Annual Report 2023
03

Human rights defenders

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human rights defenders freed following our action with partner organisations.

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human rights defenders benefited from urgent material support in 20 countries for a total amount of 155,422 € (39 grants).

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urgent interventions about 444 human rights defenders from 58 countries.

Important successes for human rights defenders around the world

We achieved significant positive impacts for human rights defenders all over the world through our collaboration with partners and SOS-Torture Network members:

  • Kashmiri HRD Khurram Parvez was recognised as a victim of arbitrary detention by Indian authorities by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
  • Hedme Castro in Honduras received protection measures from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
  • A regressive piece of legislation on “foreign agents” restricting the work of civil society was dropped in Georgia.
  • Ten human rights defenders from the Philippines, including members of Karapatan, were acquitted after three years of judicial harassment.
  • Three workshops designed to strengthen the capacities of HRDs took place in Tunisia and Afghanistan.

These are some examples, and some more are detailed in this chapter. All in all, our advocacy accompanied 444 human rights defenders, and they saw charges being dropped, threats stopped, prison conditions improving, and a priceless feeling of not being alone in the face of risk and repression. Near 70 defenders received concrete, urgent material support to reinforce their security, pay a lawyer, relocate elsewhere, or cover medical fees.

Release of Mohamed El-Baqer

Human rights defender Mohamed El-Baqer was added to Egypt’s terrorist list and faced unjust imprisonment and torture for his peaceful advocacy for political prisoners. The OMCT campaigned for his release through alerts, social media campaigns, and mobilising lawyers and diplomatic partners, resulting in his freedom in 2023.

Trial observation missions

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH-OMCT) conducted six trial observation missions in Algeria, Belarus, Greece, Indonesia, Mexico, and Türkiye. Notably, in Mexico, our intervention reduced the sentences of land rights defenders José Luis Gutiérrez and César Hernández, who had been unfairly convicted.

Belarus

Belarusian authorities intensified repression against civil society after the 2020 elections, criminalising human rights activities. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders released a report on the repressive policies implemented in Belarus, advocating for the release of 82 detained human rights defenders.

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organisations from Ukraine, Tajikistan and Colombia benefited from financial support for a total amount of 70,557 € (4 subgrants).

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field missions conducted in Algeria, Belarus, Colombia, Georgia, Greece, Indonesia, Mexico, Türkiye.

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country reports and briefings published about defenders in Belarus, Mozambique and Türkiye.