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Over 130 human rights experts issue global call for States to end transnational repression

September 28, 2026

UN human rights experts released a landmark statement urging States, businesses, INTERPOL and international organisations to prevent and combat the spread of transnational repression, warning of its increasing impacts on human rights, democracy and the rule of law and those who take action to defend them. Over one hundred UN Special Procedures mandate holders and members of Treaty Bodies (full list below) adopted a landmark statement calling for a decisive international response to the increasing use of transnational repression by States as a tool to silence activism across borders. ‘An unprecedented number of UN experts made it clear today that any response to transnational repression should be strongly anchored in human rights obligations. Not only should governments hold perpetrators accountable, they should also proactively adopt laws and policies that centre the needs of victims, in particular at-risk diasporas and those in exile.’Raphaël Viana David, ISHR Senior Advocacy Manager ‘Transnational repression represents a growing challenge to the international human rights system and to the principles of the Charter of the UN itself,’ signatories said in their appeal, which provided a roadmap of measures to prevent and respond to transnational repression, and better assist and protect those targeted. ‘By creating fear across borders, transnational repression has profound consequences not only for those directly targeted, their families and communities, but also for civil society action, democratic principles, civic space, refugee protection, independent journalism and media freedom,’ the experts stressed, warning that this threatens the ability of individuals and groups to ‘promote, protect and defend human rights, and to engage safely with national, regional and international human rights mechanisms’, including at the UN. Arising from a retreat for UN human rights experts convened by ISHR in June, this joint statement comes a week after the UN Human Rights Council’s first dedicated dialogue on the issue of transnational repression, and arbitrary detention and amid broader efforts by the UN human rights system to address growing acts of transnational repression targeting those who engage with the UN. These efforts include statements and resolutions at the Human Rights Council, and a first brief by the UN Human Rights Office. Transnational repression tactics, the experts said, include extrajudicial killings, torture, harassment, arbitrary detention, travel bans, expulsions, deprivation of nationality, misuse of international law enforcement mechanisms, including INTERPOL Red Notices, intimidation of family members and associates, and more. Signatories flagged the ‘increasingly digital nature of transnational repression’, including through the use of social media, spyware and malware software, warning that all of these are being amplified by artificial intelligence tools. Signatories urge States to refrain from committing or supporting acts of transnational repression and to develop specific laws and policies to prevent, investigate and punish such acts, including when they don’t amount to a crime under domestic law. This includes directing resources to better track and analyse patterns of transnational repression, including digitally, building the capacity of national authorities across different areas, establishing inter-governmental coordination mechanisms and focal points, and regulating surveillance technologies. Signatories stress the need to combat the misuse of frameworks to counter terrorism and organised crime, to apply additional vetting to INTERPOL Red Notices and Diffusions, and to take into account a country’s transnational repression record when considering bilateral cooperation, agreements, and diplomatic assurances. States must also redouble efforts to protect and assist those being targeted or likely to be in the future, including through efficient reporting channels, adequate protection policies and programmes, psychosocial support, and expedited asylum, resettlement and humanitarian visa processes. Experts also call on other actors, including international organisations and businesses – to be wary of transnational repression and of their responsibilities in preventing it. Businesses, in particular tech companies, should conduct due diligence and strengthen privacy and data protection. INTERPOL should also step up efforts to tackle the misuse of Notices, Diffusions, and other mechanisms, including by cooperating with civil society and relevant States. ‘Powerful human rights abusers will not let a border stop them from quashing dissent. At a time when more States are pushing human rights defence into exile, the UN and all States who care about upholding human rights must heed the experts’ call and take action to protect those who seek refuge or engage in critique or dissent abroad.’Raphael Viana David The latest annual report by the UN Secretary-General on acts of reprisals against individuals seeking to cooperate with the UN cites 32 States. Of these, 13 States are cited for acts of transnational repression, affecting at least 43 individuals and four organisations. ‘Allegations of transnational repression across borders seemed to be on the rise, with examples from all regions, some enabled by the misuse of digital technologies,’ the report noted in its conclusions. ‘Transnational repression can cripple key accountability efforts at the UN and leave the global human rights system blind and deaf. States must ensure human rights defenders and activists who seek justice at the UN are safe from the long reach of abusive governments both while engaging with its mechanisms and afterwards.’Madeleine Sinclair, director of ISHR’s office in New York. ISHR has long campaigned to denounce reprisals against those engaging with the UN, and for the UN and States to ensure that human rights defenders and civil society organisations can safely cooperate with human rights experts and mechanisms. This year, ISHR’s campaign is focused on the impact of transnational repression. ISHR urges States, UN officials, businesses and all stakeholders to follow the recommendations in the statement and take proactive steps to address, prevent and punish acts of transnational repression, to enhance assistance and protection of victims, and to ensure everyone can safely engage with the UN and other international human rights bodies.

