GANHRI condemns increasing threats toward human rights defenders and workers
On the 5th of September Abdul Samad Amiri, 28, was shot dead. Abdul Samad Amiri was acting director in the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission in the Ghor province.
The tragical dead of Abdul Samad Amiri occurred in a time, where more National Human Rights Institutions and workers are experiencing threats, reprisals and attacks. Their safety is put at risk, and GANHRI have therefore made a statement for the UN President and the Assistant Secretary General, where they express a deep concern for the NHRI’s who are working with the UN.
“Human rights defenders must be able to access the UN freely and safely. This is essential so that the UN can do its crucial work of monitoring States’ compliance with human rights obligations and protecting victims from abuses.” the statement says.
Human rights defenders need protection
The statement is made during the Human Rights Councils 42nd session in Genève. It is made in extension of a general debate on the Secretary General’s (Andrew Gilmour) report on cooperation with the United Nations.
In the statement GANHRI highlights the situation faced by the NHRI of the Philippines, as well as the NHRI of Guatemala and its Ombudsperson Jordan Rodas Andrade and the NHRI of Poland and its Commissioner Adam Bodnar. All of them are facing ongoing reprisals.
The Marrakech Declaration is set to play a big part of the solution, to protect the human rights defenders. Throughout practical sets of strategies and cooperative partnerships with NHRI’s and local human right defenders, the security of the defenders and the protection of human rights is set to increase.
A strong cooperation between multiple parts as the UN, NHRIs and local organizations among others is an important part of the ongoing process to secure and protect human rights and its defenders, according to Jonas Christoffersen, Executive Director in the Danish Institute of Human Rights.
“It is very important, that we keep cooperating with the UN and all other actors who wish to protect and secure human rights. We need to make sure, that working to protect human rights will be without the risk that we see in some countries,” says Jonas Christoffersen.