United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders
Who is a Human Rights Defender? What can the Special Rapporteur do?Official Statements
Israel: killing of Palestinian human rights defender Ihab Marwan Kamal Faisal and his family in a bombing (joint communication)
Official Letters and Statements
This is the summary of a joint communication sent to the Government of Israel about the killing in a bombing of Palestinian human rights defender Ihab Marwan Kamal Faisal, a staff member of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, and his family in Gaza in January 2025.
Latest Information Received
Reflections on testimonies from African human rights defenders at the NGO Forum in Banjul, Gambia
Latest InformationLast month, a member of my team took part in the NGO Forum organised in Banjul from 28 to 30 April 2025 by the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies.
Guest Blog: Testimony from a human rights defender from the Marshes of Southern Iraq
Latest Information[English / العربية] A testimony from a human rights defender from the Marshes of Southern Iraq.
Extreme concern for the security of human rights defenders in eastern DRC [EN/FR]
Latest Information[English / Français] I call for urgent and practical support to human rights defenders in eastern DRC.
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