5 February 2016

Environmental Rights Defenders at Risk in Peru

Front Line Defenders visited Peru in February 2014 and travelled extensively in the Cajamarca and Cusco regions investigating ongoing conflict between mining companies and indigenous and campesino rights defenders.

Following that visit, Front Line Defenders released a report based on field research and interviews with independent human rights defenders and civil society organisations.

Front Line Defenders found that HRDs in Peru often live and work in a very tense situation and have been the direct target of intimidation, death threats, physical attacks, surveillance, stigmatisation, smear campaigns, and judicial harassment. All these documented instances appeared to be directly related to legitimate and peaceful work carried out by the HRDs concerned, in particular in supporting the local communities opposed to mining projects and their impact on their environment, territory and livelihood.