Journalist Rana Tanveer mentioned in Report of the Special UN Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders

Rana Tanveer, a human rights activist in Pakistan and an alumnus of the Historical Dialogue and Accountability program at Columbia University, was referenced in the report submitted by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Forst, to the Human Rights Council. The report provides observations on the communications of specific cases addressed by the Special Rapporteur to States, as well as observations on the replies received from States:

359. The Special Rapporteur is also seriously concerned about the psychological and physical integrity of Mr. Rana Tanveer, a human rights defender and journalist who has reported extensively on minority rights and blasphemy laws in Pakistan. The Special Rapporteur has received worrying allegations that in May 2017, Mr. Tanveer’s house was vandalized with a death threat painted on his door. In June 2017, Mr. Tanveer allegedly suffered an assassination attempt when a car rammed into him as he was riding his motorbike. The Special Rapporteur received information that on 10 June 2017, a murder attempt First Information Report was registered related to the death threats received by Mr. Tanveer as well as the hit and run incident and requests that the Government of Pakistan update him on the status of these investigations. The Special Rapporteur would like to draw the Government of Pakistan’s attention to the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, and in particular to article 12, (paragraphs 2 and 3), which provides that the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection of everyone against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the Declaration.