lawyers are Human rights defenders

Human rights defenders act “individually or in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms” at the local, national, regional and international levels. They recognize the universality of human rights for all without distinction of any kind, and they defend human rights by peaceful means.

Human rights defenders perform important and legitimate functions in democratic societies.
State authorities should respect that dissenting views may be expressed peacefully in democratic societies and should publicly acknowledge the important and legitimate role of human rights defenders.
Human rights defenders face specific risks and are often targets of serious abuses as a result of their human rights work. Therefore, they need specific and enhanced protection at local, national and international levels. Certain groups of human rights defenders - such as defense lawyers -  are exposed to heightened risks due to the specific nature of their work, the issues they are working on, the context in which they operate, their geographical location or because they belong to or are associated with a particular group.
It is estimated that only in 2016 there were at least 280 human rights defenders killed in the world. Nearly half were indigenous leaders, environmentalist activists, and land rights, and there are at least a thousand cases of threats, persecution, torture or detention

"In difesa di .." Network in Italy

The " In Difesa Di – per i diritti umani e chi li difende" network is a coalition of over 30 Italian organizations and associations (including "Endangered lawyers | avvocati minacciati") which are active on issues such as the promotion of human rights, environment, international solidarity, peace and disarmament, workers' rights, freedom of the press and the rule of law.
"Endangered lawyers | avvocati minacciati" project of the Italian Union of Criminal lawyers association UCPI participates actively in the network since its birth, recognising the importance of networking in the field of Human Rights.
 
Nicola Canestrini, Italian Parliament, November 2016

Nicola Canestrini, Italian Parliament, November 2016

The network has already achieved significant results: in November 2016, the Italian Parliament hosted an international conference with human rights advocates from Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, India and Mauritania, and on 31 January 2017, its Foreign Affairs Committee approved a resolution urging the Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to strengthen their commitment to protecting human rights defenders.
 

SHELTER CITY AND Temporary relocation of HRD in Italy

In 2018, the city of Trento (North Italy) demonstrated its commitment to the protection and support of international human rights defenders through a groundbreaking motion. The motion, adopted on January 31st, commits - as the first city in Italy - the city of Trento to establish a temporary relocation and training programme for human rights defenders at risk.

Motion 190 on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders by the Council of the Autonomous Province of Trento will see Trento become the first city in Italy to offer temporary protection to human rights defenders.

Wording of the resolutions (ITA)

"IL CONSIGLIO DELLA PROVINCIA AUTONOMA DI TRENTO impegna la Giunta provinciale

  1. ad attivare come Provincia di Trento sul proprio territorio programmi di protezione temporanea e training per Difensori dei diritti umani minacciati (su esempio delle "città rifugio" in Olanda e del programma di protezione del Paese Basco);

  2. a promuovere nel corso del 2018 occasioni di approfondimento e scambi di esperienze tra enti locali e organizzazioni della società civile sul ruolo degli enti locali nella protezione dei difensori dei diritti umani e le città-rifugio;

  3. a sollecitare il Governo nazionale affinché attivi programmi di protezione per i difensori dei diritti umani e rafforzi l'iniziativa del corpo diplomatico italiano, aderendo al contempo alla Temporary Relocation Platform dell'Unione Europea;

  4. ad inviare questa mozione all'ANCI ed alla Conferenza Stato-Regioni al fine da diffonderla presso altri enti locali sollecitandone l'impegno per la protezione dei difensori dei diritti umani e la creazione di opportunità di rifugio temporaneo per attivisti a rischio."

(English as follows:)
"THE COUNCIL OF THE PROVINCE OF TRENTO commits the Provincial Council
  1. to activate as the Province of Trento on its territory temporary protection programmes and training for threatened human rights defenders (e.g. the "shelter cities" in the Netherlands and the protection programme of the Basque Country);
  2. in 2018, to promote opportunities for in-depth study and exchange of experiences between local authorities and civil society organisations on the role of local authorities in the protection of human rights defenders and shelter cities;
  3. to urge the National Government in order to implement protection programmes for human rights defenders and to strengthen the initiative of the Italian diplomatic service, by joining the Temporary Relocation Platform of the European Union;
  4. to send this motion to ANCI and to the State-Regions Conference in order to disseminate it to other local authorities urging their commitment to the protection of human rights defenders and the creation of temporary shelter opportunities for activists at risk.

"Il Consiglio comunale impegna il Sindaco e la Giunta a

1. supportare la Provincia autonoma di Trento nell'attivazione di azioni che si muovano nell'ambito dei programmi di protezione temporanea e training per Difensori dei Diritti Umani minacciati (su esempio delle “città rifugio” in Olanda e del programma di protezione del Paese Basco);

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CONSIGLIO COMUNALE DI TRENTO Gruppo consiliare PD-PSI insieme per Trento

  1. valutare, di intesa con la Provincia di Trento l'attivazione di Trento come città rifugio in grado di offrire protezione temporanea alle persone che difendono i diritti umani nel mondo;

  2. promuovere occasioni di approfondimento e scambi di esperienze tra organizzazioni della società civile, le organizzazioni, i movimenti e le istituzioni sul ruolo degli enti locali nella protezione dei difensori dei diritti umani e le città-rifugio;

  3. trasmettere la presente mozione e la relativa delibera di approvazione alla Provincia Autonoma di Trento e al Consorzio dei Comuni del Trentino.

(English as follows:)

"The City Council commits the Mayor and the Council to

1.  support the Province of Trento in the implementation of actions within the framework of temporary protection and training programmes for threatened human rights defenders (e.g. the "shelter cities" in the Netherlands and the Basque Country protection programme);

 

  1. evaluate, in agreement with the Province of Trento, the activation of Trento as a shelter city able to offer temporary protection to people who defend human rights in the world;
  2. to promote opportunities for deepening and exchanging experiences among civil society organisations, movements and institutions on the role of local authorities in the protection of human rights defenders and shelter cities;
  3. to forward this motion and the relative approval decision to the Province of Trento and the Consorzio dei Comuni del Trentino".