Almost 150 environmental and land defenders were killed or went missing worldwide in 2024, with Latin America – especially Colombia – the most dangerous region, rights group Global Witness said Tuesday.
The NGO documented 146 murders and long-term disappearances last year, or roughly three cases per week, according to its annual report. That marks a decline from the 196 cases recorded in 2023 but “does not indicate an improvement,” the organization warned, noting widespread underreporting.
More than four out of five cases occurred in Latin America. Colombia alone accounted for 48 killings in 2024, down from 79 the previous year, but still representing a third of the global total. The country, plagued by armed groups engaged in illegal mining and drug trafficking, was followed by Guatemala, Mexico, Brazil and the Philippines.
Since it began tracking cases in 2012, Global Witness has recorded 2,253 environmental defenders killed or disappeared worldwide.
