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The research paper examines the gap between constitutional human rights declarations and actual implementation within BRICS nations. It argues that the organisation, now expanded to include several non-democratic states, may function as a shield for autocratic regimes to avoid Western-led human rights sanctions while pursuing economic and geopolitical influence. The author highlights systemic violations across member states, including democratic backsliding in Brazil and India, war crimes in Russia, state-sponsored forced labour in China, and systemic corruption and xenophobia in South Africa, concluding that BRICS members often instrumentalise human rights rhetoric to assert regional dominance.

The document outlines a series of legislative acts and wider trends in the UK that ClientEarth argues undermine the rule of law. It details how new laws like the Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 and the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill may weaken judicial oversight and strip away environmental safeguards. The report also highlights systemic issues, including the politicisation of the Attorney General, cuts to legal aid, and a trend toward 'government by decree' through the increased use of secondary legislation.