OHCHR
GENEVA/NEW YORK (16 September 2026) – People around the world continue to pay a steep price for cooperating with the United Nations on human rights, facing persistent intimidation and reprisals amid disturbing trends in transnational repression and digital surveillance targeting civil society actors, a UN report published today finds. The report urges States to refrain from any acts of intimidation and reprisals, ensure accountability for violations and abuses, and protect those who engage with the UN.
The UN Secretary-General’s report on reprisals documents cases involving human rights defenders, victims of human rights violations and abuses, journalists, lawyers and trade unionists who were targeted by State or non-State actors for cooperating, or seeking to cooperate, with the UN on human rights between 1 May 2025 to 30 April 2026. It covers 32 States*.
The report is not meant to be exhaustive, as many victims refrain from reporting violations or abuses for fear of retaliation. Others chose not to have their cases included or agreed to only do so on condition of anonymity, because of the serious risk of further reprisals.
“Speaking up for human rights should never come at the expense of one’s own personal safety and security. Shrinking civic space and increased surveillance online and offline are fuelling a hostile climate that hinders civil society’s cooperation with the UN and its human rights mechanisms,” said Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Claudia Fuentes Julio, who leads the UN system’s efforts to address reprisals.
“No one should be forced to choose between their right to cooperate with the UN and their own safety or that of their families and communities,” she added. “Safeguarding our engagement with civil society is not only fundamental to the rights of individuals; it is also essential to the UN’s ability to fulfil its mandate and respond effectively to the needs of the people it serves.”
The report shows a growing trend of transnational repression, in which civil society actors are targeted beyond the borders of their own countries. Documented acts include arbitrary detention, physical attacks, surveillance, threats, online harassment, movement restrictions, confiscation of passports, and intimidation of family members, affecting at least 43 individuals and four organisations.
Digital technologies are increasingly being used to monitor, intimidate and silence those seeking to engage with international human rights mechanisms, underscoring the urgency of strengthening protections for those engaging with the UN in digital spaces.
Continued misuse of legislation, including counterterrorism, cybercrime and national security laws and regulations, remains a concern. More than half of the States mentioned in the report have applied, enacted or amended laws that criminalized or further restricted core civil society activities.
“It is particularly alarming and entirely unacceptable that young activists, women, environmental defenders and Indigenous Peoples reportedly continue to face heightened risks of being targeted for exercising their rights to engage with the UN and stand up for their communities, lands and environment,” said the Assistant Secretary-General.
The report also documents attempts to obstruct civil society participation in UN fora, including by seeking to block or delay accreditation, as well as harassment of participants on UN premises themselves. It also refers to attacks directed at independent human rights experts – including Special Procedures mandate holders, and the wider chilling effect these actions risk having on individuals and organizations seeking to cooperate with the UN.
At the same time, the Secretary-General’s report highlights important efforts across the United Nations system and by Member States to address these issues. It includes initiatives to support safe and meaningful participation of human rights defenders and other civil society on UN premises and measures to strengthen prevention, protection and accountability for reprisals.
“People must be able to cooperate freely with the UN. Safe and meaningful engagement with civil society is fundamental to advancing human rights worldwide,” said Fuentes Julio. “We call on all States to protect those who engage with the UN.”
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