READ THE FULL
STATEMENT HERE

https://crm.ishr.ch/civicrm/mailing/view?reset=1&id=2026&cid=8618&cs=1c0e8879424323feccbd08455c9c775a_1790156122_168

https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/over-130-human-rights-experts-issue-global-call-for-states-to-end-transnational-repression

https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/human-rights-council-reprisals-debate-highlights-growing-trend-of-transnational-repression

https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/united-nations-human-rights-experts-release-joint-statement-on-transnational-repression

Posted in human rights, Human Rights Council, Human Rights Defenders, ISHR, UN | Leave a Comment »
Tags: history, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, Interpol, ISHR, joint statement, news, NGOs, politics, reprisals, transnational represion, UN Human Rights Council

UN report on SLAPPs: the lawsuits that silence those who speak out

September 24, 2026

A journalist exposes corruption. An Indigenous leader defends their community’s land. An environmental activist raises the alarm on devastating pollution. Then comes a lawsuit. Strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) are designed to intimidate, exhaust and silence people who speak out on issues that matter to society. On 16 September, UN Human Rights presented a report during the 63^rd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, examining their impact on human rights.

The report was prepared following a request from the Council in Resolution 56/7 and draws on discussions held during an expert workshop organized on 28 May 2025.

At the expert workshop, a representative of UN Human Rights held that the use of SLAPPs constitutes an abusive instrumentalization of judicial systems. They not only distort the purpose of legal proceedings; they transform courts from instruments of justice into tools of repression.

see: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/tag/strategic-lawsuits-against-public-participation-slapps/

In their first session of the workshop, centered on the impact of these strategic lawsuits on journalists, journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown spoke from her personal experience. Brown said that she had been the target of multiple strategic lawsuits against public participation, regarding her work on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal.

The scandal involved theft and laundering of more than 4.5 billion US dollars from wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad into American financial institutions. The brave reporting led to the conviction of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on money laundering and abuse of power charges in 2022.

Unfortunately, the case also had consequences for the reporters. Two Malaysian business publications were suspended for three months, and two Australian journalists were detained and deported from Malaysia.

She was subject to intimidation by letters which alleged that her reporting amounted to libel, defamation, and an invasion of privacy. In 2017, a lawsuit on her reporting on a Malaysian political party led to lengthy proceedings ultimately depleted her pension and put her family at financial risk.

Protesters hold placards, banners and shout slogans to protest in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 08 August 2015. © EPA/AHMAD YUSNI

Her case is a clear example of the use of SLAPPs to suppress the work of investigative journalists, the tense relationship between litigants and media freedoms, and emphasizes a need for reform. Brown was interviewed by UN Human Rights in May 2024, on her experience reporting on environmental violations and corruptions in Malaysia.

Irene Khan, the former Special Rapporteur on promotion and protection of right to freedom of opinion and expression, said these lawsuits occur frequently because they are a subtle form of repression than overt physical attacks. In many cases, they are effective at silencing dissent and often succeed to bankrupt or deter defendants.

Margaret Satterthwaite, the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, agreed that this is a misuse of the legal system predominantly by large corporations: 474 lawsuits have been initiated by private actors since 2015, and 68 percent involved criminal charges.

Satterthwaite outlined recommendations to put an end to this abuse of legislation: Judges must be trained to identify and discuss these lawsuits properly. Bar associations must develop ethical guidance to sanction lawyers who misuse the legal system. States must enact legislation to counter the use of such lawsuits and decriminalize defamation where appropriate.

The expert workshop also examined ways to counter SLAPPs.

Nikhil Dutta, Senior Legal Advisor at the International Center for Not-For-Profit Law, noted that responses designed to counter such lawsuits had been enacted in numerous jurisdictions, including Australia, Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Ireland, the Philippines, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the European Union.

Other approaches to solve these blatant human rights violations outlined in the expert workshop include enacting protections for public participation through legislation, empowering courts to dismiss abusive proceedings, establishing public funds for defense against SLAPPs, and establishing punitive damages on entities that file these lawsuits.

