Human Rights Defenders

Human rights defenders expose violations and campaign for redress for victims. They are the people who on their own or with others take action to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights for all. The important thing is not who they are, but what they do. Human rights defenders take peaceful action and believe everybody has equal rights.

More on human rights defenders

 

News and Updates

Five Human Rights stories you probably didn’t know about

26 February 2013

Underneath the radar, away from international attention, governments and armed groups are abusing the rights of men, women and children in many countries.

Egypt hits 'new low' on NGO restrictions

21 February 2013

New instructions from the Prime Minister indicate that no “local entity” is allowed to engage with “international entities” without permission.

Russia escalating attacks on free expression a year on from Pussy Riot protest

20 February 2013

Since the conviction of members of the punk band, Russia has adopted several new laws targeting activists and those critical of the authorities.

Bangladesh: Attacks on journalists rise with tension around war crimes tribunal

20 February 2013

A string of recent violent attacks against journalists and media workers shows the urgent need to better protect individuals commenting on Bangladesh’s ongoing war crimes tribunal.

Bahrain: Still paying a heavy price for freedom

14 February 2013

Prisoners of conscience remain behind bars and activists continue to be jailed just for expressing their views, two years on from Bahrain's 2011 protests

Appeals for action

Reopen investigation into enforced disappearance in Ingushetia!

On 8 August 2007, Ibragim Gazdiev was reportedly seized by armed men and has never been seen since. No effective steps have been taken to trace him.

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Video and Audio

"They found bulldozers crushing their houses” – Kenyan activist on forced evictions

22 March 2012

Teargas in Egypt's Tahrir Square

29 June 2011

Amnesty International's Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui reports from demonstrations in Tahrir Square, Cairo.

Video: The role of Western countries in the Egypt crisis

Senior Director of Amnesty International Widney Brown gives an international political analysis and human rights update on the Egypt demonstrations.

Salil Shetty on Egypt protests

Amnesty International's Secretary General disappointed by military failure to protect protesters

Amnesty International staff member reports from a raid on a Cairo law centre

3 February 2011

The Hisham Mubarak Law Centre has been raided by security forces and surrounded by army and police.

Tunisian government must respect rights amid protests

18 January 2011

Tunisian government must respect rights amid protests

Networking for change

Amnesty International analyses the role of social media in unrest across the Middle East and North Africa.

Gambia Global Day of Action

22 July 2010

Government urged to end its widespread use of arbitrary detentions and torture as activists worldwide stage protests against the authorities' appalling human rights record.

Mexican activist jailed for defending human rights

Interview with Raúl Hernández, a Mexican human rights defender who has been wrongfully imprisoned for his work with an Indigenous community.

Video: Thousands get Fired Up for human rights

22 December 2008

Thousands of people around the world took part in actions to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December.