/L.23 mited 2013 glish Stressing that respect and support for the activities of human rights defenders, including women human rights defenders, is essential to the overall enjoyment of human rights, Mindful tliat domestic law and administrative provisions and their application should facilitate the work of human rights defenders, including by avoiding any criminalization, stigmatization, impediments, obstmctions or restrictions thereof contrary to international human riglits law, Reiterating the grave concerns expressed by the General Assembly in its resolution 66/164 regarding the serious nature of risks faced by human rights defenders due to threats, attacks and acts of intimidation against them, Gravely concerned that, in some instances, national security and counterterrorism legislation and other measures, such as laws regulating civil society organizations, have been misused to target human riglits defenders or have hindered their work and endangered their safety in a manner contrary to international law, ­Rica, y*, *, hich ty of sally and Recognizing in this regard that new forms of communication, including the dissemination of information online and offline, can serve as important tools for human rights defenders to promote and strive for the protection of human rights, Recognizing also the urgent need to address, and to take concrete steps tD prevent and stop, the use of legislation to hinder or limit unduly the ability of human rights defenders to exercise their work, including by reviewing and, where necessary, amending relevant legislation and its implementation in order to ensure compliance with international human rights law, Welcoming the steps taken by some States towards adopting policies or legislation for the protection of individuals, groups and organs of society engaged in promoting and defending human rights, including the decriminalization of defamation, that serve to protect human rights defenders from being prosecuted for peaceful activities, and against threats, harassment, intimidation, duress, arbitrary detention or arrest, violence and attacks by State and non-State actors; man and 1. Welcomes the work of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, including her two latest reports submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 66/164 and Human Rights Council resolution 16/5, on the use of legislation 1 affecting the activities of human rights defenders, and national human rights 2 institutions, respectively; and 2. Urges States to create a safe and enabling environment in which human rights defenders can operate free from hindrance and insecurity, in the whole country and in all sectors of society, including by extending support to local human rights defenders; f the ocal, man 3. Stresses that legislation affecting the activities of human rights defenders and its application must be consistent with international human rights law, including the 1 2 A/67/292. A/HRC/22/47. 25