Global Witness describes its mission as striving for a more sustainable, just, and equal planet. Their goals include protecting forests and biodiversity, keeping fossil fuels in the ground, and advocating for corporations to prioritise people and the planet over profit.
The organisation’s new ‘Missing Voices’ report documents 196 environmental and land defenders who were killed globally last year, with most of the violence concentrated in Colombia, Brazil, Honduras, and Mexico. This marks a continuation of the deadly trend documented by the organisation over the past decade, with a total of over 2,106 defenders killed since Global Witness began tracking such violence in 2012.
The deadliest countries
Colombia was the most dangerous country for environmental defenders in 2023, recording 79 killings – 40% of the global total. It was the highest number of annual deaths ever recorded for any single country since Global Witness began publishing its findings. The southwestern regions of Cauca, Nariño, and Putumayo were particularly deadly, as defenders found themselves caught in the crossfire of armed groups vying for control of land used for coca cultivation and drug trafficking.
Many of those killed were Indigenous leaders or small-scale farmers resisting deforestation, land grabs, and extractive industries. The report highlights that 31 of the Colombian victims were Indigenous people, underscoring the heightened risks faced by Indigenous communities in defending their ancestral lands. Another six victims in the country were from Afrodescendant communities, who are also disproportionately affected by violence and displacement.
Global Witness said many of the murders were connected to organised crime groups involved in illegal mining and deforestation. Despite a public commitment by Colombian President Gustavo Petro to reduce violence against human rights defenders, the number of killings continues to rise.
Brazil saw the second-highest number of killings, with 25 defenders murdered in 2023, more than half of them Indigenous. The election of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as president in late 2022 brought hopes of a shift away from the policies of his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, whose government had encouraged the expansion of agribusiness and mining in the Amazon. However, defenders still face violence, often in disputes with powerful landowners or illegal miners.
In Mexico, 18 defenders were killed, down from 31 in 2022, though the country remains highly dangerous for activists. More than 70% of the Mexican victims were Indigenous, with the state of Michoacán emerging as a hotspot for violence linked to mining operations.
Honduras, meanwhile, saw a sharp increase in violence, with 18 murders recorded, up from 14 in 2022. Honduras continues to have the highest rate of environmental defender killings per capita. The report cites the lack of productive land for farmers and the prioritization of extractive industries over community rights as major contributors to the violence.
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Mining and extractive industries drive violence
Mining was the leading industry driving violence against environmental defenders in 2023, responsible for 25 killings globally, most of them in Latin America. The expansion of extractive industries, particularly in regions rich in natural resources, often leads to violent confrontations between corporations, governments, and local communities who oppose mining, logging, and other resource extraction projects.
Global Witness noted that organized crime groups and paramilitary forces often have vested interests in illegal mining and deforestation, particularly in Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico. These groups frequently target land and environmental defenders who challenge their operations, using violence and intimidation to silence opposition.
In Michoacán, Mexico, the report documents the case of Indigenous leader Antonio Díaz and human rights lawyer Ricardo Lagunes, who were forcibly disappeared in January 2023 after speaking out against the practices of the mining company Ternium. Their car was later found abandoned near the state’s border with Colima, but their whereabouts remain unknown. Their families continue to push for an investigation, though the Mexican government has been slow to act.
Mining-related violence is not confined to Latin America. In the Philippines, 17 defenders were murdered in 2023, many of them in areas affected by mining operations. The report highlights the abduction of two young environmental advocates, Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro, who were kidnapped by the military after opposing land reclamation projects in Manila Bay. Though they were eventually released, they remain under threat and continue to face judicial harassment.
Indigenous communities bear the brunt
Indigenous people, who often act as stewards of critical ecosystems and biodiversity, are disproportionately targeted in violence against defenders. In 2023, 43% of those killed were Indigenous. The report stresses that Indigenous communities are often on the front lines of defending forests, rivers, and mountains from deforestation, pollution, and encroachment by large-scale agriculture and industrial projects.
In Brazil, the Yanomami Indigenous group continues to face threats from illegal gold miners operating in the Amazon rainforest. Despite government efforts to crack down on illegal mining operations in Yanomami territory, violence against the community remains rampant, and several Yanomami leaders were killed in 2023.
The report highlights that Indigenous land rights are often ignored or violated by governments and corporations seeking to exploit natural resources. Even where legal protections exist, enforcement is weak, and defenders face criminalisation, harassment, and violence for opposing development projects.
Other forms of repression
While murder is the most extreme form of repression, defenders also face other forms of violence, including intimidation, abduction, and enforced disappearance. The report emphasises that many cases of violence against defenders go unreported, either due to fear of retaliation or because governments fail to properly investigate or document the incidents.
Enforced disappearances are particularly common in countries like Mexico, where organized crime groups and state actors are often complicit in silencing dissent. The report notes that 93 defenders were forcibly disappeared in Mexico between 2006 and 2023, with over 40% of them still missing.
In Southeast Asia, abduction has emerged as a tactic used by governments and non-state actors to intimidate environmental defenders. In the Philippines, the military has been accused of abducting and torturing activists, while in India, defenders opposing mining and infrastructure projects have faced judicial harassment and threats from local authorities.
Women defenders are especially vulnerable to violence, facing gender-based threats such as sexual violence, smear campaigns, and targeted attacks on their families. The report notes that women defenders often bear the brunt of both physical violence and legal harassment, as governments and corporations seek to silence their opposition.
Calls for action
Global Witness is calling on governments to take immediate action to protect environmental defenders and address the root causes of violence. The organisation urges governments to enforce legal protections for defenders, hold corporations accountable for violence linked to their operations, and ensure that Indigenous land rights are respected.
The report also stresses the need for global action on climate change, noting that violence against defenders is inextricably linked to environmental degradation and the exploitation of natural resources. Global Witness warns that as the demand for resources like minerals and timber grows, particularly in the context of the green energy transition, violence against defenders is likely to increase unless significant reforms are made.
“It’s clear that land and environmental defenders are the canaries in the coal mine,” said a spokesperson for Global Witness. “Their murders are a warning of the larger environmental crises we all face – from deforestation to biodiversity loss to climate change. We need urgent, collective action to protect these defenders and the vital work they do.”
