227 environmental defenders killed globally in 2020: Rights group

By Devina Halim

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AA) - At least 227 land and environment defenders were killed globally in 2020, an international rights group said on Monday.

“Over half of attacks took place in just three countries: Colombia, Mexico and the Philippines,” Global Witness said in a report.

Colombia saw the highest number of killings in 2020, with 65 land and environmental defenders murdered, according to the report.

The group said it documented 30 lethal attacks against land and environmental defenders in Mexico last year, a 67% increase from 2019.

Meanwhile, in the Philippines, 29 defenders were killed, with over half of the lethal attacks directly linked to their opposition to mining, logging, and dam projects, it added.

The rights group said that 166 land and environment defenders have been killed in the Philippines between 2016 and 2020.

It said that the killings of land and environmental defenders were also recorded in 19 other countries, including Indonesia with three people.

*Writing by Rhany Chairunissa Rufinaldo with Anadolu Agency’s Indonesian language services in Jakarta