human rights defenders
CABAR.asia talked with the esteemed UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, Ms Mary Lawlor, to explore potential avenues for safeguarding and upholding human rights in Central Asia. The rapporteur emphasized her people-centred approach, focusing on the most vulnerable defenders. The rapporteur encouraged anyone with reliable information about human rights defenders’ rights violations to contact her office. We discussed the importance of UN mechanisms in protecting human rights and holding governments accountable, despite the challenges of “democratic backsliding” in some countries of the Central Asian region.
Over a dozen of independent civil society and human rights organisations in Kazakhstan issued a statement on being under pressure from the authorities. International organisations are concerned about the fact that it happens before the upcoming parliamentary election to be held on January 10, 2021.