United Nations: Special Rapporteur Romero Denounces Restrictions on Democratic Freedoms in 2023-2025 Global Election Cycle

In a recent report to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2025, Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, highlighted a concerning trend of restricted civic space and limited democratic debate during the 2023-2025 “super election” cycle. Romero emphasized that the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, crucial for transparent and inclusive elections, were curtailed in several states globally to limit public participation and electoral legitimacy.

The report revealed that civil society, which plays a vital role in safeguarding electoral integrity and promoting inclusion, faced significant challenges. Activists were subjected to harassment, arbitrary detention, torture, and even killings, while repressive legislation was used to suppress and criminalize their activities. Opposition parties and candidates also encountered unfair limitations, including difficult and oppressive registration processes, funding restrictions, and unlawful disqualification or detention.

Romero expressed concern over the widespread use of digital technologies and their absence of transparency and supervision, as in the case of biometric voter registration, facial recognition systems, and spyware that were used to silence and repress activists and political opponents. 
In light of all of this, the Special Rapporteur urged governments to facilitate fundamental freedoms before, during, and after the electoral processes, encourage representative political participation, and permit criticism to ensure that democratic processes and the right to vote are upheld.