Stand As My Witness

Imagine being in prison? The ‘crime’? Speaking up and standing for what you believe in.

Hundreds of people - fathers, mothers, sons, daughters - are behind bars, harassed and persecuted for standing up for rights - for a free press, to protect the environment and equality, campaigning for a government that listens, and more.

These human rights defenders are asking you to #StandAsMyWitness

Add your voice. Take Action and call for their release.

 

Why you should #StandAsMyWitness

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Narges Mohammadi
Iran

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Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube
Eswatini
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Buzurgmehr Yorov
Tajikistan
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Virginia Laparra
Guatemala
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Ahmed Mansoor

United Arab Emirates

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Abdul-Hadi al-Khawaja
Bahrain
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Manuchehr Kholiqnazarov
Tajikistan
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Viasna Human Rights Defenders
Belarus
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Kenia Hernandez

Mexico

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Hoda Abdel Moneim
Egypt

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Khurram Parvez
India
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Kamira Nait Sid
Algeria
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Chow Hang-Tung
Hong Kong

Take Action!

This past year has been tough for everyone. For human rights defenders, their work got even harder. In many restrictive states the COVID-19 pandemic became an excuse to clamp down on human rights, and activists fighting for freedom and justice were ruthlessly rounded up by the authorities.

What you can do:

1. Engage on Social Media

Use this social media toolkit to share your messages of solidarity.

2. Send a Letter

Help us demand the immediate release of activists featured in our campaign. You will find template letters for each of them! Take a look. Choose 1, or if you have time 2. Write to their respective governments and demand their release:

  1. Narges Mohammadi
  2. Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube
  3. Buzurgmehr Yorov
  4. Virginia Laparra
  5. Abdul-Hadi al-Khawaja
  6. Ahmed Mansoor
  7. Manuchehr Kholiqnazarov
  8. Viasna human rights defenders
  9. Kenia Hernandez
  10. Hoda Abdel Moneim
  11. Khurram Parvez
  12. Kamira Nait Sid 
  13. Chow Hang-Tung

3. Share the details of HRDs not mentioned in our Interactive Map.

Do you know any human rights defenders in detention or facing judicial harassment that you would like us to profile? Tell us about them by following the link below.

HRDs Map

Your actions make a difference!


With your support, #StandAsMyWitness proudly joined successful global calls for the release of:
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Sudha Bharadwaj
India
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Teresita Naul
Philippines
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Professor Muhammad Ismail
Pakistan
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Christine Kamikazi, Agnès Ndirubusa, Térence Mpozenzi & Egide Harerimana
Burundi
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Asya Tulesova
Kazakhstan
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Loujain Al-Hathloul
Saudi Arabia
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Moudi Moussa, Halidou Mounkaila & Maikoul Zodi
Niger
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Guapinol Water Defenders

Honduras

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Zakaria Hannache 
Algeria
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María Esperanza Sánchez García
Nicaragua
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Medardo Mairena and Pedro Mena
Nicaragua
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