Human rights, more than 300 activists killed worldwide in 2019
Environment — di Andrea Barolini
A report by the Irish organisation Front Line Defenders identifies Latin America as the most dangerous region for those who fight to defend human rights.
Human rights, more than 300 activists killed worldwide in 2019
A report by the Irish organisation Front Line Defenders identifies Latin America as the most dangerous region for those who fight to defend human rights.
Environmental activists, LGBT rights campaigners, people fighting to protect their land. 304 people were killed in the course of 2019 for the sole reason that they had chosen to fight to defend human rights. The dramatic figures come from a report published by the Irish organisation Front Line Defenders (Fld), which has provided a global map of the killings.
In 2019, 304 HRDs in 31 countries were targeted and killed for their work according to data collected by Front Line Defenders. 40% of those killed worked on land, indigenous peoples and environmental rights.
More than 100 deaths in Colombia in a single year
Two thirds of these occurred in Latin America, where in the majority of cases impunity remains the norm to this day. Colombia in particular is the country where the greatest concentration of violence against human rights activists takes place — especially local community leaders who oppose mega-projects that are harmful to the environment.
'Staggering number' of human rights activists killed in Colombia, UN reports theguardian.com/world/2020/jan…
And who have paid dearly for their commitment: according to Fld, 106 people were killed over the past twelve months. One more, according to the United Nations, which said it was "deeply troubled by the staggering number of victims." "Our staff," added Marta Hurtado, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, "are also verifying 13 additional cases that have been reported. If confirmed, the total would rise to 120."
The same official stressed that "these are numbers on the rise compared to previous years, and they show no sign of stopping: at least ten human rights activists were killed during the first two weeks of 2020 in Colombia." Hence the latest appeal to the government of Bogotá to implement policies capable of protecting activists, investigate each case and bring those responsible to justice.
Human rights denied in the Philippines, Honduras, Brazil and Mexico too
In second place in the global ranking compiled by Front Line Defenders are the Philippines, with 43 deaths. Followed by Honduras, Brazil and Mexico. But 2019 was also marked by waves of protest that swept through numerous countries around the world: from Hong Kong to Iraq, from India to Chile. In the latter, what caused concern was not only the number of deaths (23) but also of injuries: as many as 2,300, mainly as a result of the heavy-handed repression carried out by the police.
But killings are not the only form of violence endured by those who defend human rights. The Irish organisation's report also cites assaults, defamation campaigns, judicial harassment and homophobic attacks — directed primarily at those who have stood up against inequality, corruption and authoritarianism.