UN Human Rights has released a briefer on SLAPPs, a comprehensive summary of the report and the impact of these lawsuits on human rights, civic space, and victims. It suggests measures that States should take to tackle SLAPPs, including the decriminalization of defamation; the adoption of anti-SLAPPs laws; the possibility for courts to dismiss SLAPPs early; and the need to compensate victims and penalize abusive claimants.

The message is clear: states and others need to make it easy for people to speak up, to influence decisions that affect them, and to hold state institutions accountable. They must do what is in their power to ensure people do not face legal intimidation for defending human rights.

Freedom of expression and opinion is a precious good critical for protecting all human rights, and the law must not become a weapon to silence those who speak out.

https://www.ohchr.org/en/stories/2026/09/lawsuits-silence-those-who-speak-out

Posted in human rights, Human Rights Council, Human Rights Defenders, OHCHR, UN | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Clare Rewcastle Brown, freedom of the press, Human Rights Defenders, Irene Khan, journalists, judicial harassment, Margaret Satterthwaite, Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs)

UN rights expert speak out against Moscow’s transnational repression

September 23, 2026

Kasmira Jefford on 23 September 2026 in Geneva Solutions discusses the transnational repression by Russia as exposed in Mariana Katzarova’s report to the UN.

Reporting to the Human Rights Council this week on the Kremlin’s widening crackdown on Russian critics overseas, Mariana Katzarova urged states to create a binding international instrument to put a stop to authoritarian governments reaching across borders. Since being appointed special rapporteur on Russia by the Human Rights Council in October 2022 – eight months after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine – Mariana Katzarova has reported widely on the Kremlin’s expanding efforts to stifle critics and anti-war voices within its borders.

But her latest report took her into new territory. “Today, I report on how Russia is exporting that rule of fear,” she told members gathered in the Palais des Nations’ Assembly Hall on Monday. The country in question was conspicuously absent.

The Bulgarian human rights expert and former journalist described how Vladimir Putin’s government “has become one of the most prolific perpetrators of transnational repression” by building a state-run system to surveil, intimidate and punish any citizens seen to be voicing dissent abroad.

Drawing on more than 400 documented cases, Katzarova noted these were “not a series of isolated incidents”. “It is the continuation, beyond Russia’s borders, of the same structural, state-sponsored system of repression I have documented at home,” she added.

Her report, she claims, is the first UN country-specific report on transnational repression – a concept for which Katzarova said there is still no universal definition but which she describes as a state reaching beyond its borders to silence political or civic opponents.

In August, Russia introduced a new law imposing sweeping financial, property and consular restrictions on Russians living abroad who have pending convictions, including under legislation used to prosecute critics. “My report calls this civic death, de facto statelessness for people who remain on paper citizens,” she added, calling on Moscow to rescind the law.

Russia declined Geneva Solutions’ request to comment. In a statement issued earlier this month, Moscow’s foreign ministry said its stance was unchanged from previous years. “We do not recognise the mandate of this illegitimate special procedure, and any form of interaction with it is unacceptable to us”.

Several journalists and rights defenders targeted by Russia were also present at the Human Rights Council on Monday to share their testimonies – including Natalia Arno, an exiled Buryat human rights defender, who fell ill in 2023 with suspected poisoning symptoms during a conference visit in Prague.

Arno, who lives in the United States where she founded the Free Russia Foundation, recalls finding her hotel room door open and noticing a strange smell inside. She woke up the next day with sharp dental pain and cancelled the rest of her trip. On the flight back, she said her organs started to fail, and she was rushed to the hospital on arrival.

Arno said US authorities investigating the case couldn’t tell her what happened, claiming it was a matter of national security. However, according to the special rapporteur, she was told informally by a military hospital that was analysing her bloodwork that she had been targeted by a new type of Novichok.

The suspected attack was unlike anything she had experienced before. “This was another eye-opening level, because it seemed like surveillance, cyberattacks – they just wanted some information about us. But to physically attack us, it was something new,” Arno said.

She said that more needed to be done at an international level to raise awareness of transnational repression. “This issue should not only be treated as a human rights issue. It’s definitely a national security issue because it’s also an attack on the sovereignty of your country,” she said as she addressed states in the room.

Roman Dobrokhotov, Russian journalist and editor-in-chief of news platform The Insider, was also at the side event. “You don’t see my name here because of security reasons – I can’t announce in advance when I’m flying to a conference, even if it is a UN event.”

