Mali: New manual on protecting human rights defenders

The socio-political and security situation in Mali since 2012 has exposed human rights defenders to multiple risks. These risks include intimidation, harassment, abduction, arbitrary arrest, imprisonment and murder. These not only constitute a violation of the rights and freedoms of defenders, but also considerably limit the exercise of their activities.

The National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) of Mali, in partnership with ISHR, organised a retreat on 24-27 July to develop concrete measures for the protection of defenders in Mali. As the mechanism responsible for protecting defenders, the CNDH Mali has developed a manual that defines its mission regarding each stakeholder. Thus, among others, the role of the mechanism is:

• Toward itself: to strengthen the capacity of its staff and make recommendations to States
• Toward defenders: to promote their rights, as well as receive and treat cases of rights violations
• Toward State actors and the wider public: to develop awareness activities on defenders’ legal protection frameworks.

The manual also provides concrete guidance for the promotion, prevention and protection of the rights of defenders while respecting the confidentiality of case handling. The adoption of this manual is therefore timely to guide the CNDH in handling cases of violations of defenders’ rights that are submitted to it.

As a reminder, various measures to protect defenders’ rights are provided for in the Model Law for the recognition and protection of human rights defenders and in the Declaration +25.