Security challenges for human rights defenders: international legal aspect

This article explores the issues of ensuring the safety of human rights defenders and the existing international mechanisms for countering security challenges faced by this category of individuals. It focuses on the provisions of international legal instruments that define the status of human rights defenders and emphasize the current problems related to ensuring their safety. The article highlights the provisions of the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of 1998, which serves as the foundational universal international act for the protection of human rights defenders. It also analyzes resolutions of the UN Human Rights Council (3/2 Promotion and protection of human rights in Nicaragua, 43/28 Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic, 44/20 Promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests, and 44/19 Situation of human rights in Belarus), which express serious concerns regarding unlawful actions against human rights defenders in the respective states. Additionally, the article reviews the reports of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, which draw attention to the heightened risks faced by those advocating for land rights, the environment, peace, access to justice, sexual diversity, freedom of expression, and gender equality. The article also analyzes the proposals put forward by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights regarding actions to implement the 1998 Declaration and to ensure the safety of human rights defenders. Information is presented on existing negative practices of human rights violations committed against defenders, provided by the international organization Front Line Defenders, which operates to protect human rights defenders at risk. It is emphasized that common violations against human rights defenders include arbitrary detention and arrest of journalists and media workers, restrictions on freedom of opinion and expression, enforced disappearances, torture, arbitrary detention, criminal prosecution, forced displacement, stigmatization, administrative obstacles, smear campaigns aimed at discrediting defenders, and more. Vulnerable groups of human rights defenders who are at risk in any society are identified, including women human rights defenders, members of national minorities, among others. Relevant conclusions and recommendations are provided.