The Kremlin has targeted Dobrokhotov following investigations by his media into the government’s role in a string of deadly incidents, including the poisoning of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in 2020. Last year, in a long-running trial in the UK, where the journalist and his family have been residing, a court found six Bulgarians guilty of spying for Moscow in a sophisticated operation that included Dobrokhotov among their targets.

He echoed Arno’s concern that repression of individuals was also a problem of global security, saying the same groups targeting him “were also responsible for a big wave of sabotage operations in many different countries”.

Katzarova said countries, particularly in Europe and the United States, where she had seen many cases of transnational repression, needed to work more closely to combat the problem, especially by vetting international compliance databases like Interpol to prevent politically motivated entries or arrest warrants from being automatically cleared.

The expert called for a UN convention to establish common definitions, host-state responsibility, and frameworks for prevention, accountability, and cooperation.

“I hope this is not just a distant dream, but there is a lot of work to be done by member states to initiate such a new instrument,” she told journalists, adding that the Human Rights Council should be at the forefront of such a movement.

“In the meantime, while we don’t have this convention in place, I am calling on the host states to actually develop on their national level a whole framework set up to tackle transnational repression with a strategy, with involvement of their law enforcement, prosecutors, civil society, in order to identify who the victims are,” she said.

Human Rights Council members will vote at the end of the session on whether to renew her mandate – in a resolution being led by the European Union. Commenting on the report on the human rights situation in Russia, the EU ambassador noted the existence of a systematic mechanism of repression in Russia that operates even beyond the country’s borders to suppress criticism.

“The EU is concerned about the report’s findings, the cases of murders and poisonings, the abuse of legal and administrative procedures, the conduct of digital operations, and the use of Interpol contrary to its intended purpose — all of which are directed against individuals both within Russia and beyond its borders,” the EU representative noted. [https://ua.news/en/world/es-zaklikav-rosiiu-pripiniti-peresliduvannia-gromadian-cherez-interpol]

‘Why is the Chinese Communist Party so scared?’

September 4, 2026

Benedict Rogers in Hong Kong Watch of 1 September 2026 asks the same kind of question I aksed many years ago in a symposium about NGOs [see Chapter 4, titled “From human rights projects to strategies: The search for coherence,” in the book NGOs in China and Europe: Comparisons and Contrasts edited by Yuwen Li – 2012].

Benedict Rogers writes iner alia: Within the past week, the Chinese regime has convicted a Hong Kong barrister and a trade unionist for the crime of organizing a peaceful vigil to commemorate the Tiananmen massacre and sentenced a Chinese artist to three years in prison for satirical sculptures of the long-dead leader Mao Zedong, responsible for the deaths of millions of Chinese civilians during his rulen.In so doing, Xi Jinping’s dictatorship has proven once again its thin-skinned paranoia, its neurotic fear of dissent and humor, and its ruthless determination to silence freedom of expression and bury history and truth.

Hong Kong lawyer Chow Hang-tung, aged 41, and trade unionist Lee Cheuk-yan, aged 69, representing the now-defunct Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, were convicted on Aug. 21 of the crime of “inciting subversion” — simply for having organized candle-lit vigils to remember the 1989 Tiananmen massacre. They now face up to ten years’ imprisonment.

Both have already been in jail for the past five years and have now been convicted under Hong Kong’s draconian national security law imposed on the city by Beijing in 2020.

Both the conviction of Chow and Lee, and the sentencing of Gao [https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2026/08/27/chinese-artist-gao-zhen-sentenced-to-the-maximum-of-3-years-prison-over-satirical-mao-statues/], have drawn international condemnation from the United Nations, international human rights organizations, and governments.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur for human rights defenders, Andrea Bolanos Vargas, said she is “deeply concerned” about Chow and Lee’s verdict, and called for their immediate release. She said: “Peacefully preserving memory and calling for truth, justice and accountability are human rights activities and must never be criminalized.”

These two cases are just the latest examples of Beijing’s intensifying intolerance of dissent. They follow the 20-year prison sentence imposed on Hong Kong media entrepreneur and devout Catholic Jimmy Lai, aged 78, earlier this year, and the imprisonment of hundreds of other pro-democracy campaigners, human rights defenders, journalists, bloggers, and religious practitioners in Hong Kong and across China….

All these cases combined raise an important question. If China is — as Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party want us to believe — the world’s new superpower, why is it so terrified of a barrister and a trade unionist and a media entrepreneur lighting candles, or an artist making satirical sculptures?

