It’s time to stop threats against human rights defenders and start celebrating the vital work they do
A member of a World Health Organisation team is seen wearing protective gear during a field visit to the Hubei Animal Disease Control and Prevention Centre in Wuhan, China. Following the outbreak of covid-19 in Wuhan, 18 human rights lawyers in China and overseas created a legal advisory group to provide free legal advice and support to families of those who died from the disease.
Every week we hear about the deliberate killing of a human rights defender (HRD) somewhere in the world. In a typical week, there are five or six murders of people peacefully defending the rights of others.
These crimes rightfully get press attention, and I’ve written extensively about the dangers facing HRDs. What gets less coverage is the vital work they do, which often goes uncredited and unacknowledged.
