Open letter to the Peruvian state calling for the implementation of specific measures for the protection of indigenous peoples human rights defenders

86 indigenous organisations and allied institutions from Peru and across the globe urge the Peruvian state to implement concrete measures to safeguard the lives of indigenous communities and their leaders. Due to a situation of growing violence, harassment and intimidation, community leaders have had to assume the role of human rights defenders to protect their people.

The signatories to this letter recognise the advances in formal mechanisms to protect human rights defenders, but they warn that it is not enough. Indigenous peoples and local communities that are defending the environment and their territorial rights do so in an unsafe and hostile setting.

This letter presents outstanding actions for the Peruvian state to address in a cross-sectional and multilevel way. This is even more important in the context of transition towards a new government, where the situation of human rights defenders and addressing the structural causes behind threats towards them should be a priority.