Despite repeated official pledges and protection programmes, this report shows that attacks, threats and intimidation in the form of spurious criminal charges and legal proceedings, smear campaigns and surveillance operations against human rights defenders continue. This report documents several cases where defenders have been threatened or attacked by paramilitary groups after having been released and cleared of unfounded criminal charges. In some cases human rights defenders have been killed almost immediately after their release. The organization’s research suggests that the fundamental issue remains the deep hostility within some quarters of government and the security forces towards human rights work.
