Front Line Defenders

🎭Memorial Monologues: The Path of Memory (Part 2) by Mary Moynihan tells the stories of 5 brave and inspirational human rights defenders from around the world who were murdered because of their peaceful work. Presented as a promenade, ‘walk-in-the-park’ performance blending theatre, poetry, and song, this unique show brings audiences through the Iveagh Gardens to the Human Rights Defenders Memorial monument. 📅Dates and Times: Friday 10 October — 1pm, Iveagh Gardens and 7pm, Smashing Times Arts and Human Rights Centre, 30 Sandycove Road, Sandycove, Dublin. Saturday 11 October — 1pm and 3pm, Iveagh Gardens. Sunday 12 October — 1pm and 3pm, Iveagh Gardens. More information and register for tickets here: https://zurl.co/BJZyK #IAHRFestival #IAHRF25

🪩✊Join us for a night of poetry and music related to themes of solidarity, human rights and social justice. 🎤We will have special guests featuring curated poetry and music for the night, which will be announced closer to the event — and the floor is also open to anyone who would like to sign up to perform. 🎟️Tickets are free — please limit your purchase to two tickets per person. 🔗Grab your tickets here: https://zurl.co/rJjbm

The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances will be launching its latest report on “Enforced Disappearances in the Context of the Defence of Land, Natural Resources, and the Environment on Monday 22 September 2025 at 15:30, on the margins of the 137th session of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. In its report, the Working Group examines the alarming global trend of enforced disappearances targeting individuals defending land, natural resources, and the environment (LNRE defenders) and how these disappearances often occur in contexts of systemic discrimination, weakened rule of law, and powerful economic interests, with the complicity or acquiescence of State authorities. See more info and join online here: https://zurl.co/5BIeP @WGEID @Global_Witness

📍#ITALY HRDs Roberto Malini and Lisetta Sperindei are facing a defamation lawsuit filed by Fox Petroli S.p.A for speaking up about the health and environment risks presented by the company, as well as the potential harm of the planned liquified natural gas plant close to a residential area in Pesaro, Italy. Fox Petroli S.p.A.has requested a minimum of two million euros in damages in a lawsuit that carries the characteristics of a Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) case. The SLAPP case is a clear attempt to silence the defenders for standing up for the environment and the people of Pesaro — targeting them for peacefully exercising their freedom of expression. On 29 September 2025, the two environmental defenders will attend a mediation session with the company. We call on Fox Petroli S.p.A to immediately withdraw the defamation lawsuit against Roberto Malini and Lisetta Sperindei, and Italian authorities to dismiss the mediation process and legal proceedings against them. 🔗Read the urgent appeal: https://zurl.co/CDGCx

📍#THAILAND Front Line Defenders together with other organisations are deeply concerned over the Thai Criminal Court’s decision to sentence WHRD Chonthicha “Lookkate” Jangrew to two years and eight months in prison – after being prosecuted under Section 112 of the Criminal Code (lèse-majesté or royal defamation) and the Computer Crime Act (CCA), both of which have increasingly been weaponised as tools against dissenters. Lookkate, previously an active HRD and now a Member of Parliament (MP) from the People’s Party – was initially sentenced to four years in prison. The sentence was later reduced following the WHRDs close cooperation. The charges stem from a social media post in which she voiced opinions about royal expenditures, military transfers and budgets, and promotions for civilian servants. The Court deemed her statements “offensive and disrespectful to the monarchy.” Lookkate’s case exemplifies a heavy-handed and repressive approach to freedom of expression. We call on Thai authorities to overturn the sentence, as well as to immediately and unconditionally end all forms of judicial harassment against Lookkate and all other HRDs. 🔗Read the full joint statement here👉https://zurl.co/30KCX

📣Front Line Defenders is recruiting a Global Security Lead. The Global Security Lead will provide ongoing management and oversight of the safety and security of FLD operations, personnel, as well as premises and events. More information and how to apply can be found here⬇️ 🔗https://zurl.co/3omfK

Join us for a night of poetry and music related to themes of solidarity, human rights and social justice. We will have special guests featuring curated poetry and music for the night, which will be announced closer the event, and the floor is also open for anyone who would like to sign up to perform. Tickets are free - please limit your purchase to two tickets per person. If you are interested in performing, please email with subject line ‘’open mic sign up’’ to events@frontlinedefenders.org. Tickets can be purchased here: https://zurl.co/dgTPX

📍#IRAN On 15 September, woman human rights defender Nasrin Javadi was released from Qarchak Prison in Tehran province, Iran. She has spent over three years in prison due her human rights and labour rights activities. Javadi, age 67, was reportedly released on the basis of “old age" — having developed several medical issues whilst in detention where essential medical care was not always available. ✊Front Line Defenders welcomes this news, and we continue to call for the release of all HRDs in Iran who have been unjustly imprisoned as a result of their human rights work. Read more: https://zurl.co/AYRtw

📍#INDIA 13 September marked five years of incarceration for Indian human rights defender and student activist Umar Khalid, who is detained on politically motivated charges, including for alleged terrorism-related offences. The HRD remains in detention without trial five years on, and his bail applications have been denied at least four times – most recently on 2 September 2025. Khalid’s detention is not an isolated case; it is emblematic of a broader pattern of repression faced by those who dare to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and association. Front Line Defenders together with others call for the immediate and unconditional release of Umar Khalid all others detained solely for exercising their rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression in India. 🔗Read the full joint statement: https://zurl.co/K3cm6

Front Line Defenders congratulates human rights defenders Bülent Şık from Turkey and Helena Maleno Garzón from Spain on being announced as the laureates of the seventeenth International Hrant Dink Award. The International Hrant Dink Award is presented to individuals, organisations and groups that ''give inspiration and hope to people for holding on to their struggle, that work for a fair world free from discrimination, racism and violence, who take personal risks for achieving those ideals, who break the stereotypes and use the language of peace. '' Both Bülent and Helena have made significant contributions to the protection of human rights in their respective contexts. ''Bülent Şık from Turkey plays an important role in providing public access to vital information by sharing about technical issues such as food safety in a clear and concise way; who demonstrates scientific integrity, an insistence on defending the public interest, and the courage to take risks; and who has a vision of information not as an instrument of power but as the shared right of society. Helena Maleno Garzón from Spain has dedicated her life to making visible the invisible violence of borders and defending migrants’ right to life, and has worked courageously for years to make heard the voices of thousands struggling for survival on migration routes. '' Read more here: https://zurl.co/cvwJV @bulent.ilgaz @HelenaMaleno @walkingborders