Regional Action Plan on Human Rights Defenders In Palestine, HRDs face physical abuse, arbitrary detention and prosecution in connection to their practice of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly at the hands of authorities in both the West Bank and Gaza. In March 2019, peaceful movement under the slogan of “We Want to Live” was launched against the worsening economic situation in Gaza. Authorities in Gaza violently cracked down on the protests and prosecuted the activists, protesters and journalists. Two staff of the Palestine Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) were physically attacked while performing their job in monitoring the events associated with the movement. Recently, in July 2020, 19 activists were prosecuted for their attempt to organize a peaceful protest against corruption in the West Bank. The ICHR continues to pay special attention to monitoring and documenting violations against HRDs, applying pressure on authorities to prevent further abuses. Staff of the NHRI of Afghanistan – the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) – face daily threats of violence from various state and non-state actors for their support of human rights. Tragically, a number of AIHRC staff have been murdered for their defence of human rights. On 3 September 2019, the AIHRC’s acting director of the Ghor Provincial Office – Abdul Samad Amiri – was abducted and brutally murdered while travelling to attend a family gathering. Two more AIHRC staff – Fatima Khalil and Ahmad Jawed Folad – were targeted by an explosive device while travelling to the Commission’s office in Kabul in June 2020, both dying from their injuries. These tragedies offer a stark illustration of the risk that NHRI staff face in their defence of human rights. Systematic violations against HRDs While individual violations against defenders continue, of equal concern is the erosion of the rule of law by all branches of government, often under the guise of national security, and the entrenchment of legislation, policy and government programs that hamper the capacity of defenders to work effectively and in safety. In the Philippines – already plagued by widespread attacks against journalists and other grassroots defenders – the Congress has recently passed a new Anti-Terrorism Act, which contains extensive enforcement powers that will enable government to silence HRDs. The new law authorises the arrest and detention of suspects of terrorism offences without charge for 24 days and contains wide-ranging powers for law enforcement agencies to conduct surveillance of suspects of terrorism, including the interception and recording of telephone and electronic communications. Of most concern is the broad discretion conferred on law enforcement agencies in applying a vague definition of terrorism, which HRDs fear will be used to target their work. In Malaysia, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) remains concerned with the ongoing use of specific laws by the police against activists, journalists and HRDs for exercising their freedom of expression. Restrictive laws are being used to censor, intimidate and silence critics and curtail freedom of expression and speech. In 2020, an online news portal and its editor-in-chief have been charged with contempt of court for the readers’ comments relating to the judiciary on its site. SUHAKAM is currently conducting a watching brief on the case. In New Zealand, HRDs that pursue advocacy and law reform activities were denied legal status as a charity on the basis of the ‘political’ dimension of their work. This rejection by government of charitable status applications by advocacy organisations blocked access to important taxation and other administrative benefits by HRD organisations, which imposed significant funding limitations. A number of environmental and other HRD organisations have been able to successfully challenge registrations of government, reinstating tax exemptions that provide a financial lifeline. 14