European Union

By CIVICUS
Aug 24 2026 (IPS)

 
CIVICUS discusses the rapid erosion of civic space in Ecuador with Gabriela Panchana, an activist, communicator and founder of the En Voz Alta and Rumbo Plural digital platforms.

Gabriela Panchana

Gabriela faces legal proceedings as a result of her online activism. Her experience is part of a growing pattern where activists and journalists face criminalisation and harassment against a backdrop of widespread impunity. In June, anti-corruption activist Monika Silva Koniuszek, who’d investigated the president’s family businesses, was murdered.

How did the legal proceedings against you start, and what stage are they at?

The current proceedings began with a thread I posted on Twitter/X on 9 June, in which I asked the US Embassy in Quito to help shed light on the murder of Monika Silva Koniuszek, a Polish human rights defender based in Ecuador who had handed over documentation on alleged drug-trafficking networks to the embassy and the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Someone accused me of speaking ‘solely out of financial self-interest’. I replied, and as a result I was charged with a fourth-class offence, which is the least serious category of criminal offences.

The proceedings were riddled with irregularities. They were exceptionally swift and involved several different judges, while observers were barred from attending. On 27 July, I was sentenced to 30 days’ imprisonment and ordered to issue a public apology. I applied to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) for interim measures. On 14 August, I received notification of the written judgment. We lodged appeals before the three-working-day deadline expired. Meanwhile, not a single person has been arrested in connection with the murder of Monika Silva.

The harassment did not begin with this trial. Since December, four successive criminal cases have been brought against me. This has been accompanied by a coordinated campaign of online harassment and stigmatisation.

Added to this is digital surveillance. On 13 August, I received an official alert from Apple confirming that my phone had been the target of a mercenary spyware attack. The evidence is currently undergoing forensic analysis by international organisations. Given that this incident forms part of a pattern of judicial harassment and persecution against me, I have demanded the state investigate who authorised the spying and shed light on the public procurement of intelligence tools.

It’s important not to lose sight of the fact that Monika Silva handed over documentation to foreign authorities regarding networks operating in Ecuador, and now she’s dead. I have been convicted for calling for an investigation into her death. Any analysis that focuses solely on freedom of expression falls short. We must also ask what relationship exists between criminal structures and parts of the judicial system.

How else are people being criminalised for speaking out?

My case is not an anomaly. It’s the predictable application of a law designed for that purpose. Section 396.1 of the Criminal Code punishes expressions that ‘discredit or dishonour’, concepts subject to judicial discretion, with imprisonment. The fundamental problem is that it turns expression into a criminal matter.

Other cases confirm this pattern. In May, four habeas data applications – a legal remedy to demand the rectification or removal of information – resulted in rulings ordering various media outlets to remove content of public interest and issue public apologies, the same penalty that was imposed on me. In June, an investigative journalist announced he would stop covering one of the country’s biggest corruption cases after his wife was dismissed from a public job and his son lost his medical residency at a state hospital.

The wider picture is even more worrying. The IACHR’s Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression documented at least six murders of journalists and media professionals in 2025, as well as the use of administrative, legal and tax measures as reprisals.

Criminalisation is not limited to the press. Human rights defenders and social leaders face investigations and criminal proceedings because of their work.

What are the consequences of criminalisation?

The punishment is not just the sentence. It is the process itself. Even if I win on appeal, I have already lost months, resources and peace of mind, and I have been exposed to a campaign of digital lynching. There’s no need to convict many. It’s enough to convict one person quickly and in full view of everyone. Added to this is the nature of the punishment. Forced public apologies don’t provide redress for anyone. They force a person to say out loud the opposite of what they think. They serve as a deterrent. They seek to discipline others.

The impact of judicial persecution is uneven. I have been able to mount a professional defence and appeal to international bodies, but most of those who speak out don’t have these resources, and a fourth-class offence spells the end of their public participation. The categories of people covered by international mechanisms also leave many people unprotected. Those of us who carry out citizen oversight from our own platforms are neither civil society organisations nor the press, yet we face many of the same risks and have less support.

The most worrying thing is that the public debate has shifted from asking who killed Monika Silva to asking what Gabriela Panchana wrote. The judicial system took action in a matter of weeks against an opinion, while the murder investigation has been at a standstill for months. This asymmetry reveals the system’s priorities.

How has civil society responded, and what are its demands?

The response has been quicker and more coordinated than I expected. Fundamedios, an organisation that monitors attacks on freedom of expression, has issued three successive alerts about my case, and other organisations have supported this with statements, monitoring and advice. There’s a network that documents, challenges in court, publicises these attacks and understands how administrative restrictions, coordinated online harassment, legal proceedings, physical threats and stigmatisation combine to silence those of us who speak out.

The authorities must repeal paragraph 1 of article 396 of the Criminal Code and guarantee an independent judiciary, with transparent proceedings and hearings open to domestic and international observers. They must also establish a national protection mechanism for human rights defenders and journalists, and diligently investigate the murder of Monika Silva and threats against those who expose corruption and organised crime.

Official stigmatisation must cease. When those in power portray journalists and human rights defenders as enemies, it opens the door to all other forms of violence.

What international support is needed?

The first and most tangible step is the monitoring of ongoing cases. The presence of international observers at hearings, requests for information from the state and public monitoring of case files can change the behaviour of courts.

We also need existing international mechanisms, such as the IACHR and United Nations human rights experts, to be activated and maintained. But this requires constant monitoring.

