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Thank you, President, Honourable Members of the European Parliament,  

In the year that marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, and the 25th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, we need to pay tribute to the essential role Human Rights Defenders play in defending the human rights of for all of us.  

Courageous Human Rights Defenders, including women, youth, LGBTI persons, or environmental defenders, are at the forefront of long-standing and emerging human rights battles: by standing up against corruption, speaking out against the impact of climate change, combatting internet shutdowns, or documenting war crimes. 

They are being threatened, attacked and in some cases, they pay the ultimate price, with their lives. Many of these incidents remain unknown to a larger public, while Human Rights Defenders continue to be killed, for instance in Honduras, Cameroon or Eswatini. The European Union condemns these assassinations and asks for impartial and effective investigations. 

The report of Rapporteur [Hannah] Neumann is a timely reminder of the need to constantly adapt our tools and policies to new challenges. We share the concern about the proliferation of threats and challenges against Human Rights Defenders, such as transnational repression, digital surveillance, reprisals, or attacks from non-State actors. 

Protection of Human Rights Defenders is and will remain an essential priority for us. We deliver results through public and private diplomacy, human rights dialogues, trial observation, visits in detention or by delivering emergency grants. Over the past weeks, for example, we have been vocal in condemning arbitrary detention or attacks on human rights in Azerbaijan and in Nicaragua. In our recent EU-China human rights dialogue, we raised a list of individual cases.  

It is essential to enhance the visibility and legitimacy of Human Rights Defenders and we will continue to carry out public campaigns showcasing their work and reaffirm the need for all States to protect Human Rights Defenders.  

We will match our actions and our words with funding. Between 2022 and 2027, we are spending €30 million for ProtectDefenders.eu, the European Union’s Human Rights Defender Mechanism, which allows us to support with emergency relocation, legal support, or cash injections for Human Rights Defenders at risk and their relatives. Through this flagship programme, we have already provided assistance to more than 58,000 Human Rights Defenders.  

I thank you.

Link to the video (starting from 5:24): https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-238102  

Closing remarks  

Thank you, President, thank you Honourable Members for this debate and despite our actions, too many Human Rights Defenders remain at risk. We all need to work together – the European External Action Service (EEAS), the [European] Commission, the [European] Parliament and the European Union Member States - with a sense of urgency to adapt our actions to today’s challenges.  

We will continue our unwavering efforts to promote a safe and enabling environment for civil society and Human Rights Defenders, including those active in exile, and continue to condemn any threats or attacks against them. 

I thank you. 

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-238104