Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Tuesday that Ecuadorian police and security forces have restricted freedom of assembly and have periodically used disproportionate force against protesters since September 2025.

Security forces have reportedly used tear gas, batons, and other “less-lethal” weapons indiscriminately and at close range, resulting in injury and, in some cases , death. HRW verified multiple videos showing force used near residential areas and community centers. The group also documented hundreds of detentions, with some individuals charged with terrorism or unlawful association, and the freezing of bank accounts for Indigenous organizations and environmental groups.

National protests erupted in Ecuador after President Daniel Noboa removed diesel fuel subsidies, sparking de

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