Human rights defenders in the Americas

Colombian activists marching for human rights. © Private Act now! Colombian activists: systematically attacked and discredited Human rights defenders in Colombia face a systematic campaign of attacks and their work has been publicly discredited by President Uribe and his government. Act now to stop human rights abuses against activists.

In the Americas the job of questioning and challenging states, including powerful political, military and economic elites, in regard of their human rights obligations can be a dangerous and life-threatening one: Amnesty International has documented more killings of both men and women human rights defenders in this region than in any other region of the world. Activists have also been subject to a wide range of harassment such as investigation on spurious charges, threats, detention, raids, surveillance and slander campaigns. Some forms of harassment have become commonplace as a means of discrediting and preventing human rights work. In some countries new security measures have been misused to restrict and hamper the work of human rights defenders and sometimes to target defenders themselves. Reports of intimidation of defenders and those exercising their right to peaceful assembly have also been received.

This website contains information about human rights defenders in the Americas.

HIV/AIDS Activists play a key role Despite many hurdles, HIV-AIDS activists are playing a key role in working actively for the rights of those living with HIV-AIDS. Watch an interview with Adonis Polanco More about Amnesty International's work on HIV/AIDS

Latest defenders reports Colombia: Fear and Intimidation: The dangers of human rights work Despite repeated promises to improve the situation for human rights defenders, president Alvaro Uribe and his government have failed to take effective concrete measures for those who are under threat and have been attacked. State and government officials that call into question the legitimacy of the work of human rights defenders, together with unfounded criminal charges against human rights defenders, help pave the way for attacks against human rights defenders by those who oppose human rights work, such as paramilitaries. Guatemala: Human Rights Defenders at Risk There have been renewed attacks against human rights defenders and social activists in Guatemala aimed at intimidating and hindering their human rights work. Attacks have included killings, attempted killings, threats and break-ins in which computers containing human rights information were destroyed or searched. More Defenders reports

Back to Top