David Ravelo is freed after nearly seven years in prison
Colombian human rights defender David Ravelo Crespo left prison on 20th June 2017. As reported by Peace Brigades International (PBI), Ravelo was detained and incarcerated on 14th September 2010, accused of being the intellectual author of the 1991 murder of David Núñez Cala, a civil servant from Barrancabermeja. On 5th December 2012, the Specialised Criminal […]
Research Findings: ‘Navigating Risk, Managing Security, and Receiving Support’
Alice Nah, our Board Director, developed with the Centre for Applied Human Rights of York University a research project on ‘Navigating Risk, Managing Security, and Receiving Support’ focusing on the experiences of human rights defenders in Colombia, Mexico, Kenya, Egypt, and Indonesia. The research findings are available in English, Arabic, Spanish, Kiswahili, and Bahasa Indonesia. The website also includes […]
Indonesian UPR Session in UN Human Rights Council – Press Statement
Press Statement “Response to Indonesian UPR Session in UN Human Rights Council” Indonesian civil society expresses its greatest appreciation to the Government of Indonesia which has exhibited its commitment to cooperate openly and dialogically with the international human rights mechanism by attending the Universal Periodic Review Session (UPR) at the UN Human Rights Council on […]
NGOs release “Demystifying Development Banks” multimedia presentation
Demystifying Development Banks – Tools for Environmental and Human Rights Defenders Human rights and environmental defenders around the world are fighting to ensure that development projects like infrastructure, energy, and agriculture investments respect the human rights and priorities of local communities. One critical tool in this fight is knowing how to leverage the public banks […]
GUATEMALA: European Parliament (EP) mobilises for HRDs
Worrying statistics for human rights defenders (HRDs) in Guatemala have led the European Parliament to approve an urgent resolution on the situation of HRDs in Guatemala during its plenary session on 16 February in Strasbourg. Between January and November 2016, 223 assaults were registered against HDRs as well as 14 killings and 7 attempted murders. […]
UNSR Michel Forst visits Democratic Republic of Congo
UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Michel Forst made an academic visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 13 to 18 February 2017 upon invitation by Protection International (PI). He was welcomed by representatives of the Bureau Conjoint des Nations Unies aux Droits de l’Homme (BCNUDH), The United Nations […]
Indonesia: Open Letter to the President Regarding the Criminalisation of Haris Azhar
Photo Credit: ANTARA/Widodo S. Jusuf / Tempo.co In an open letter to the President of Indonesia, NGOs stand in solidarity to request that the government drop the defamation charges against human rights defender Haris Azhar. Mr. Haris Azhar, Executive Coordinator at KontraS, the Commission for “The Disappeared” and Victims of Violence was reported on 3 […]
UN Human Rights Office is concerned that the killers of Thai activists are not brought to justice
BANGKOK (28 November 2016) – The UN Human Rights Office for South-East Asia expressed concern about the number of failed prosecutions involving murder cases of land rights activists in the South of Thailand, amid increasing restrictions on rights activists. Speaking after the Region 8 Appellate Court in Surat Thani upheld a decision of the Provincial Court […]
Joint Statement: Human Rights Defenders Are Not Criminals
Brussels, November 29, 2016 – “Human rights defenders worldwide are regularly subjected to harassment and trumped-up criminal charges aiming at paralyzing, intimidating and delegitimizing their human rights activities. They face difficulties carrying out their work in increasingly restrictive legislative and administrative environments denying the right to freedoms of association, expression, and peaceful assembly. Licences of human […]
NHRC & PI conducted a field visit to community-based HRDs in Thailand
PUBLIC STATEMENT National Human Rights Commission of Thailand and Protection International conducted a field visit to community-based HRDs that are at risk in Phatthalung Province. On 2 November 2016 Protection, International conducted a field visit to Pabon District, Phatthalung, together with the Sub-Committee on Civil Rights of the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRC), […]