Chair Cardin Unveils First-Ever Documentary-Style Committee Series on Human Rights Defenders

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, announced the release of the first video in a groundbreaking documentary-style series highlighting the lives of human rights defenders worldwide. Part of the Committee’s Truth to Power digital campaign, this innovative storytelling initiative brings extraordinary stories of courage and determination to life, offering Americans an intimate view into the dignity, valor, and struggles of those fighting for human rights, democracy, and equality.

Each episode invites viewers to engage with the global community, to understand the stakes, and to stand in solidarity with those who fight for a better future for all. Through this series, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee aims to elevate the voices of these defenders and identify efforts, like Chair Cardin’s Human Rights Defenders Protection Act, to provide them with the resources and security they need.

"Through the Truth to Power series, we are creating powerful connections between these human rights defenders and audiences around the world," said Chair Cardin. "Storytelling has the ability to inspire, build awareness, and drive action. By showcasing the efforts of those who risk their lives for justice, we hope to expand the understanding of global struggles beyond our own borders. This is about building bridges between people, showing the common threads of dignity, hope, and perseverance that bind us all."

"These videos make clear the impact achieved by human rights defenders all over the world, despite the enormous risks they face,” said Mary Lawlor, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defender. “As states crack down on freedoms of assembly, association, expression and other means through which human rights defenders do their work, Chair Cardin's Human Rights Defenders Protection Act could offer vital support to help ensure that work can continue."

We are grateful to Chairman Cardin for leading the timely Human Rights Defenders Protection Act, which would strengthen the United States’ ability to support human rights defenders (HRDs) around the world, and appreciate this video highlighting the challenges they face,” said Nicole Bibbins Sedaca, Interim President at Freedom House. “HRDs are on the frontlines of the struggle for freedom, working tirelessly to create a world that is safer and more prosperous for us all. All too often, they come under threat for this courageous work. We will always stand with HRDs, and we hope that others in Congress will join us in seeking to pass this important legislation.”

“Oxfam commends the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s determination to use its influence to protect human rights defenders worldwide,” said Tawanda Mutasah, Vice President of Global Partnerships and Impact for Oxfam America. “This film is a fine testament to our combined efforts to give voice to the voiceless. It is also a fitting tribute to Chairman Ben Cardin’s career long fight to protection of civil and human rights.”

"Every aspect of U.S. foreign policy has the potential to impact the work of human rights defenders, from its work with foreign security forces to its promotion of American economic interests abroad,” said Bobbie Sta. Maria, Executive Director of EarthRights International. “As Chairman Cardin's video series illustrates so powerfully, one of the best ways we can promote democracy and security abroad is to take a whole-of-government approach to protecting human rights defenders. The Human Rights Defenders Protection Act will give the U.S. government the tools it needs to do just that."

"At a time when we are seeing a wave of anti-LGBTQI+ legislation sweep across the globe, it is important that LGBTQI+ human rights defenders have the tools necessary to hold their governments accountable to the rights of all of their citizens," said David Stacy, Vice President of Government Affairs at the Human Rights Campaign.  "We applaud Chairman Cardin for his longstanding and unwavering commitment to the human rights of all people and for recognizing that LGBTQI+ rights are paramount to protecting democracy, freedom, and equality for all."

"Human Rights  have no borders," said Leopoldo Lopez, Co-Founder of the World Liberty Congress. "They are the foundation of every just society. To defend human rights, is to protect the dignity and freedom of all people. Those of us who are in this struggle today thank Senator Cardin for advancing this bill."

"Environmental human rights defenders like Colombia's Jani Silva are being targeted in alarming numbers around the world, especially in Latin America,” said Andrew Miller, Advocacy Director of Amazon Watch. “Just last week Jani received an explicit death threat over the phone, increasing the risk she and others within her organization ADISPA are running. The international profile offered by the video series and tools provided by the Human Rights Defenders Protection Act can strengthen the political space in which defenders will continue to do their important work.”

The first video in this series features:

• U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) – Chair, U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee
• Mary Lawlor – Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, United Nations
• Nicole Bibbins Sedaca – Interim President, Freedom House
• Tawanda Mutasah – Vice President of Global Partnerships and Impact, Oxfam America
• Wai Wai Nu – Founder and Executive Director, Women’s Peace Network
• Bobbie Sta. Maria – Executive Director, Earth Rights International
• Jani Silva – Legal Representative, Association for the Sustainable Development of the Amazon Pearl
• Leopoldo Lopez – Co-Founder, World Liberty Congress
• Clare Byarugaba – Ugandan LGBTQI+ Human Rights Advocate

CLICK HERE to watch the first episode in the Committee’s Truth to Power docu-style series.

Previous Truth to Power Social Media Spotlights:

• Iryna Danylovych – Ukrainian nurse and citizen journalist
• Buzurgmehr Yorov – Tajik human rights lawyer
• Vladyslav Yesypenko – Ukrainian-Russian journalist
• Narges Mohammadi – Iranian human rights defender
• Agather Atuhaire – Ugandan journalist
• Leonard Mindore – Kenyan human rights and environmental defender
• Bishop Rolando José Álvarez – Bishop of the Archdiocese of Managua, Nicaragua
• Maykel Castillo Pérez – Cuban rapper and musician
• Theary Seng – Cambodian-American human rights activist and lawyer
• Dang Dinh Bach – Vietnamese environmental lawyer

The Human Rights Defenders Protection Act (S. 3705) requires a whole-of-government approach to ensure support for human rights defenders and their protection from attacks is part of U.S. bilateral and multilateral diplomatic, development, defense, economic, security assistance, and anti-corruption activities. The bill:

• Creates a new, limited nonimmigrant visa category to provide up to 500 at-risk human rights defenders with a visa to the United States to ensure such individuals are able to safely continue their work from abroad before returning home when it is safe to do so.
  
  
• Requires a global strategy for human rights defenders to bolster the ability of U.S. embassies and missions to protect human rights defenders, assess available tools and resources, and reduce impunity for attacks.
  
  
• Equips diplomats with the tools they need to respond effectively to attacks on human rights defenders by ensuring that human rights defender issues are included in each mission’s integrated country strategy and have diplomats with the monitoring, training, reporting, and coordination tools they need to effectively respond.
  
  
• Codifies and strengthens existing efforts, including important guidance from the Biden administration’s Guidelines for U.S. Diplomatic Support to Civil Society and Human Rights Defenders.
  
  
• Improves protections for human rights defenders at multilateral and regional bodies including the United Nations.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Chair Cardin’s Human Rights Defenders Protection Act.

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