Protection of the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly is essential for human rights defenders to do their vital work to ensure freedom, dignity, equality and justice for all.
The rights to gather together, share our views, raise our grievances, express dissent, propose solutions, and protest for change are vital for progress and for the realisation of all other human rights.
Exercising, promoting and protecting these rights – the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of peaceful assembly – is integral to the work of human rights defenders and to the promotion and protection of all other rights. Each of the rights is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and many national constitutions and laws.
Unfortunately, some governments, businesses and other non-state actors do not welcome scrutiny, accountability, criticism, free speech or calls for change. In some countries, human rights defenders face threats and attacks, have their organisations shut down, and are criminalised, detained or even killed merely for speaking out or protesting. They may also face intimidation or reprisals for providing evidence or testimony to the UN.
ISHR supports human rights defenders in the exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and association at the international and regional levels, including by accrediting and supporting defenders to attend and speak out at the UN and in regional fora such as the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. We also stand up for defenders when their rights are violated or denied, mobilising high-level officials within the UN and allied governments to speak out and push for accountability when defenders are subject to attacks, threats or restrictions. At the national level, our work with local partners to promote the enactment of human rights defender protection laws helps ensure that defenders’ rights to free speech, access to information, peaceful protest, freedom of association and public participation, among others, are guaranteed under national law.
Check out all the latest updates to this topic.
On the situation of LGBTQI human rights defenders in Côte d'Ivoire and how to support their work, on the sidelines of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights' 81st Ordinary Session.
Looking at a new tool tracking freedom of association and assembly in Africa, unveiled at the 81st Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, in Banjul.
Civil society in the Americas has issued an urgent call to accelerate the implementation of the Plan of Action on Human Rights Defenders, of the Escazú Agreement, adopted five months ago.
During three days, participants in the NGOs Forum held in Banjul, The Gambia, discussed key human rights and democracy issues affecting the continent, as well as the work of defenders, and proposed better ways to address them. This culminated in the adoption of resolutions and recommendations.
Led by a group of Latin American States and Canada, the United Nations Human Rights Council today extended the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission (the Mission, or FFM) for Venezuela for two years, the mechanism’s third renewal since its creation in 2019.
During the 57th session of the Human Rights Council, human rights defender Maryam Al-Khawaja delivered a video statement calling on the Council to take effective measures to ensure the release of all those arbitrarily detained, including her father, human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, as well as Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace, and political leader Hassan Mushaima.
One day, we should be entitled to go back to our hometown, but the condition is: with democracy, with freedom, with human rights, and without fear.
