SOS-Defenders: A New Platform to Protect Human Rights Defenders

“In a global context where civic space is shrinking and democratic values are being questioned, more and more defenders are arbitrarily detained for exercising their legitimate right to defend human rights. Many of these cases go unnoticed, and SOS-Defenders was born out of the wish of OMCT's Network members and partners to give visibility to the phenomenon of censorship by detention and build joint data-driven advocacy for their liberation,” explains Giuseppe Scirocco, human rights adviser at OMCT, and coordinator of the SOS-Defenders project.

Arbitrary detention is a tactic used by authoritarian governments to suppress activism. As Claudia Samayoa, renowned woman human rights defender from Guatemala and Chair of the SOS-Defenders Advisory Group, adds: “The arbitrary detention of HRDs is a terrible but effective way of silencing the right to defend human rights. It exposes defenders to torture, often the same torture they have been fighting against. This practice creates the illusion of legality, but criminalisation not only includes the unlawful use of the justice system, but also the defamation of the defenders in an effort to delegitimise their work. This affects whole organisations and communities.”

Many HRDs face imprisonment under false accusations, simply for advocating for justice and accountability. While detained, they are often subjected to torture and other forms of ill-treatment, such as degrading detention conditions and denial of medical care. The lack of public awareness about these cases enables governments to continue their repression without consequences. The mobilisation of civil society and the coordinated action of different stakeholders can offer a hope of freedom and redress to these HRDs. SOS-Defenders serves precisely as both a documentation tool and a call to action.

Currently, SOS-Defenders has documented the public cases of 420 human rights defenders across 17 countries. The platform follows strict criteria for inclusion, ensuring that each individual has been detained in retaliation for their peaceful human rights work.

The development of the platform could not have been possible without the collaboration of 11 local organisations and five international NGOs, part of OMCT’s network and partners. The goal is to expand the community of organisations supporting the initiative, ensuring that more cases are documented and that sustained international pressure is applied to secure the release of detained HRDs.

Ibrahim Ezzeldin, an Egyptian HRD featured in OMCT’s #FacesOfHope campaign, shares his personal experience of censorship by detention: “Arbitrary detention extends beyond imprisonment; it impacts everyone around the defenders. HRDs often emerge from detention psychologically shattered, struggling to rebuild their personal and professional lives. Their families and colleagues also suffer from fear and stigma. This is why platforms like SOS-Defenders are essential to bring visibility to these injustices and mobilize global support.”

For Yared Hailemariam, Executive Director of the Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center (EHRDC) and a member of the SOS-Defenders Advisory Group, the platform is especially relevant for a country like Ethiopia. “The country has a very poor human rights record, that mainly targets human rights defenders. Recently, many HRDs have been arbitrarily detained, and some have been forced to leave the country for fear of being detained. Local human rights organisations are also victim of the ongoing repression and do not have the capacity to document and report the arrest of HRDs on their own. An initiative like this is very timely and important to document, analyse, and monitor the situation in a country where HRDs become the primary target of government repression.”

SOS-Defenders represents an important step towards ending the impunity surrounding arbitrary detention and ill-treatment. As the platform expands, it will provide an increasingly accurate picture of the global crackdown on HRDs, strengthening global advocacy for their protection and freedom.

“The arbitrary detention of human rights defenders is not just an individual violation, but a strategy aimed at silencing free voices and spreading fear. International solidarity, political pressure, and psychological and professional support are key elements in protecting defenders and helping them continue their fight for justice,” concludes Ibrahim Ezzeldin.

For more information and to explore documented cases, visit https://sos-defenders.org/en/.