If the regime in Beijing is as strong as they suggest, why are they so scared of Christians gathering to pray, Tibetans meditating on the Dalai Lama’s teachings, Uyghurs fasting during Ramadan, or Falun Gong practitioners practising physical exercises similar to yoga and promoting “truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance?” And why does it consider it a crime to promote understanding of different ethnic and religious cultures?

The truth is, the regime in Beijing hates humour, is scared of jokes, and is terrified of any opinion or belief that diverges from total loyalty not only to the Chinese Communist Party’s ideology but also to its key leaders, contemporary and historical. Any perceived mockery of Mao is deemed an insult to Xi, any attempt to remind the world about the tragedy of Tiananmen is seen as an assault on today’s regime, and any practice of religion or spirituality is regarded as a rejection of the regime’s attempts at self-deification.

In other words, this is a fragile regime, scared of its own shadows, its own murderous history, and its own people. Such a regime may be able to lock up brave dissidents, lawyers, trade unionists, journalists, artists, and religious believers for a time. It may be able to shut down free expression and freedom of religion for a while. But it can never silence the souls of its people, for whom the courage of Chow Hang-tung, Lee Cheuk-yan, Gao Zhen, and so many others stands as a light in the darkness.

This article was published in UCA News on 31 August 2026.

https://www.hongkongwatch.org/all-posts/2026/9/1/why-is-the-chinese-communist-party-so-scared-benedict-rogers

https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/09/04/hong-kong-misuses-colonial-era-law-to-violate-rights

Posted in Human Rights Council, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Benedict Rogers, China, Chow Hang-tung, freedom of expression, Hans Thoolen, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Watch, Human Rights Defenders, Lee Cheuk-yan, news

30 August 2026 was the International Day of the Victims of Disappearances

August 31, 2026

On the 2026 International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances many organisations call on States and all stakeholders to reaffirm the primacy of law over force, the centrality of victims over oblivion, and the irreplaceable value of multilateralism and the international rule of law.

This heinous crime constitutes a violation of, among others, the prohibition of torture and/or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment with multidimensional and transgenerational impact, leaving families suspended between grief and hope, unable to mourn. Unfortunately, 46 years after the establishment of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances and 20 years after the adoption of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, the crime continues being perpetrated every day in all regions of the world.

Through their fight and mobilization, victims human rights defenders and their organizations are also key actors of the search and investigation processes; gathering evidence, conducting their own searches, demanding accountability and advocating for changes in law, policies and practices, victims of enforced disappearances have become some of the most important human rights defenders of our time.

The centrality of this role is undeniable. Nonetheless, its importance and impact are hardly known and not sufficiently acknowledged and supported. To the contrary, some States expect that the victims take the lead and replace the action of the authorities in charge of the search and investigation processes related to their cases. In other instances, the authorities shift the burden of proof, making the victims fully responsible for gathering evidence of the enforced disappearances, while, as the “paradigm of the perfect crime”, they usually are shrouded in secrecy. Victims should never be put in a situation where they have to replace the State’s duties to search, investigate, prosecute and provide reparation, and concrete action remains necessary to support victims in the daily nightmare they face.

Dialogue and synergy between States, victims, civil society organizations and international mechanisms must be strengthened to raise awareness on the ongoing reality of enforced disappearances, to share lessons learned and promote cooperation between all stakeholders. Explicit action is required, that demonstrates commitment, such as allocating resources to search and accountability mechanisms and supporting families of the disappeared.

Here some more references that show how widespread action is on this day:

https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2026/08/international-day-victims-enforced-disappearances

States must ensure truth, justice and accountability for victims of trafficking and enforced disappearance

Statements and speeches Statement for The International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims

https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/international-day-victims-enforced-disappearances-today-1528341

https://citizen.digital/article/opinion-actionow-kenya-must-end-enforced-disappearances-13-n389273

When the missing are not allowed to be forgotten: 30 August and Manipur’s unfinished search for truth

https://www.article19.org/resources/yemen-enforced-disappearance-as-a-tool-to-silence-the-press

https://civicus.org/index.php/media-resources/op-eds/8736-why-solidarity-is-vital-to-freeing-imprisoned-human-rights-defenders

Posted in Human Rights Council, Human Rights Defenders, OHCHR | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Article 19, Bangladesh, CIVICUS, human rights, India, International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, Kenya, Mandeep Tiwana, news, politics, Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID, writing, Yemen

Environmental defender Pablo López Alavez released after more than 15 years

August 19, 2026

On 27 March 2026, Pablo López Alavez was released following a ruling by the High Court of Justice of the State of Oaxaca on appeal. The decision revised the legal classification of the offences and imposed a sentence of 15 years and 3 months imprisonment for the offence of simple homicide. Taking into account the time the human rights defender had spent in detention since his arbitrary arrest on 15 August 2010, the court considered the sentence to have been served and ordered his immediate release. Although the sentence remains in force, his release represents a significant step forward after more than 15 years of detention. Due to concerns for Pablo’s safety and that of his family, as well as for security reasons, this information is only being made public now.

