Emerging Trends of the Shrinking Space for Civil Society

Presentation Made by Mauricio Angel As judicial harassment and criminalization is a matter of high concern for human rights defenders, Protection International (PI) has decided to share this presentation made by Mauricio Angel, PI’s Policy and Research Officer. The speech was delivered at a meeting organized by the European External Action Service (EEAS) with the […]
HRDN LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN ASKING MEP AND CANDIDATES FOR THE EP TO SIGN A PLEDGE TO STAND UP FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

As a member of the Human Rights and Democracy Network (HRDN), Protection International fully endorses the “European elections campaign: Stand 4 Human Rights”, encouraging MEPs to pledge their commitment to human rights ahead of the 2014 European Parliament elections. The HRDN comprises 47 NGOs operating at the EU level in the areas of human rights […]
Documentary projection of “Drops that crack the rock” in Brussels, Saturday 10th May

During the 60 minutes of “Drops that crack the rock”, the audience is taken through the various emblematic cases of the José Alvear Restrepo Lawyers’ Collective, from the enforced disappearance to the executions, tortures during the 1985 Palace of Justice Siege events and the DAS (“Colombian ex-intelligence secret services”) criminal drift during the Uribe Vélez administration, discovering cases […]
European Union and Human Rights Defenders: Time to move up a gear!

Brussels, 17 June 2014 – Today, at a seminar held at the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels, Front Line Defenders, Peace Brigades International, Protection International, the International Federation for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International celebrate the 10th anniversary of the European Union (EU) Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders . […]
10 YEARS OF THE EU GUIDELINES ON HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS

BRUSSELS, 18 June – Ten years ago, on 14 June 2004, the Council of the European Union adopted Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders to improve support and protection given by the European Union (EU) to human rights defenders in non-EU countries. The 10th anniversary of the Guidelines was celebrated yesterday in Brussels at the Permanent Representation of Ireland to […]
Joint Statement on the Eu Conclusions on the 10th Anniversary of the Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders.

The undersigned organisations working with and for human rights defenders (HRDs) welcome the adoption by the Council of the European Union (EU) of the 23 June 2014 Conclusions on the 10th Anniversary of the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders. We express satisfaction with the renewed commitment of the EU and its Member States to […]
NGOs bid farewell to High Commissioner Pillay

“When I was appointed High Commissioner for Human Rights, I was in no doubt that civil society would continue to occupy a special place in my work. As a human rights defender myself, it was obvious to me that the views and advice of civil society would be indispensable,” she said. Pillay highlighted the vital role […]
Protection of Human Rights Defenders, Best Practices and lessons learnt

In recent years several governments have developed specific national mechanisms to protect defenders, all of them in countries seriously lacking in protection for human rights defenders. These mechanisms (laws, action policies, offices) have been established under pressure from (and with the cooperation of) national and international human rights organisations, with essential legal support from the […]
Legislators and Human Rights Defenders

A Parliamentary guide to inform members of parliament from around the world on how they can contribute to the protection of human rights defenders. The risks for Human Rights Defenders increase when they work in conflict zones or in countries where acts perpetrated against them go unpunished. Confronted with such a situation, the development of […]
Protection Manual for LGBTI Defenders: 2nd Edition (2010)

Protection International has been working in the protection of human rights defenders for some years. To date our work has focused mainly on mainstream human rights defenders working in situations of open conflicts. In conversations with various defenders working on LGBTI rights it became evident that we needed to expand our focus and our work […]