Students from the University of Goroka stage an early morning protest against the signing of a PNG-US Bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement. 22 May 2023 Photo: Supplied
The global civil society alliance, CIVICUS, has raised concerns about Papua New Guinea's failure to set up a human rights body and moves that it says stifle the media and freedom of expression.
The Asia Pacific researcher for CIVICUS, Josef Benedict, says PNG was called on by UN's Human Rights Council two years ago to set up a national human rights commission, but he says this is still yet to happen.
At the same time, he told RNZ Pacific's Don Wiseman, the government has passed legislation, and is considering other measures, that could further harm freedom of expression and the rights of journalists.
