John Prendergast to Testify to Congress on “Protecting Civil Society, Faith-Based Actors, and Political Speech in Sub-Saharan Africa”

This Congressional hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee will explore the growing trend of government incursions on civil society space in Sub-Saharan Africa. As authoritarian and backsliding democratically elected regimes have entrenched themselves in countries such as, Sudan, South Sudan, The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, governments have increasingly encroached on civil society space, particularly against religious groups, who often stand as independent institution obstacles to authoritarian rule. This hearing will highlight how the international community might use sanctions and other diplomatic tools to better protect civil society space in order to better protect civil and political rights in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Ms. Nanythe Talani
Representative
The Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition

Mr. Steven Harris
Policy Director
The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission
Southern Baptist Convention

To learn more, click here to visit the House Foreign Affairs Committee page.