Activists condemn law and liken it to civil society crackdowns in Venezuela, Nicaragua, Hungary and Russia

Opposition parties and human rights organisations in Paraguay have condemned an “alarming” new law giving the government powers to shutter NGOs who fail to comply with onerous additional audits – and suspend their directors and staff for up to five years.

Amnesty International warned that the deeply controversial bill – signed into law by president Santiago Peña late on Friday – violated freedom of expression, and likened it to civil society crackdowns in Venezuela, Nicaragua, Hungary and Russia.