Governments around the world are responding to an unprecedented public health crisis. Experience has shown that the COVID-19 pandemic needs to be addressed through evidence-based public health measures rooted in respect for human rights. But, while some states have emphasized empowerment and community engagement, authorities have adopted punitive and coercive measures that have resulted in human rights violations, divided societies and failed to tackle the health crisis. This briefing brings together a variety of documented cases of human rights violations related to law enforcement and the COVID-19 pandemic in 60 countries in all regions of the world.
