Annual report 2019

Hina Jilani, our president, writes: "We’ve never lived in such uncertain times. Writing from lockdown in my Lahore home is nothing new: I’ve known house arrest and my country, Pakistan, is familiar with states of emergency. But lockdowns are now global and may become a regularly occurring new normal. The pandemic obliterates livelihoods and exacerbates each and every inequality and injustice. Autocrats and populists flaunt it to silence dissent, arrest human rights defenders, and advance illiberal agendas. Their security forces use indiscriminate violence and torture under the pretext of enforcing lockdowns. All this is tearing the social fabric in ways that we are only starting to comprehend."

• We're half way through 2020, but still proud of last year's victories. Check out pp. 11 & 19 to find out how we helped highlight the epidemic of torture in Mexico or Bangladesh and much more;
• Read about how victims Willy (Argentina) and Aisha* (Tunisia) overcame trauma and were able to take positive steps towards recovery and find hope in their future;
• 58: this is the number of human rights defenders released following action by the OMCT and partner organisations. Our network is stronger than ever. Get to know our latest new members on pp. 18 & 19.

More in our 2019 Annual Report here