United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders
Who is a Human Rights Defender? What can the Special Rapporteur do?Official Statements
Ukraine: physical and death threats against LGBTQ+ rights defender Vira Chernyhina (joint communication)
Official Letters and Statements
This is the summary of a joint communication sent to the Government of Ukraine about the alleged physical and death threats against an LGBTQ+ rights defender, Ms. Vira Chernyhina, and the reported failure to conduct an effective investigation.
Latest Information Received
Chiapas – México: no existe un entorno seguro para la defensa de los derechos humanos
Latest Information[Español / English] Discurso a la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas, 19 de enero de 2026.
Guest Blog: Testimony from a young Serbian human rights defender
Latest Information“We all stood up together, to fight for justice, to fight for the victims – and although we know the path to justice is not easy, we will succeed one day, because we are united in this.”
Hearing with young human rights defenders from Serbia
Latest InformationI recently spoke with a group of young human rights defenders from across Serbia, who shared their experiences of human rights activism, including peaceful protests and school blockades in recent months.
More Information Received
“Information received” does not necessarily reflect the views of the Special Rapporteur or the United Nations.
Human Rights Defenders
Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) are people who act peacefully to promote or protect human rights in accordance with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.
“Human rights defenders are ordinary people who do extraordinary things. They work peacefully for the rights of others and help build civil and just societies based on the rule of law.”
Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of HRDs
Violations committed against HRDs
Submit Information on HRDs at risk