REPORT FROM THE SEVENTH DUBLIN PLATFORM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS WWW.FRONTLINEDEFENDERS.ORG WHAT DOES FRONT LINE DEFENDERS DO? Front Line Defenders Trustees Kieran Mulvey is Chief LEADERSHIP COUNCIL Executive of the Irish Denis O’Brien (Chairman) Labour Relations Hanan Ashrawi Founder and Secretary Front Line, the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Denis O’Brien is Chairman Commission and General of the Palestinian Initiative for the Rights Defenders is an international non-governmental organisation of the Digicel Group. Mr Consultant with the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy. O’Brien is one of Ireland’s International Labour (NGO) established by charitable deed trust. It was founded in Dublin in leading entrepreneurs with Organisation and the Robert Badinter President of the OSCE Court 2001 with the specific aim of protecting human rights defenders at risk, extensive investments European Union. of Conciliation and Arbitration and a member of people who work, non-violently, for any or all of the rights enshrined in the across several sectors. the French Senate. He was prev iously French He founded the Communicorp Group which Michel Forst is Secretary Minister for Justice. Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Front Line Defenders has a portfolio of media and broadcasting- General of the French aims to address the protection needs identified by defenders themselves. related companies in Ireland and seven other National Consultative Bono Founder member of the Irish rock group European countries. In 2000 he established The Commission on Human U2, and a prominent human rights advocate. Iris O’Brien Foundation to assist disadvantaged Rights. He was Secretary Front Line Defenders provides rapid and practical support to at-risk communities in Ireland and internationally. General of the Paris Desmond Tutu Anglican archbishop who rose human rights defenders including: Summit and Director of to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an Mary Lawlor (Director) the French section of Amnesty International. opponent of apartheid. Nobel Peace Prize Mary Lawlor has been winner in 1984. n grants to pay for the practical security needs of human rights constantly inspired by the Noeline Blackwell is defenders; work of human rights Director of FLAC (Free Adolfo Pérez Equivel Leader of Servicio Paz y provision of training and development of resource materials on security defenders who put their Legal Advice Centres), an Justicia and the 1980 Nobel Peace Prize n independent human and protection, including digital security; vision of a civil and just recipient. world for all ahead of their rights organisation n international advocacy on behalf of human rights defenders at own safety. In 2001 she set up Front Line, the dedicated to the Indai Lourdes Sajor Founder and former immediate risk; International Foundation for the Protection of realisation of equal Executive Director of the Asian Centre for access to justice for all. n rest and respite, including the Front Line Defenders Fellowship; Human Rights Defenders to provide round the Women’s Human Rights. opportunities for networking and exchange between human rights clock practical support and deliver fast and n effective action on behalf of human rights David Sykes is His Holiness The Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso defenders, including at the biennial Dublin Platform; defenders at risk. Investment Director of Temporal and spiritual leader of the Tibetan n the annual Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders Island Capital Ltd and people and Nobel Laureate. at Risk; Hina Jilani is an worked in various banks an emergency 24 hour phone line for human rights defenders internationally known and stockbrokers n human rights lawyer and including Trinity Bank and operating in Arabic, English, French, Spanish and Russian; advocate for human rights Dolmen stockbrokers. n temporary relocation of human rights defenders in emergency defenders. She was the situations. United Nations Special Maria Mulcahy was Representative on the involved with “People in situation of human rights defenders from 2000 Need” from 1988 – 2000. Front Line Defenders promotes strengthened international and regional to 2008. She and her sister Asma Jahangir co- She was responsible for measures to protect human rights defenders including through support founded the first all female legal practice in organising the RTE for the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human Pakistan and she is also one of the founders of telethons, which raised rights defenders. Front Line Defenders seeks to promote respect for the the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. €28 million. She was Director of Fundraising for the 2003 Special UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. Front Line Defenders has Jim Conway is the founder and Chairman of Olympics World Games. special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the the Print & Display Group, United Nations, partnership status with the Council of Europe and one of Ireland’s largest Report: Robert Archer, Plain Sense observer status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ print companies. He also Copyright 2013 Rights. Front Line Defenders received the 2007 King Baudouin has a number of other media interests in Ireland International Prize for Development. Quotations have been edited for brevity and and Eastern Europe. clarity. The insertion of quotations does not CHY 14029 reflect the order in which participants spoke. Front cover: Karla Lara, Honduras, performs at the closing ceremony of the Seventh Dublin Platform Photography by Kamil Krawczak and Alexey Zarodov SEVENTH DUBLIN PLATFORM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS FOREWORD The Dublin Platform is a unique event bringing together human rights defenders from every part of the world. The Dublin Platform was established in 2002 to create a safe space in which the voices of the “This human rights defenders themselves could be heard and so that their views and needs could inform the work of Front Line Defenders. This year the 2013 Dublin Platform united 135 human rights defenders from 90 counties Platform and it would be true to say that every issue on the international human rights agenda was represented. At Front Line Defenders, we have always believed that it is human rights is yours” defenders working and mobilising at the local and national level who build civil and just societies, and that is why we have been consistently led by the needs human rights defenders have identified over the years. Human Mary Lawlor rights defenders have a crucial role to play in guaranteeing human rights on the ground – where they matter most. They are the vital bridge between the theory and the practice of protection – translating into law the inter - national standards to which governments have committed, and bringing about social change. It is vital that the relationship between international and national and local Denis O'Brien, Front Line Defenders Chairman, Yolanda human rights defenders is clear and unambiguous. The role of interna - Oquelí, Guatemala and Mary Lawlor, Front Line Defenders tional organisations should be to support local HRDs in whatever they say Executive Director they need: • to increase their capacity to be safe and for their work to be sustainable; Given the persistence of killings and physical attacks against human rights • to endorse their legitimate right to conduct human rights work; defenders, it is appalling that only a handful of governments, primarily in • and to amplify their voices in order to increase international credibility Latin America, have created specific protection mechanisms for human and recognition to help protect the defender. rights defenders. In this context it is clear that human rights organisations themselves are not It is high time that the international community moved from the theory of immune from criticism, sometimes competing with local organisations for human rights into effective practice, and the standard against which that profile and funding and at other times failing to work with them on a basis will be measured is their willingness and ability to take meaningful and of real partnership. effective action to help protect human rights defenders at risk. Sadly, the discussion on the threats to human rights defenders produced yet another catalogue of threats, intimidation, torture and killings. In Mary Lawlor, addition the working groups highlighted the risks emanating from right- Executive Director, wing groups, organised crime and the impact of corrupt and exploitative Front Line Defenders development by private investment companies. The activities of these entities have had a deadly effect on the work of human rights defenders. The killing of human rights defenders continued across all regions. Since the last Dublin Platform, Front Line Defenders documented the murder of 29 defenders. Women and LGBTI defenders are particularly at risk as they face double jeopardy, targeted because of who they are as well as what they do. DUBLIN CASTLE , O CTOBER 2013 1 “It is my responsibility to describe what INTRODUCTION is really happening in my country.” HRD, Somalia The Seventh Dublin Platform for Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) took place in Dublin Castle from 9 to 11 October 2013. 135 defenders from 90 countries attended, making this the largest Platform that Front Line “I feel stronger for having been here. I Defenders has held to date. The meeting focused on the security of felt we were alone but I realise that HRDs, the problems they face,