A/HRC/RES/34/5
Reaffirming that States are under the obligation to protect all human rights and
fundamental freedoms of all persons,
Stressing that respect and support for the activities of all human rights defenders,
including women human rights defenders, are essential to the overall enjoyment of human
rights,
Mindful that domestic law and administrative provisions and their application should
facilitate the work of human rights defenders, including by avoiding any criminalization,
stigmatization, impediments, obstructions or restrictions thereof contrary to international
human rights law,
Underscoring that the legal framework within which human rights defenders work
peacefully to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms is that of
national legislation consistent with the Charter and international human rights law,
Gravely concerned that, in some instances, national security and counter-terrorism
legislation and other measures, such as laws regulating civil society organizations, have
been misused to target human rights defenders or have hindered their work and endangered
their safety in a manner contrary to international law,
Recognizing the urgent need to address, and to take concrete steps to prevent and
stop, the use of legislation to hinder or limit unduly the ability of human rights defenders to
exercise their work, including by reviewing and, where necessary, amending relevant
legislation and its implementation in order to ensure compliance with international human
rights law,
1.
Welcomes the work and takes note with appreciation of the report of the
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, 1 and strongly urges all
States to take concrete steps to create, in law and in practice, a safe and enabling
environment in which human rights defenders can operate free from hindrance and
insecurity;
2.
Decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of
human rights defenders for a period of three years in the same terms as provided for by the
Human Rights Council in its resolution 16/5;
3.
Urges all States to cooperate with and assist the Special Rapporteur in the
performance of his or her tasks, to provide all information and to respond to the
communications transmitted to them by the Special Rapporteur without undue delay;
4.
Calls upon States to give serious consideration to responding favourably to
the requests of the Special Rapporteur to visit their countries, and urges them to enter into a
constructive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur with respect to the follow-up to and
implementation of his or her recommendations so as to enable him or her to fulfil the
mandate even more effectively;
5.
Requests the Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights to provide the Special Rapporteur with all the assistance necessary for
the effective fulfilment of his or her mandate;
6.
Encourages all concerned United Nations agencies and organizations, within
their mandates, to provide all possible assistance and support to the Special Rapporteur for
the effective fulfilment of his or her mandate, including in the context of country visits and
1
2
A/HRC/34/52.