Human rights defenders are doing critical work in many countries to help avoid the spread of the virus as well as to counter the economic impacts of the measures in fragile states with fragile or lacking social systems. Their role is essential in ensuring that vulnerable communities have access to healthcare, information about the virus and its impacts in the absence of adequate state protection. They are organising access to water, sanitation campaigns as well as community food reserves among other fundamental activities. To better face the current coronavirus crisis as well as the huge tasks of recovery, civil society organisations have to be taken on board, politically as well as regarding their funding.
FIDH #ForFreedom Campaign : COVID-19: Jailed Human Rights Defenders Must Be Released Immediately ACTIVE CAMPAIGN
ProtectDefenders.EU News and Tweets from Human Rights Defenders
Forum 2000: bi-weekly video chats with human rights activists VIDEO CHATS
Front Line Defenders
- Rights on the Line: presents the voices, perspectives and experiences of human rights defenders at risk across the globe PODCAST
- Physical, emotional and digital protection while using home as office in times of COVID-19 – Ideas & tips for human rights defenders
- 22 April 2020 Turkey Legal harassment against Nurcan Baysal continues with new investigation
- 20 April 2020 Palestine Arbitrary detention of human rights defender Muhammad Al-Zughair
- 17 April 2020 Defending rights during a pandemic: Impact of Covid-19 on the safety and work of human rights defenders
- 10 April 2020 Chad Risk of abduction of human rights defender Dingamnayal Versinis
- 9 April 2020 Spain: Temporary release of Jordi Cuixart to house arrest amid COVID-19 crisis at risk of being blocked
- 3 April 2020 India Police harassment, intimidation and arbitrary detention of human rights defender Dr. Laifungbam Debabrata Roy in Manipur
- 1 April 2020 Arbitrary detention of human rights defender Mohsen Bahnasi amid growing COVID-19 concerns
- 30 March 2020 Rights groups call for urgent release of imprisoned journalists, human rights defenders and others, now at risk of Covid-19
- 26 March 2020 Release unjustly imprisoned human rights defenders amid COVID-19 outbreak
- 24 March 2020 Egypt should release imprisoned human rights defenders as COVID-19 spreads
- 20 March 2020 Imprisoned Iranian human rights defenders should be freed amidst COVID-19 outbreak
EuroMed Rights
- 2 June 2020 NO TRUCE FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST PALESTINIANS
Civil Rights Defenders
International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)
- 8 April 2020 Colombia: COVID-19 policies should include conflict-related measures, especially for human rights defenders
International Service for Human Rights
- 2 April 2020 COVID-19 l State action must be human rights compliant and protect human rights defenders
IPHR
- 31 March 2020 Joint Letter: Kyrgyzstan, NGOs urge Kyrgyzstan to release Azimjon Askarov amid COVID-19 crisis
Protection International
- 8 April 2020 The right to defend under COVID19: The voice of a Thai woman human rights defender (Link)
- 27 March 2020 In full solidarity with defenders: Protection International’s recommendations for Governments in addressing the global COVID-19 pandemic (Link)
OMCT, World Organisation Against Torture