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On Environmental Day, ISHR submitted a petition to the UN Secretary-General signed by 492 individuals to support Nicaraguan Indigenous and environmental defender Anexa Alfred Cunningham who was forcibly exiled after participating in a UN meeting.
492 voices joined the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) in calling on the UN and its member States to respond to Anexa’s case so she can finally fly home to her community.
Since July 2022, the Indigenous human rights defender, who has been working to preserve the ancestral land and natural resources of Indigenous and Afro-descendant Peoples of the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua, has been banned from returning to her country after engaging with the United Nations as an appointed expert. This is clearly a case of reprisals.
The petition calls on the United Nations and its member States to effectively respond to Anexa’s case, support her and push for accountability and redress.
We urge the Secretary-General to include Anexa’s case in his annual report on intimidation and reprisals, as well as on UN member States to publicly raise her case at the UN.
SUBJECT: Submission of petition in support of Anexa Alfred Cunningham
Sent via email to [email protected] and [email protected].
In copy to the email: the Assistant Secretary-General, Ilze Brands Kehris, and the Permanent Missions of Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Peru and the United Kingdom.
Dear Secretary-General,
The International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) hereby submits a petition addressed to you, signed by 492 individuals, in support of Anexa Alfred Cunnigham.
Anexa, Miskitu Indigenous leader, woman human rights defender, lawyer and expert on Indigenous peoples rights from Nicaragua, has been forcibly exiled by the Nicaraguan government after participating in a session of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) as an appointed expert in July 2022.
The signatories to the petition urge you to effectively respond to her case and push for accountability and redress.
ISHR urges you in particular to include Anexa’s case in your upcoming annual report on reprisals for cooperation with the UN.
Yours sincerely,
The International Service for Human Rights
Watch the video where she presents her story and why she has dedicated her work to human rights and the defense of Indigenous communities.
Anexa is one of the cases of our annual #EndReprisals campaign. Visit our page to find out more and take action for cases from Andorra, Djibouti, Hong Kong and The Unites Arab Emirates.
Join our campaign!
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights concluded its 77th Ordinary Session held in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania from 20 October to 9 November 2023. During the session, the Commission renewed its Bureau. It received solemn declarations from elected and re-elected members and launched several documents and newsletters, among others.
The Environmental Rights Agreement Coalition called on the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to develop an environmental rights agreement to increase public participation and protect environmental rights defenders.
To strengthen the protection of the environment and those who defend it, ISHR has joined the Environmental Regional Agreement Coalition in calling on the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to initiate the development of an environmental rights instrument.
