2022 Insurgency At Kiwi Island

The **2022 Insurgency at Kiwi Island** is an ongoing revolt that first started on February 2, 2022, in Kiwi Island in an attempt to end the country's authoritarian regime and to seek civil rights. It has led to more than 20,000 arrests and an internet blackout as of February 18, 2022.

## History

### Background

Kiwi Islanders have long been tiresome of authoritarian rule that has been going on since the country's establishment. Smaller protests have already taken place prior, with the most recent in September 2021. The country is closed to all rights groups and the government arbitrarily arrests independent journalists and activists. Demonstrating is a crime in Kiwi Island and those who protest face the risk of getting imprisoned for public disorder and contempt of majesty, a charge exclusive to certain countries in the Western Outer Region, particularly authoritarian ones or ones with authoritarian tendencies.

Many citizens have called for democracy in the country since the country's establishment, but it has only led to them being arrested or imprisoned, and in some cases, even disappearing.

### February 2, 2022

On February 2, 2022, a group of more than 30 Kiwi Island citizens attacked the royal palace among other government buildings in an attempt to end authoritarian rule, all of which were arrested and imprisoned for public disorder. That same day, an angry crowd of more than at least 200 citizens threatened the queen and prime minister, all of them were arrested on charges of les majeste and extremism.

### February 4, 2022

On February 4, 2022, thousands more citizens join in on the move to democracy by peacefully demonstrating. Several groups of at least 500 went around to peacefully protest for democracy and have even made their voices public to other nations. However, Kiwi Island's military and royal police started attacking them and 3,439 people were arrested and charged with contempt of majesty, lese majeste, extremism, and public disorder. All of them were sent to maximum-security facilities where they still remain there.

### February 8, 2022

On February 8, 2022, a 31 year old protester was confined to her home by police and placed on house arrest as a result of her starting the protests. The government seized her computers and shut off her internet so that she could not start any new protests. Apart from her house arrest, she was also charged with assisting the enemy, treason, lese majeste, extremism, contempt of majesty, and public disorder. She is also not allowed to leave her home and she is barred from possessing any electronics during her house arrest.

At the same time, royal police went around arresting thousands in their homes without warrants for having supported the protests. Prime Minister Louis Bernardo ordered the country's internet to be shut off and all social media sites banned in an effort to prevent formation of any new protests.

### February 9, 2022

On February 9, 2022 in response to the insurgency and protests, Queen Judy passed a law that makes accessing social media punishable by prison time and participation in the protests punishable by life without parole.

### February 12, 2022

On February 12, 2022, police brutally arrested dozens more for their role in a peaceful protest and their calls for democracy. Many of them were sent to prison while others were placed on house arrest with royal guards surrounding their entire homes to keep them in and shutting off their internet, and in some cases, even confiscating their computers.

### February 14, 2022

On February 14, 2022, Desert Islanders began protesting from the eastern border of Desert Island to challenge the royal family to end their dictatorship. A group of 100 protestors gathered including some police officers who also joined and supervised the protests. While protesting directly towards another country itself is not illegal in Desert Island, actually going to Kiwi Island to protest is illegal under Desert Island's order due to the fear of reprisal or disappearance.

### February 22, 2022

On February 22, 2022 in response to the protests also taking place on Desert Island, Keith Lamberson announced a series of sanctions against the Kiwi Island royal government as well as several of the country's Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Royal Peace, and the country's royal police for their contribution to the human rights abuses against Kiwi Island protestors. The sanctions prevent those affected from receiving funding as well as participating in any future meetings, and they have also been banned from entering Desert Island as well as the country's allies, including Layers Island.

At the same time, Lamberson ordered computers with VPNs be sent to innocent protestors to keep them out of the regime's control. The sanctions will be lifted once they release all protestors involved, including the ones that tried to break into the royal palace, and the sanctions are similar to the ones imposed on other authoritarian regimes including Belarus, Iran, Syria, Turkey, and Egypt.

### May 28, 2022

On May 28, 2022, in response to the insurgency, Queen Judy voluntarily resigned and made the country a republic, with Raphael Francois DuBois being the island country's first president.

### May 31, 2022

On May 31, 2022, Kiwi demonstrators took to the streets to get Francois removed from power, but resulted in mass arrests of citizens. Approximately 6,000 protestors were placed under house arrest for protesting.

### June 3, 2022

On June 3, 2022, Desert Island, Tangalu, Sorbet Island and Sandy Island, along with the Western Outer Union and some of its member states, placed direct sanctions against Francois in response to his election and condemned the government's violent actions against demonstrators. Keith Lamberson warned of more sanctions against Francois and Kiwi Island's security forces if they continued to attack demonstrators.