Pablo has been released after a fight for justice and freedom of over 15 years, led by his wife, the woman human rights defender Yolanda Pérez Cruz, and organisations from the state of Oaxaca, as well as Mexican and international civil society organizations. Activists, collectives and human rights organisations celebrate the release of our colleague Pablo López Alavez, a Zapotec forest defender originally from the community of San Isidro Aloapam, Oaxaca. This long journey would not have been possible without the support and solidarity shown from all corners of the world. We thank all the organisations, individuals and collectives who never gave up on their efforts and commitment to securing his release over the course of more than 15 years. We thank the international bodies for their sensitivity in highlighting the political use of the criminal justice and the prison system to criminalise and impose prolonged punishment on human rights defenders in Mexico.

On 15 August 2010, the human rights defender was arbitrarily detained and tortured by a group of armed individuals without an arrest warrant. In the years that have passed since then, Pablo was detained and subjected to further violations of his human rights, including the right to a fair trial.

His family were forcibly displaced from their community due to the constant and serious threats they have faced as a result of their struggle for justice and the defence of human rights: so they are currently under protective measures granted by the Oaxaca State Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office (DDHPO). We emphasise that Pablo’s detention and his family’s forced displacement have had profound impacts on their well-being, including chronic illnesses, cultural and community displacement, as well as the necessity of having to learn Spanish against their will and adapt to an urban, mestizo environment.

The fight for justice continues. We, the undersigned organisations, call on the Federal Judiciary to conduct a thorough review of the case, as the ruling that convicted him lacks a solid basis. In order to put an end to the criminalisation that the defender has faced for more than 15 years, an acquittal must be issued in favour of the forest defender and comprehensive measures must be adopted to provide redress for the harm caused. This implies ensuring that the authorities responsible for the serious violations committed against him are properly investigated, prosecuted and punished, as well as implementing all necessary measures to protect his physical integrity and psychological well-being, as well as that of his family and the organisations that have supported them. Finally, our organisations emphasise the obligation of the Mexican authorities to establish robust guarantees of non-repetition.

The conviction was issued without taking into account the serious inconsistencies and contradictions in the evidence presented by the prosecution. Nor did it give due consideration to the evidence presented by the defence, which demonstrated that the human rights defender was elsewhere when the events of which he was accused took place.

Nine years after the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued Opinion 23/2017, which concluded that Pablo’s deprivation of liberty is arbitrary and motivated by his legitimate work in environmental defence; and that, similarly, in December 2020, a group of United Nations Special Rapporteurs issued the joint communication UA MEX 14/2020 calling for his release and the adoption of comprehensive reparatory measures; both of these opinions by international United Nations experts remain unfulfilled.

We therefore demand that the State of Mexico, in compliance with its international obligations, put an end to the serious and systematic violations of the rights of the forest defender Pablo López Alavez, and we call on the authorities to:

Comply immediately with the recommendations set out in Opinion 23/2017 and UN Urgent Action UA MEX 14/2020, including comprehensive redress and guarantees of non-repetition;
Overturn the conviction issued on 27 March 2026 and acquit Pablo López Alavez, given the lack of a proper assessment of the evidence, which resulted in his wrongful imprisonment and prevented him from continuing to defend the territory;
Ensure comprehensive and effective protection measures for him and his family, who remain under constant harassment and threat;
Refrain from the misuse of criminal law against defenders of the territory and indigenous peoples, and ensure that no unfounded criminal proceedings are initiated or pursued on the grounds of the legitimate exercise of their defence of human rights.

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/statement-report/release-forest-defender-pablo-lopez-alavez-after-15-years-7-months-and-12-days

Posted in Front Line, Human Rights Council, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: detentiion, environmental defenders, Frontline, history, human rights, Human rights defender, Mexico, Pablo López Alavez, release, UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Yolanda Pérez Cruz

Afghanistan’s human rights crisis worsening after five years of Taliban

August 17, 2026

As Taliban rule in Afghanistan continues, UN experts and many others warned that normalisation continues despite increasing restrictions imposed on the population, including women and girls, over the past year. They urged States to accelerate steps towards accountability.

