Report: More than 300 human rights defenders killed in 2017

09, Jan 2018 | CJP Team

Front Line Defenders, an Ireland-based organisation working to protect human rights defenders at risk, released its Annual Report on Human Rights Defenders at Risk in 2017 on January 3, 2018. According to the announcement of the report’s release, 312 human rights defenders in 27 countries “were killed for their peaceful work, according to data collected” by the group. Of these, Front Line Defenders said 67% “were defending land, environmental and indigenous peoples’ rights, nearly always in the context of mega projects, extractive industry and big business.” The announcement said that among the cases that were monitored, just 12% “of all murder cases resulted in the arrest of suspects.” Among the cases for which information regarding threats was gathered, “84% of murdered defenders received at least one targeted death threat prior to their killing.” According to the report itself, “80% of the killings took place in just four countries – Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and the Philippines.”