Human rights defenders in the context of the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms A/RES/70/161 procedures, treaty bodies and regional human rights mechanisms, towards the improvement of dialogue between authorities and civil society and towards the adoption of national policies and legislation that serve to create a safe and enabling environment and to protect human rights defenders, in particular from being prosecuted, in contravention of the obligations and commitments of States under international human rights law, for peaceful activities, and against threats, harassment, intimidation, duress, arbitrary detention or arrest, enforced disappearance, violence and attacks by State and non-State actors, Recognizing that dissenting views, including views on government and corporate policies related to or with an impact on human rights, may be expressed peacefully and communicated freely in society, online and offline, in accordance with the obligations and commitments of States under international human rights law, and thereby emphasizing the importance of respecting all human rights of all, and stressing in this regard the importance of independent voices of civic activity, human rights education and independent, impartial and competent national judicial systems, Stressing in particular that information and communications technologies are important tools for the promotion of human rights and reporting on human rights violations and abuses, and concerned that such technologies are increasingly being used to monitor and hamper the work of human rights defenders, Strongly reaffirming that everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and strive for the protection and realizat ion of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels, as laid out in the Declaration, 1. Stresses that the right of everyone to promote and strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms without retaliation or fear thereof is an essential element in building and maintaining sustainable, open and democratic societies; 2. Calls upon all States to take all measures necessary to ensure the rights and safety of human rights defenders who exercise the rights to freedom of opinion, expression, peaceful assembly and association, which are essential for the promotion and protection of human rights; 3. Welcomes the work and takes note of the report of the Special Rapporteur of the Human Rights Council on the situation of human rights defenders; 5 4. Urges States to acknowledge through public statements, policies or laws the important and legitimate role of individuals, groups and organs of society, including human rights defenders, in the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, as essential components of ensuring their recognition and protection, including by condemning publicly all cases of violence and discrimination against human rights defenders, including women human rights defenders, underlining that such practices can never be justified; 5. Strongly condemns the violence against and the targeting, criminalization, intimidation, torture, disappearance and killing of any individuals, including human rights defenders, for reporting and seeking information on human rights violations and abuses, and stresses the need to combat impunity by ensuring that those responsible for violations and abuses against human rights defenders, including against their legal representatives, associates and family members, are promptly brought to justice through impartial investigations; __________________ 5 A/70/217. 3/7