rights defenders

The deteriorating health of Saudi women’s rights activist Loujain Al-Hathloul is “deeply alarming”, UN-appointed rights experts said on Wednesday, calling for her release along with “all other women human rights defenders in detention”. 

UN-appointed independent rights experts have urged the Iraqi authorities to investigate the murder of a female human rights defender, and the attempted killing of another, targeted “simply because they are women”.

Strongly condemning the attack on a state-level Ombudsperson and his family in Mexico, the United Nations expert on human rights defenders has called on the authorities to investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.

A growing number of human rights defenders around the world are facing reprisals and intimidation for cooperating with the United Nations, ranging from travel bans and the freezing of assets to detention and torture, says a new report issued by the world body.

Two independent United Nations human rights experts today called on the Philippines Government to investigate the deaths of three human rights defenders in Surigao del Sur in Mindanao.

A top United Nations official today expressed concern about the arbitrary arrest, trial and detention of human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia, and urged the authorities to immediately release all those held for their peaceful advocacy of human rights.

Human rights defenders who oppose large-scale development projects are increasingly being branded as ‘anti-government’ or ‘enemies of the State,’ a United Nations independent expert warned today.

An independent United Nations expert today called on the Togolese Government to ensure a favourable environment in which human rights defenders can carry out their work.

An independent United Nations expert has joined regional partners today in urging governments to stop reprisals against individuals and groups seeking to cooperate with UN and regional human rights mechanisms.