Statement on Protecting Human Rights Defenders

                        The international organisations of human rights should do more to reinforce the most basics rights of the world population, since many governments around the world don't concern much about the human rights of their populations, and to make matters worse in many cases they are even taking part in the violations of human rights. We, human rights defenders can't give up of our activism, our daily struggle for justice and for our political rights because of the threats. I know that isn't easy to keep this fight for so long time, but now we have millions sharing this feeling, this calling from our awareness. I think that never in the world history a pre candidate was so bullied, but also never in the world history a pre candidate received so much support. Once more I like to thank all support felt for us here. I can't transmit in words how much I am grateful with all this huge support coming from all parts of the world.    This post is a summary of the joint statement released by the Government of the U.S.A. and the E.U. in December 2022. Published at https://www.state.gov/joint-statement-on-protecting-human-rights-defenders-online/

                     The U.S. - E.U. partnership is a cornerstone of our shared strength, prosperity, and commitment to advancing freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights around the world. In the framework of the U.S. - E.U. Trade and Technology Council, we address the misuse of technology threatening security and human rights and have committed to strengthen our cooperation on protecting human rights defenders online; promoting the open, free, global, secure and reliable internet as stated in the Declaration for the Future of the Internet; combatting online harassment and abuse; eliminating arbitrary and unlawful surveillance; combating government-imposed Internet shutdowns; and countering disinformation and information manipulation and interference. Digital technologies are vital resource for human rights defenders and civic actors, including in the context of documenting human rights violations and abuses. However, these technologies can also be mimused to target human rights defenders and undermine civic space. The U.S. and E.U. are deeply concerned by the rapid growth of online threats against human rights defenders and the ongoing contraction of civic space around the world. Human rights defenders continue to face threats and attacks, including arbitrary or unlawful online surveillance, censorship, harassment, smear campaigns, targeted Internet shutdowns, and doxing. In line with our respective policies, the E.U. Action Plan for Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024 and the E.U. Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders and the Guidelines for U.S. Diplomatic Mission Support to Civil Society and Human Rights Defenders, we reaffirm our joint commitment to protecting human rights defenders from threats and attacks and promoting freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, both online and offline. The U.S. and E.U. firmly condemn the misuse of technology by both state and non-state actors to target human rights defenders. We reaffirm that all human rights apply both online and offline. We recall, that according to the U.N. Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by consensus by U.N. member states, states "shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present declaration". States should work to prevent attacks against human rights defenders and bring perpetrators of attacks to justice. We also emphasize the responsibility of the private sector, in particular technology companies to respect human rights in line with the U.N. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. We urge companies to prevent the misuse of their products and platforms, conduct due diligence, take effective action to address all forms of online violence and unlawful surveillance against human rights defenders, support victims on their search for remedy and accountability for violations and abuses, and provide a safe space for human rights defenders to carry out their work. We also support stronger accountability for technology platforms and recognize the role of government to enhance online safety, security and privacy. The U.S. and E.U. will work to develop effective policies to mitigate threats to democracy and human rights, and to promote appropriate oversight and safeguards for the use of surveillance technologies. We will take a multistakeholder approach, including through worling with partner governments, private sector, academia, civil society including human rights NGOs and human rights defenders, survivors of online harassment and abuse, and international organisations. We commit to promote accountability for companies that are complicit in enabling human rights abuses. We will continue to give human rights defenders a platform to highlight the online threats they face, including through public events, as we did in the framework of the 49th Session of the Human Rights Council. We are committed to working closely to elevate these issues within the U.N. system, including with the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and the U.N. Tech Envoy. We call on likeminded countries to join in the effort and to publicly amplify their support for human rights defenders. The E.U. and the United States are committed to ensure access and meaningful participation of civil society in conversations around human rights in the multilateral fora. The U.S. and E.U. will continue to support mechanisms, including the Digital Defenders Partnership, the Lifeline Embattled CSO Assistance Fund, and ProtectDefenders.EU that provide resources for at-risk human rights defenders and CSO, including for preventing digital attacks and for supporting digital security needs. The U.S. and the E.U. are also committed to fostering cooperation through our missions around the globe. U.S. Embassies and E.U. Delegations play an instrumental role in monitoring developments and conducting joint outreach on issues surrounding human rights defenders' protection. The U.S. and the E.U. stand ready to engage with government partners to strengthen their national efforts to prevent and address threats against human rights defenders.