However, nearly a third of the world’s nations continue to actively attack human rights defenders. Information gathered by the Observatory confirms that levels of repression against defenders are not diminishing, rather they appear, to the contrary, to be rising in intensity; the information suggests moreover, that in some cases these are not simply acts of random vioience, but well thought out strategies to muzzle the work of human rights defenders.
Every day in Africa, Latin America, Asia, Europe, the CIS and the Middle East, simply for working for the respect of universal rights of all human beings - our rights - human rights defenders and their families continue to be harassed, threatened, arbitrarily detained and indeed murdered. The attacks that they suffer are multifaceted and pernicious; and they are often the principal targets to be killed or at least muzzled.
The Observatory, a programme of FIDH and OMCT, was created in July 1997, to respond, as systematicaily as possible, to grave violations and contribute to the protection of human rights defenders at the national and international level.
The second annual report of the Observatory demonstrates the concerns and particularities of repression aimed at human rights defenders on each continent. National analysis and individual cases show the depth and complexity of the phenomenon. Between November 1998 and October 1999, the report details the activities of the Observatory protecting more than 200 defenders (urgent appeals and missions etc.). It aiso looks at the work on the international and regional scene toward establishing effective efficient mechanisms to protect human rights defenders.
One year after the commemorations of the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the record is less than encouraging. The response will not be found in good intentions : there is an urgent and imperative need to establish mechanisms to protect human rights defenders; and this is the work that the Observatory will continue to work for within regional and international organisations.