Support must also be practical. Human rights defenders need resources for digital security, legal defence and psychosocial support. Criminal proceedings require lawyers, expert reports and time, all of which come at a cost.

It is also important to raise the profile of these cases. When a case receives public attention, those behind the reprisals pay a political price. A case nobody knows about carries no cost.

Finally, countries and organisations working with Ecuador on justice and security issues can exert pressure to ensure judicial independence is respected and expression is not criminalised. International solidarity must translate into advocacy, monitoring, resources and follow-up.

CIVICUS interviews a wide range of civil society activists, experts and leaders to gather diverse perspectives on civil society action and current issues for publication on its CIVICUS Lens platform. The views expressed in interviews are the interviewees’ and do not necessarily reflect those of CIVICUS. Publication does not imply endorsement of interviewees or the organisations they represent.

Ecuador has been placed on the CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist, which identifies countries where a severe deterioration in the quality of civic space is taking place.

GET IN TOUCH
En Voz Alta/Twitter
Rumbo Plural/Twitter

SEE ALSO
Ecuador remains on the CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist CIVICUS Monitor 29.Jul.2026
Ecuador: ‘Defending rights should not be a high-risk activity’ CIVICUS Lens | Interview with Mauricio Alarcón 04.Jul.2026
Ecuador: ‘We fear the Transparency Law will be used to persecute organisations that challenge those in power’ CIVICUS Lens | Interview with Vivian Idrovo 12.Sep.2025

 

Follow @IPSNewsUNBureau
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');  

  

 

Im Geschäft mit den Pauschalbesteuerten verzeichnen die Kantone hohe Einnahmen. Das ist erstaunlich. Denn die Zahl der Pauschalbesteuerten ist in den letzten Jahren massiv zurückgegangen. Unklar ist, ob sie weggezogen sind.

Die Ausnahme-Stute Dynamix de Bélhème trägt Steve Guerdat in Aachen zu WM-Gold! Damit hat der 44-Jährige als einziger Springreiter alle grossen Titel gewonnen. Dabei hing seine Karriere wegen Rückenproblemen in den letzten eineinhalb Jahren an einem seidenen Faden.

Das Casinotheater Winterthur bringt mit «Bye Bye Bar» eine emotionale Mischung aus Dramatik, Witz und packenden Momenten auf die Bühne. Du hast die Chance, zwei Tickets für die Vorstellung vom 4. September inklusive eines Drinks an der Bar zu gewinnen.

Vom 12. bis 14. September zieht das Zürcher Knabenschiessen wieder Hunderttausende Besucherinnen und Besucher aufs Albisgütli. Mach bei unserem Gewinnspiel mit und sichere dir für dein Kind ein Package mit Einschreibegebühr, Chilbi-Chips und Konsumationsgutschein.

Hazel Brugger, Stefan Büsser oder Fabio Landert – wer hat dich dieses Jahr am meisten zum Lachen gebracht? Stimme jetzt für deinen Favoriten und entscheide mit, wer am 5. September den beliebten Publikumspreis abräumen soll. Auch du kannst dabei etwas gewinnen.

Am Sonntag, 13. Dezember 2026 feiert Zürich zum 50. Mal «Dä Lauf für alli». Mit speziellem Jubiläumsprogramm und Finish-Line-Party im Zieleinlauf wird es ein unvergessliches Jubiläumsfest. Melde dich noch bis zum 1. September zum günstigeren Tarif an!

In den beliebten YB Kids Camps geniessen Kinder fünf Tage voller Fussballspass mit vielen Highlights und Überraschungen. Gewinne zwei Plätze beim Camp in Spiez oder beim Mädchencamp in Bern Neufeld vom 5. bis 9. Oktober.

Am 10. September spielt Robbie Williams vor vollem Haus in Zürich. Du willst den britischen Superstar live auf der Bühne erleben? Dann hast du die Chance, Konzerttickets für dich und eine Person deiner Wahl zu gewinnen.

Am 11. und 12. September findet die Country Night Gstaad statt, und du kannst mit ein wenig Glück hautnah dabei sein! Wir verlosen Tickets für die beiden Konzertabende im Berner Oberland.

Wer bei der Wahl des nächsten Autos sparen und zugleich auf ein fast neues Modell setzen möchte, ist mit jungen Gebrauchtwagen gut bedient. Wir fassen die interessantesten Vorteile zusammen – und zeigen, wie ein All-Inclusive Leasing für zusätzliche Planbarkeit sorgt.

In Zusammenarbeit mit DAZN präsentiert Blick die Highlights der Partie Rennes – PSG (2:2).

Sie gaben alles, doch für zwei Teenager kam jede Hilfe zu spät. Der schwere Unfall im deutschen Nidda beschäftigt Deutschland weiterhin. Zwei Ersthelfer waren sofort da, um Hilfe zu leisten. Sie sagen: «Wir haben alles Menschenmögliche getan.»

Hannah Hampton, Torhüterin von Chelsea, kämpfte sich trotz Sehschwäche zur Weltspitze. Mit zwölf Jahren hiess es, sie würde erblinden – heute ist sie Europameisterin.

In Zusammenarbeit mit DAZN präsentiert Blick die Highlights der Partie Atletico Madrid – Villarreal (2:2).

Demographic and social trends are fuelling debate in Europe. The proportion of older people in the total population is increasing while the working-age population decreases, putting a severe strain on pension systems. Birth rates are also falling, and the option of using immigration to rebalance the social security systems is highly contentious.