures during the Covid-19 SOMALIA pandemic, and gave parliament two months to amend the act. The proposed Federal Republic of Somalia amendments failed to gain the necessary Head of state: Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed majority in parliament in July, leaving the (Farmaajo) unconstitutional legal provision in force for Head of government: Mohamed Hussein Roble the time being. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, All parties to the armed conflict carried out ASSOCIATION AND ASSEMBLY indiscriminate attacks killing hundreds of civilians. The right to freedom of expression The prolonged blanket ban on public was suppressed; two journalists were killed assemblies, originally introduced in October and others were beaten, threatened, 2020 as part of the Covid-19 mitigation harassed and intimidated, and subjected to measures, remained, except for a 12-day arbitrary arrest. The government’s response hiatus, in place until 19 April. The authorities to the Covid-19 pandemic remained imposed heavy fines on protesters who defied inadequate and only 5.1% of the population the ban. In June, the Constitutional Court had been vaccinated by December; health ruled that the government’s decisions to workers were particularly exposed to prohibit public gatherings and limit the infection risks and suffered poor and unsafe number of protesters were unconstitutional working conditions. Hundreds of thousands and represented a disproportionate of people were displaced. In Somaliland, infringement of human rights. the authorities continued to censor critics Media freedom continued to deteriorate, and journalists and carried out large scale with journalists – particularly, female forced evictions and transfer of people in journalists – being the target of frequent Las Anod town. online harassment and threats, including by BACKGROUND the prime minister Janez Janša and other senior politicians. Government officials took Heightened political tensions between federal measures to weaken public media services authorities, regional authorities and by labeling them as “anti-government” or, in opposition leaders rose to new levels, leading case of the Slovenian Press Agency, by to the postponement of presidential and withholding their funding until November. parliamentary elections. Political infighting Slovenia’s ranking in the World Press between Somalia’s president and his prime Freedom Index dropped from 32nd in 2020 minister prevented the implementation of to 36th place. necessary judicial, constitutional and human Government officials also frequently rights reforms. Their public disagreement engaged in smear campaigns against NGOs about the apparent enforced disappearance and other critical voices. The Council of of a woman officer in the National Europe’s Human Rights Commissioner Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) warned that the toxic and hostile environment threatened to create political divisions for media and civil society organizations had including within the security forces. a chilling effect on freedom of expression and In May, Somaliland held long-delayed human rights work. parliamentary and local council elections for 82 members of the House of Representatives and Councillors in 21 districts. On 5 June, the opposition won 52 of the 82 Amnesty International Report 2021/22 329