Adding to these pressures, many HRDs described how they have been isolated socially and professionally. Many were slandered by government officials or the local media (some at government instigation). They were accused of being traitors to their country, of being corrupt, of being immoral. HRDs forced abroad were slandered in the same way, in their absence.

“In 2005 I published a book that examined sharia court judgements. In 2006 the Ministry threatened to prosecute my Committee because it was not legally registered. In 2006 I received a direct threat from the Minister of the Royal Court Since then I have been under constant surveillance and been followed everywhere. Members of my family have also suffered. The Court banned any reporting of our activity and I had to use the internet. Security forces then penetrated internet circles to defame my reputation.”

HRD, Bahrain

"In Latin America there are campaigns to destroy our reputations. Governments pay the media to write such reports. So we receive threats, to us, our families, our children; our homes are attacked. How are we going to address these campaigns of denigration?”

HRD, Argentina

"We have little space to operate and that space is narrowing. Nor can we get access to written or spoken media. We are constantly accused of treason, of being in the pockets of other governments, of being terrorists or Taliban.”

HRD, Yemen

In a number of cases, the combination of harassment and social intimidation, exacerbated by shortages of funding and other resources, creates divisions between human rights organisations that further weaken their ability to do their protection work or be heard. As one speaker put it, “Rivalry between HRDs and human rights organisations is exploited by governments. This is a point of weakness that we must discuss even if it is difficult.”

“Even human rights defenders sometimes refuse to associate themselves with LGBTI claims. Please – stand by us” [Applause] HRD, Zimbabwe