Violations committed against defenders by non-State actors 2010, para. 6
Paragraph- Paragraph text
- During times of armed conflict or states of emergency, human rights defenders are at great risk of being targeted by non-State armed groups. Defenders denouncing impunity and violations committed by armed groups are harassed and, consequently, work in a state of fear. In particular, their mental and physical integrity is at risk, as they often live in regions under the control of non-State armed groups or wherein these groups operate. In addition to being threatened and harassed by militias, warlords and other armed groups, women human rights defenders are, in addition, often subjected to rape and other forms of sexual violence because of their work. Human rights defenders helping victims to access justice for violations of human rights law or international humanitarian law, either locally or before regional or international tribunals such as the International Criminal Court, are also regularly subjected to threats, violence and harassment. In particular, the Special Rapporteur has received information about lawyers receiving death threats because of their work in defence of victims of international crimes. Humanitarian workers are also targeted by non-State armed groups and thus prevented from providing humanitarian assistance to victims of armed conflicts. Furthermore, in the context of civil conflict, paramilitaries often attempt to stigmatize the work of human rights defenders and legitimize campaigns of violence against them by alleging that they are associated with armed groups or "terrorists". In such cases, it is vital that the Government publicly reaffirm the importance of the work carried out by human rights defenders and denounce any attempts at its delegitimization or stigmatization.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Women
- Year
- 2010
- Paragraph type
- Other
- Reference
- SR Human Rights Defenders, Report to the UNGA (2010), A/65/223, para. 6.
- Paragraph number
- 6
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