‘That three minutes changed my whole life,’ says human rights defender Sunanda Deshapriya of the time he read a statement at the UN Human Rights Council. ‘It made me a kind of “walking dead”.' In a new video produced by ISHR and True Heroes Films, we share with you the stories of reprisals against those who have bravely engaged at the UN.

‘That three minutes changed my whole life,’ says human rights defender Sunanda Deshapriya of the time he read a statement at the UN Human Rights Council. ‘It made me a kind of “walking dead”.’
 
Labelled a traitor and threatened with death, Sunanda has never been able to return to his home country after leaving to attend the Council session five years ago. All this for speaking out – as he is entitled to – at a UN meeting.
 
In a new video produced by ISHR and True Heroes Films, we share with you the stories of reprisals against individuals and organisations who have bravely engaged at the UN.

From smear campaigns, harassment and criminalisation, to physical attacks and killings – the experiences of these courageous men and women are sadly just a few examples of a widespread issue.

Not only do reprisals have a devastating effect on the human rights defenders and their families, but they deter others from engaging with the UN and undermine the whole UN system.  

The General Assembly is due to consider a Human Rights Council resolution on reprisals (24/24) in the coming weeks. Its endorsement by the GA is the critical step needed to protect those who cooperate with the UN and ensure the perpetrators of reprisals are held accountable.   

Watch now. 

Instructions for how to turn on translated captions of this video are available here.