Colombia has maintained its position as the country with the deadliest conditions for environmental and land activists, according to findings released by Global Witness. The organization documented at least 124 activists killed globally throughout 2025, with Colombia accounting for 39 of these deaths. Brazil followed with 26 killings, establishing both nations as the primary sites of violence against defenders of environmental and land rights.
The majority of documented murders were concentrated in Latin America, which accounted for 85% of all killings tracked by the group. This pattern has persisted since Global Witness began publishing annual reports on the topic in 2012, making the region consistently the most dangerous for activists working on environmental and land issues. Colombia has held the top position for four consecutive years, according to the organization’s data.
The violence predominantly stems from disputes over land ownership and control. Many killings were carried out by hired assassins or members of organized crime networks, with perpetrators often linked to illegal activities including cocaine production and unauthorized mining operations. In Colombia, indigenous populations have been disproportionately affected, accounting for nearly half of the murdered activists. Small-scale farmers comprised a significant portion of the remaining victims. Indigenous communities have attempted to establish protective measures through unarmed indigenous guard networks that patrol their territories, though members of these groups remain frequent targets of illegal armed organizations.
Brazil’s situation has worsened considerably, with killings doubling between 2024 and 2025. Like Colombia, violence in Brazil is primarily driven by conflicts over land control and resources. Outside of Latin America, Asia accounted for 12% of documented murders, with the Philippines recording 12 cases.
Global Witness cautioned that its figures likely underestimate the true scale of violence, as many incidents go unreported or undocumented. Despite the documented decrease from 146 killings in 2024 to 128 in 2025, the organization emphasized that the actual number of murders may be substantially higher.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI