United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders

Who is a Human Rights Defender? What can the Special Rapporteur do?

Official Statements

The flag of Togo flying in the wind on a sunny day.

Togo : arrestation de responsables étudiants, activistes et défenseurs des droits humains entre juin et septembre 2025 (communication conjointe)

Official Letters and Statements
Ce qui suit est basé sur une communication conjointe envoyée au Gouvernement du Togo à propos de l’arrestation de responsables étudiants, d’activistes et de défenseurs des droits humains entre juin et septembre 2025, notamment Armand Agbleze, Osei Agbagno, Yawo Atitso, Julien Komandéga Kataka, Abdoul Zoulkaneini Lamboni, Chimène Akou Apevon, Mario Junior Zodji et Bertin Bandiangou.
Read Statement • 21st Jan 2026
See more official statements

Latest Information Received

Nighttime protest by Serbian high-school students at Republic Square in Belgrade, in front of the National Museum and the Prince Mihailo equestrian statue. A row of students, some in yellow vests, hold a large white banner in Cyrillic reading “СРЕДЊОШКОЛЦИ ПАМТЕ” (“High-school students remember”), with flowers in hand, while onlookers gather under bright street lamps. Photo by Đorđe Mrđen.

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.”
• 29th Oct 2025
The flag of Serbia flying in the wind against a grey sky background.

Hearing with young human rights defenders from Serbia

Latest Information
I 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.
• 15th Oct 2025
Canoe in Marshes, South of Iraq. Photo by Mohammed Alsoufi via Flickr (CC BY 2.0).

HRDs, Climate Change and a Just Transition – Guest Blog from an Iraqi human rights defender

Latest Information
A guest blog by an Iraqi human rights defender working on the climate-triggered displacement that affected the Marshes of Southern Iraq.
• 14th Oct 2025
More Information Received “Information received” does not necessarily reflect the views of the Special Rapporteur or the United Nations.

Human Rights Defenders

Headshots of HRDs in a grid with different coloured backgrounds behind each
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
This website is not managed by the Office of the High Commissioner for human rights Its content does not reflect the position of the United Nations