With at least ten rural workers and leaders killed in 2019 and increased violence against human rights defenders, fuelled by hate speech from the highest levels, there seems to be little to celebrate in the State of Para on Human Rights Day 2019. This 9 December, Front Line Defenders Protection Coordinator, Ivi Oliveira, accompanied one of our partners in Brazil at the reception ceremony of the Medal Paulo Frota by the Legislative Assembly of Para (ALEPA), which recognised individuals and organisations for their work in defence of human rights in the state.
Today is a national holiday in the United States. Schools, banks, and government buildings are all closed to commemorate the arrival of Christopher Columbus to a land he thought was India. In fact, 1492 marked the year Columbus "discovered" a land already home to almost 20 million indigenous peoples.
Since that day, indigenous communities of the continent have suffered centuries of persecution, massacre, disease, and systemic violations of their rights to land.
Azimjan Askarov is a Kyrgyz HRD working against corruption and for civil and political rights in the country, including for the ethnic minority Uzbek population. He was arrested during the violent clashes in southern Kyrgyzstan in 2010 between ethnic Uzbeks and Kyrgyz, though he had long been targeted by the authorities because of his human rights work. Read more about his persecution on his case history page. Masha Chichtchenkova is Front Line Defenders Protection Coo
On 22 September 2016, human rights defenders Svetlana Gannushkina (Russian Federation) and Mozn Hassan (Egypt) were awarded The Right Livelihood Award. The other two recipients were The White Helmets (a volunteer rescue group in Syria) and Turkey's independent "Cumhuriyet" newspaper.
Front Line Defenders is extremely saddened and would like to express its deep condolences for the sudden death of renowned human rights defender from the Philippines, Mr. Max de Mesa, on 28 September 2016.
El 27 de septiembre de 2009, el defensor de derechos humanos Adolfo Ich Chamán fue brutalmente asesinado. Siete años después, su esposa Angélica Choc sigue luchando por encontrar la justicia.
Yolanda Baranco Hernández nunca olvidará la mañana del 18 de mayo de 2013. Primero escuchó un estruendo, siete hombres, que portaban armas de grueso calibre, derribaron la puerta de su hogar. Buscaban a Damián Gallardo Martínez, su esposo. No presentaron orden judicial, solo dijeron que debían arrestarle y se lo llevaron.
In light of unprecedented attacks on human rights defenders, Andrew Anderson of Front Line Defenders argues for increased direct support to human rights defenders working at the local and national levels, flexibility in funding, and a greater focus on core, multi-year support.
Between 4-5 September the leaders of 19 of the world’s largest economies and representatives from the European Union meet in Hangzhou in eastern China to discuss global financial stability and international economic policy. It is the first time that China is hosting a G20 Summit and it is another opportunity for it to announce its arrival on the world stage. Millions of dollars are being spent to ensure the city is picture-postcard perfect for the arrival of the dignitaries.
La mirada de la compañera Sebastiana es triste, desde hace más de cinco meses exige a las autoridades estatales y federales la presentación con vida de su esposo Fidencio Gómez Sántiz.
Sebastiana Pérez Hernández es una mujer de 45 años de edad. Madre de dos hijos, menores de edad. Ella es hablante de la lengua tzeltal, vive en el ejido Las Perlas, municipio de Ocosingo, Chiapas. Es integrante del Frente Nacional de Lucha por el Socialismo (FNLS).
