Executive Summary
The main objective of this research was to showcase that some of the human rights
defenders who are currently working in the Netherlands have been threatened either
directly or indirectly by external actors. This study has proven that this phenomenon
exists, which has been evidenced by the 15 cases at hand. It has also shown how threats
and intimidation have caused a lot of emotional and psychological damage to the activists,
which has either prevented them from doing their work or has slowed them down
immensely. These stories illustrate how threats can escalate and lead to physical harm,
and in some cases, even serious damage to the individual and their immediate family. We
have observed the tremendous impact that threats and intimidation has on the freedom
of speech of migrants with the same political, ethnic, or national background, as well as
on the actual persons targeted by harassment itself. All interviewees noted the serious
and chilling effect that intimidation has on the entire community that they belong to. In
particular, the potential negative consequences on the well-being of family members in
their country of origin, compels these persons to stay silent on political and social matters
in these countries.
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