Environmentalists

Much of the abuse and violence against human rights defenders is associated with the exploitation of the environment and natural resources by large companies. Fighting the devastating presence of miners, loggers and contractors is a matter of direct survival for many people.

According to the Global Witness organization, between 2002 and 2013, Brazil ranked first among the most dangerous countries for environmental activism, registering 448 people killed in the fight for the environment and land. These killings are revealing of the incessant quest of large corporations for natural resources that will make a profit to the detriment of thousands of lives affected by these enterprises.