REPRESSION OF DISSENT Across the region, authorities continued to violate the rights of people who expressed critical or dissenting views, including online, whether about their government or security forces, human rights, economic policies, international affairs or social issues deemed “immoral”. In the aftermath of Iran’s “Woman Life Freedom” uprising in 2022, authorities intensified their crackdown on women and girls defying compulsory veiling, and the harassment of relatives of unlawfully killed protesters and bystanders seeking truth and justice. They also arrested scores of journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders. The authorities disrupted internet and mobile phone networks during protests, prevented mass nationwide demonstrations on the anniversary in September, of the 2022 uprising, by carrying out arrests, and crushed smaller local protests using unlawful force and mass arrests. Ahead of Egypt’s December presidential elections, in which genuine opposition candidates were barred from running, the authorities intensified their targeting of opposition politicians and their supporters; relatives of dissidents abroad; trade unionists; lawyers; journalists; and people critical of the authorities’ human rights record and their handling of the economic crisis, and the military’s role. Security forces continued to forcibly disappear, torture, unjustly prosecute and arbitrarily detain dissidents. Some states used terrorism legislation or bogus charges to silence opposition and inflict harsh punishments on their critics. In Algeria, authorities prosecuted activists and journalists for expressing critical views, mainly online, and shut down media outlets. Iraqi authorities attacked the right to freedom of expression and attempted to introduce laws and regulations to curb this right. In Tunisia, authorities escalated their crackdown on dissent, increasingly using unfounded conspiracy and terrorism charges against high-profile opposition figures and other critics, and frequently using a new draconian cybercrime law. Members of the Ennahda opposition party were particularly targeted, with many of its leaders held in long-term pretrial detention. Over 50 political activists were investigated under trumped-up charges of “conspiracy,” while dozens of social and environmental protesters were unjustly prosecuted. In Saudi Arabia, the authorities relentlessly targeted perceived dissidents. The Specialized Criminal Court (SCC), established to try terror-related crimes, sentenced individuals to lengthy prison terms following grossly unfair trials for exercising their rights to freedom of expression or association, including peaceful online speech. The SCC appeals court upheld Salma alShehab’s conviction for terrorism-related offences, including publishing tweets that “disturb public order, destabilize the security of society and the… state” for her social media posts supporting women’s rights. She was sentenced to 27 years in prison followed by a 27-year travel ban. During the annual climate change conference (COP28), hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a mass trial began of over 80 Emiratis, including human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience already imprisoned for a decade, on trumped-up terrorism charges. At least 26 prisoners of conscience remained held in the UAE for the peaceful expression of their beliefs. Apart from pro-Palestine marches, the enduring or intensified repression across much of the region impeded mass protests, and the few that went ahead were usually met with unlawful use of force and arrests. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis demonstrated against proposed judicial reforms and were occasionally met with arbitrary arrests and police use of excessive force. Meanwhile, Israel’s Military Order 101 continued to suppress Palestinians’ right to peacefully protest and assemble in the West Bank. In Jordan, the authorities increasingly stifled the peaceful activities of political activists, journalists, workers, political party members, LGBTI people and others under abusive and 62 The State of the World’s Human Rights