On international day of human rights defenders, Amnesty International is launching an innovative online tool to highlight the rising wave of attacks against environmental activists across the Americas.

Speak out for Defenders! features dozens of stories of activists from every corner of the Americas who have been harassed, threatened, attacked, unfairly jailed and even killed as punishment for their work to protect the environment.

“More than ever before, environmental activists are the targets of a ruthless campaign aimed at stopping them from protecting vital natural resources,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

“The cases features in our new platform show only the tip of the iceberg. The new tool aims to shine a light on an invisible crisis and on the stories of those who work against powerful political and economic interests to protect the resources without which none of us would be able to live.”

The cases features in our new platform show only the tip of the iceberg. The new tool aims to shine a light on an invisible crisis and on the stories of those who work against powerful political and economic interests to protect the resources without which none of us would be able to live Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International

Latin America is the most dangerous region for people working on these issues. In 2015 alone, the NGO Global Witness recorded 185 killings of defenders of the land and the environment around the world, and 122 of these happened in Latin America.