From the 2nd to the 5th of March, PBI participated in an international observation visit to Ecuador, alongside other international human rights organizations. During the visit, meetings were held with local communities, human rights and environmental defenders, civil society organizations, representatives of public institutions, and members of the international community.
The information gathered during the visit points to a worrying restriction of civic space, as well as an increase in criminalization and intimidation against defenders, particularly in contexts related to extractivism and socio-environmental conflicts. It also reveals threats to judicial independence and a security policy based on the militarization of the State’s response to human rights issues.
The participating organizations express our concern regarding this situation and call on the Ecuadorian State to guarantee the rights of human rights defenders and on the international community to strengthen its monitoring of the situation. Finally, we reiterate our solidarity and recognize the determination of those who continue to legitimately defend their rights in an increasingly hostile context.
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Photo: Antonella Calle
Photo: Antonella Calle
Photo: Antonella Calle