In the Americas, Violence on Rise Against Those Defending Human Rights Erika Guevara Rosas - Amnesty International
go to original December 10, 2014

Many human rights defenders in Latin America and the Caribbean are constantly persecuted and attacked and even killed in reprisal for their work. (Lluis Gene/AFP/Getty Images)

Campaigners, lawyers, journalists, community leaders and trade unionists, all human rights defenders who put their lives and liberty at risk in the fight for human rights, continue to suffer intimidation, harassment and violence across Latin America and the Caribbean according to a new Amnesty International report published this week.

Defending Human Rights in the Americas: Necessary, Legitimate and Dangerous gives an overview on the situation of human rights defenders in the Americas region. The report focuses primarily on over 200 cases of attacks and abuses on which Amnesty International took action during the last two years.

“The tragic reality is that many human rights defenders in Latin America and the Caribbean are constantly persecuted and attacked in reprisal for their work. In various countries we have seen a worrying and shameful increase in the rate at which defenders suffer violence and repression just for standing up for human rights and justice,” said Erika Guevara Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

“It is harrowing to see the type and frequency of cowardly attempts to silence and intimidate those that are working to shine a light on human rights abuses. But these admirable defenders fight on, even in the face of such repression. It is imperative that the leaders of the Americas step up and do more to effectively protect and support human rights defenders.”

Read the rest at Amnesty International

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