“Five years may be a short period in the life of a country, but it is a long one in a child’s life,” the experts said. “A generation of girls has now been denied secondary education. A girl who was in grade six when the ban began is reaching adulthood without another day in school.”

Over the past year, the Taliban have further entrenched their institutionalised gender-based repression. The experts reiterated that the Taliban’s intentional and targeted gender-based deprivation of fundamental rights amounts to the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds. As this repression forms part of an institutionalised system of gender-based discrimination, oppression and domination, the experts said it can also be characterised as gender apartheid. They urged States to actively support the codification of gender apartheid as a distinct crime against humanity…

Enforcement measures, some involving cruel and inhuman punishment, have also intensified, the experts said. In 2025 alone, more people were publicly flogged than in all the previous years of Taliban rule combined.

“Women have been turned away from hospitals on account of their attire or for lacking a male guardian, denying them their right to access health care. In June 2026, at least 30 women and girls were jailed in Herat for allegedly violating the Taliban’s dress code. When residents protested, security forces opened fire, killing at least two people, including a boy.”

They called for strengthened support for the International Criminal Court, warning that “the newly mandated Independent Investigative Mechanism for Afghanistan must not remain only an achievement on paper; it must also be properly and swiftly resourced.”

“Afghanistan is not a safe country: mass returns and forced deportations in violation of the obligation of non-refoulement must stop, particularly for those who face heightened protection risks, including religious or ethnic minorities and LGBT persons,” the experts said.

“There should be no moves to normalise the Taliban de facto authorities, including by accepting diplomats or holding meetings in capitals, without demonstrated, measurable progress against human rights benchmarks, particularly for women and girls,” the experts said. “For five years, Afghans’ human rights have been systematically violated, yet many continue to strive bravely and against the odds to restore them. The international community must not let them down again.”

The full statement is available here.

Afghanistan: UN experts warn against normalisation of Taliban rule (Press Release)

HRW calls for release of six rights workers from Taliban prison

https://amu.tv/249925

https://www.omct.org/en/resources/blog/a-bridge-to-justice-an-afghan-woman-lawyer-on-resilience-solidarity-and-a-hopeful-future

Ravadari Says Taliban Have Arbitrarily Detained More Than 6,000 People in Afghanistan

https://amu.tv/250139

https://8am.media/eng/five-years-taliban-world-misunderstand

https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/09/07/afghanistan-advance-accountability-for-grave-abuses-in-afghanistan

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Tags: Afghanistan, HRW, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, human rights of women, ICC, Independent Investigative Mechanism for Afghanistan, news, politics, Taliban, un experts, women

Algeria: UN experts demand release of arbitrarily detained journalist Hassan Bouras

August 11, 2026

On 10 July 2026, UN experts expressed deep concern over the detention of Algerian journalist and human rights defender Hassan Bouras, who faces serious risks after several weeks on hunger strike in detention.

“We are deeply concerned by the ongoing arbitrary detention of Mr. Bouras, as well as the serious risks to his life, health and physical integrity,” the experts said.

On 12 April 2026, plainclothes security agents apprehended Bouras outside his home in El Bayadh, reportedly without a warrant or explanation. The following day, the El Bayadh court ordered his pre-trial detention on several charges, including membership of a terrorist organisation and disseminating publications deemed harmful to the national interest.

“We are troubled that his arrest and detention appear to be linked to the peaceful exercise of his rights to freedom of expression, to promote, protect and defend human rights as well as to participation in public affairs through his work as a journalist and human rights defender,” the experts said.

The arrest follows a pattern of judicial harassment linked to Bouras’ journalistic and human rights activities.

On 2 May, Bouras was placed in solitary confinement for beginning a hunger strike to protest his detention and the violation of his human rights. During the hunger strike, which lasted 26 days, he collapsed twice and developed serious health complications without receiving adequate medical care – a matter of acute concern given his pre-existing cardiac and respiratory conditions. His deteriorating condition raised acute concerns for his health and well-being.

On 22 June, his case was referred to the local criminal court and is now pending trial. This comes amidst increasing concerns regarding restrictions on civil and political rights and freedom of the press in the country, as well as the ability of journalists and human rights defenders to carry out their work free from intimidation.

