Defending Rights

Watch the video series ”Defending rights”, where six brave human rights defenders share their stories and tell about their work towards justice and equality.

Maria Teresa from El Salvador was sentenced to 40 years in prison due to miscarriage. Now she is fighting to free other women sentenced to prison for miscarriage or abortion. Kenyan Njeri Gateru is fighting for LGBTQ+ rights in a country where homosexuality is criminalized with up to 14 years in prison. Lawyer Irina Biryukova defends people who are arbitrarily arrested or tortured in Russian prisons.

Human rights defenders often face threats because of their work.  Memory Bandera works to protect human rights defenders whose life is in danger. Nedal Al-Salman works in Bahrain Center for Human Rights, which is the only independent human rights organization in the whole country.

Phyllis Omido is fighting for a clean environment in Kenya. Thanks to her organization, the Center for Justice Governance and Environmental Action, a toxic metal refinery was closed down by officials.

Njeri Gateru: Love is not a crime – Defending LGBTQ+ rights in Kenya

Phyllis Omido: Fighting for a clean environment in Kenya

Irina Birjukova: “No one should ever be tortured”

María Teresa Rivera: 40 years in prison for a miscarriage

Memory Bandera: Emergency help for human rights activists

Nedal Al-Salman: The forgotten Human Rights Defenders of Bahrain

The video series was made together with Amnesty Finland and partly the Finnish Ecumenical Council. It was produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of the videos are the sole responsibility of the KIOS Foundation and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.