UNDP report says human rights defenders are targeted by businesses, 30% are victims of violence resulting in loss of life.

A new UN report claims that, between 2001 and 2021, 30% of outspoken Thai activists experienced violence resulting in a loss of life, by the businesses against which they had campaigned.

Released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the report says that businesses have used legal action, intimidation and violence to silence human rights defenders.

Activists, affected villagers and attorneys are among the groups considered to be human rights defenders in the report.

Over the last 25 years, businesses filed 109 lawsuits against human rights defenders. 68.9% of these were by those with stakes in the mining, livestock and energy industries.

One anonymous interviewee said the lawsuits are used as strategic roadblocks and that they found themselves “going to court approximately once a month,…