“In the last five years we have sadly seen an increase in the attacks on human rights defenders around the world,” said Mary Lawlor, Director of Front Line, at an event in Dublin to mark the 5th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

In the last week we have seen an attempt by a group of 10 men in balaclavas and armed with machetes to kill human rights defender Victor Rosa in Guatemala. At the same time human rights defenders Madeleine Afite and Franka Nzounkekang were threatened and harassed by the authorities in Cameroon because of their work to expose torture.

In China Jiang Lijun is beginning a four year prison sentence for “incitement to subvert state power” because he posted political views in favour of democracy on the Internet. In Tunisia human rights lawyer Radhia Nasraoui is entering the seventh week of a hunger strike in protest against threats and harassment from the Tunisian authorities.

“The Governments who gathered at the UN General Assembly to unanimously adopt the Declaration on 9th December 1998 made a promise to work to protect human rights defenders,” said Mary Lawlor, “in the last five years that promise has been dishonoured by governments in all regions of the world.”

Those who seek to protect and help others often find themselves under attack as a result. Human Rights Defenders are those who work for the human rights of others. They have been attacked more than ever in the last five years. In countries such as Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Indonesia they have been targeted and killed because of their work. In many other countries they face arbitrary arrest, torture and ill-treatment, threats and harassment.

Background

The UN Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognised Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms is more commonly known as The UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. It seeks to protect not only the rights of individuals and organizations working for human rights but importantly the right to undertake activities in defence of human rights.

Front Line, The International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, was founded in Dublin in 2001 with the specific aim of protecting Human Rights Defenders, people working in hostile conditions to uphold any or all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

Front Line’s main focus is on those human rights defenders at risk, either temporarily or permanently because of their work on behalf of their fellow citizens. Front Line runs a small grants program to provide for the security needs of defenders. Front Line mobilizes campaigning and lobbying on behalf of defenders at immediate risk. In emergency situations Front Line can facilitate temporary relocation. Front Line conducts research and publishes reports on the situation of human rights defenders in specific countries. The organization also develops resource materials and training packages on behalf of human rights defenders as well as facilitating networking and exchange between defenders in different parts of the world. Front Line projects are generally undertaken in partnership with specific national human rights organizations. Front Line promotes awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is working to ensure that the principles and standards set out in the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognised Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (known as the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders) are known, respected and adhered to worldwide.