The experts stressed that deprivation of liberty for the legitimate exercise of freedom of expression is incompatible with international human rights law. They recalled that all persons deprived of liberty must be treated with humanity and respect for their inherent dignity and body integrity.

“We urge Algerian authorities to act without delay to protect Mr. Bouras’ life, health and freedom of expression. He must be granted immediate access to legal counsel and adequate medical care,” the experts said.

“We call for Mr. Bouras’ immediate release and for an end to the broader pattern of harassment and prosecution of journalists and human rights defenders in Algeria.”

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/07/algeria-un-experts-demand-release-arbitrarily-detained-journalist-hassan

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/case-history-hassan-bouras

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Tags: Algeria, detention, Hassan Bouras, Human rights defender, Journalist, UN Special Rapporteurs

UN experts urge Thailand not to extradite Chinese journalist Bai Zhaodong

August 11, 2026

UN human rights experts have urged Thailand to halt the possible extradition of Chinese journalist Bai Zhaodong, warning he could face persecution, torture and other serious rights violations if returned.

United Nations human rights experts have called on Thailand to prevent the possible extradition of Chinese journalist and human rights defender Bai Zhaodong to China, warning that his return could expose him to persecution, torture and other serious human rights abuses.

In a press release, the experts urged Thai authorities to uphold the principle of non-refoulement, which bars countries from transferring individuals to places where they face a genuine risk of persecution or other serious harm.

Bai left China in 2023 after allegedly facing persecution over his human rights activities and was subsequently recognised as an asylum seeker. The UN experts said he has been held in Thai immigration detention since January 21, 2026, despite having completed a two-month prison sentence imposed in March for immigration-related offences.

The experts noted that Bai’s planned resettlement to a safe third country was reportedly blocked on two separate occasions. They also expressed concern that Chinese authorities have formally requested his extradition.

”Immigration status alone cannot justify prolonged deprivation of liberty. Human rights defenders seeking international protection must not be returned to countries where they are at risk of facing persecution, torture or other irreparable harm,” the experts said.

The statement also highlighted concerns over Thailand’s recently approved draft regulations introducing a unified and expedited deportation process for foreign nationals. The Thai Cabinet approved the framework on July 14, 2026.

https://www.firstpost.com/world/un-experts-urge-thailand-not-to-extradite-chinese-journalist-bai-zhaodong-warn-of-persecution-and-torture-14036781.html/amp

UN experts urge Thailand not to return human rights defender Bai Zhaodong to China (Press release)

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/08/un-experts-urge-thailand-not-return-human-rights-defender-bai-zhaodong-china

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Tags: Bai Zhaodong, China, extradition, Journalist, non-refoulement, Thailand, UN Special Rapporteurs

Call for inputs to the report of the Special Rapporteur on the mental health of human rights defenders

August 4, 2026

The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders invites States, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations, human rights defenders, medical and mental health professionals, academics, United Nations entities, regional organizations, donors, and other relevant stakeholders to provide inputs for an upcoming thematic report to the 64^th session of the Human Rights Council on the mental health and psychosocial well-being of human rights defenders. [https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2026/03/10/andrea-bolanos-vargas-next-special-rapporteur-on-human-rights-defenders/]

Human rights defenders play a vital role in promoting and protecting human rights, fundamental freedoms, democratic values, environmental protection, and social justice. In carrying out their work, defenders are frequently exposed to a range of pressures and risks, including threats, harassment, intimidation, surveillance, criminalization, arbitrary detention, reprisals, online abuse, displacement, and violence. These experiences may have significant consequences for their mental health and psychosocial well-being.

The report aims to examine the challenges faced by human rights defenders in maintaining their mental health and well-being, identify barriers to accessing adequate support, and highlight promising practices and measures that can help create enabling environments in which defenders can safely and sustainably carry out their work.

The Special Rapporteur welcomes contributions from all regions and encourages submissions reflecting the experiences of defenders working in diverse contexts, including women human rights defenders, Indigenous defenders, environmental and land rights defenders, LGBTIQ+ defenders, journalists, lawyers, trade unionists, youth defenders, defenders with disabilities, and defenders operating in situations of conflict, occupation, humanitarian crises, or authoritarian settings.

A detailed outline is to be found in the document.

Call for inputs to the report of the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders to the 64th Human Rights Council

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Tags: Andrea BOLANOS VARGAS, call for input, Human Rights Defenders, mental health, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders

Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards